Hayes is still new to the role, but the Paris Games represent her first opportunity to take U.S. to 'new heights'
"There's no point in talking about the past in isolation. When talking about new heights, who wants to f**king do the same thing over and over again? Let’s start creating our own narrative!"
If you want to boil down U.S. women's national team coach Emma Hayes' worldview into one bite-size quote, that's the one. That declaration came just a few weeks ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics as Hayes spoke to Sam Mewis on the Women's Game podcast. And in truth, those 33 words succinctly explain who Hayes is, where she's been and where she's going.
Hayes is, of course, far more complicated than a few sentences. Her tactics are in-depth and precise. Her views of the game are nuanced and methodical, which is how she became one of the game's best coaches. And, at this point, her self-created narrative is undeniable after years of success in her native England.
But, as Hayes says, that part of her life – the past – is over. Now is the time to look to the future, both near-term and long-term. Hayes is just beginning to craft her USWNT narrative, but it's already being put to the test under the brightest of lights this summer.
U.S. Soccer hired Hayes to play the long game but, just weeks into her tenure, the USWNT are preparing for this new era's first big test. The Olympics are here and, Hayes and this U.S. team will be thrown into the fire before the coach's ideals have really taken hold with her new squad. It's a tricky spot to be in, for sure, but this is Hayes we're talking about. All you have to do is reference that quote to know that she's embracing the absurdity of this short runway to the very top.
She was brought in to be the USWNT's rebuilder, if not savior. After several steps back toward the pack, the USWNT is desperate to regain elite status. That's why Hayes is here, after all. But has that process already started? Can Hayes make enough of a difference in just a few short weeks to make this team an Olympic contender? Conventional wisdom would say no, but Hayes sure won't. The narrative is newly created, but the expectations remain the same: dominance.
GettyTeam in need of a rebuild
As Hayes alluded to, there's quite a past to look back on when it comes to the USWNT. That past dictates everything about this program. The expectation is always success, no matter the hurdles. That's the benchmark the legends of this team set, and that's the standard to which everyone after them will always be held.
Should the team fall short of that measure, change comes swiftly. That's what we found out last year. That's what brought Hayes to this USWNT in the first place.
The truth is this: Hayes is walking to a USWNT in need of rebuilding and reshaping. That was made abundantly clear at the 2023 World Cup, where the U.S. disappointingly turned in the worst finish in their tournament history. Coach Vlatko Andonovski paid for that with his job. Legends Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz rode off into the sunset. Ranked No. 2 in FIFA’s women's world rankings last December, the USWNT fell to fifth in the rankings released last month.
This is very much a new era.
Some argue that the USWNT has fallen back to the pack, that this group has lost the killer instinct that defined it for so long. Others say that investments elsewhere have leveled up other nations, that other countries finally have the resources to stand up to this U.S. program. Either way, it doesn't matter to U.S. Soccer. This isn't about why this team fell short, but how it can it be fixed.
Enter Hayes, the woman that many see as the perfect leader to get this USWNT back on track.
AdvertisementGOALHayes' U.S. connections
What makes Hayes such an interesting coach for his particular team is her standing as both familiar and as an outsider. She brings fresh ideas to this program, but she also knows exactly what she's signed up for.
The USWNT gig isn't Hayes' first foray into the U.S. landscape, after all. Her career really began here in the early 2000s, when she coached the Long Island Lady Riders and Iona Gaels on the college soccer scene. After briefly returning to England as an assistant with Arsenal, she coached the Chicago Red Stars for two years before then serving in front-office roles with the Western New York Flash and Washington Freedom, ahead of her Chelsea breakout.
Hayes has cited her challenges with the Red Stars as defining, the type of setback that made her success at Chelsea possible. And there was plenty of success at Chelsea, where Hayes became one of the best minds in the women's game. She won seven league titles and five FA Cups with the Blues, while also being repeatedly recognized for her contributions to the sport.
"I do feel like I'm coming back (to the U.S.) a more well-rounded, more experienced version of myself," Hayes said towards the end of her time at Chelsea. "I'm looking forward to sharing that. But it's in a place that I know, it is in a culture I know. I spent 10 years of my life here. This is a second home to me, so I just can't wait. I hope to do the team proud. I hope to do the country proud."
USA TodayHeart surgery for the program
Due to her Chelsea duties, Hayes didn't step into her USWNT role until late May. And, once she did, it was made very clear how difficult this summer, in particular, would be for her.
“It feels like I'm a heart surgeon in the middle of emergency surgery," Hayes said in June. "Not because anything is wrong, but the reality is it's really, really hard for me to be on the wards or on the clinics and teaching everyone and do surgery at the same time in such a limited amount of time. Between now and the next camp, it's about bringing everybody up to that level where everybody can do the surgery, if you know what I mean.”
Over the last year, USWNT interim boss Twila Kilgore laid plenty of groundwork. Following Andonovski's departure, Kilgore stepped in to kickstart the rebuild, ushering in new stars such as Jaedyn Shaw and Jenna Nighswonger. She also began the rebuilds of Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman, two players who didn't have the World Cup performances they'd have dreamed of.
That's just the foundation. And while Kilgore deservedly gets credit for putting it in place, Hayes still stepped into a group with so much work to be done. Her tactical approach is more flexible and, seemingly, a bit more nuanced than Andonovski's. Her views on the game are very much her own, and it takes time to implement those strategies.
Beyond those big-picture ideas, Hayes has had to focus on short-term problems. This team's attack was anemic last summer, and her ability to revive it is a big part of the reason she was brought in. Many expect her to have those answers in Paris, but this is, of course, a collaboration between coach and player, and both sides are still in the feeling-out process.
"I think there's been a better tactical understanding then I anticipated, but for me the most important thing is the ability to grasp the information really, really quickly," Hayes said of the U.S. players. "[They're] sponges, unbelievable sponges. No matter what we've thrown at them … they've taken it on, they're absorbing it. This team is desperate to improve and is focused on the performances and the processes to do that."
GettyConnecting with the players
As Hayes mentioned, connecting with the players is paramount, and she's already had to make some tough decisions.
The call to leave decorated veteran Alex Morgan off the Olympic roster is one that sent shockwaves through American soccer, but it's one Hayes had to make, putting the spotlight on the young stars that should lead this team into a new era. It's time to sink or swim.
The players, meanwhile, seem to have taken to Hayes already. After just two camps together, there's been abundant praise for Hayes, who – despite her brief time in charge – has put her stamp on the team. Hayes isn't some authoritarian who's arrived to shake things up, but rather a coach committed to developing connections as a path toward success.
"We all love Emma already! She's definitely got some personality," Shaw said. "She has her standards and expectations and I think that she's going to be really, really good for us. It's been challenging and hard work, but we're up for it.
"We're just continuing to trust her and learn from her and her experience. She meshes well with all of us. She's actually really funny! She can be serious at times, but she also cracks jokes here and there."
Rodman echoed those sentiments, saying that Hayes "does a really good job of just building every day. I think she’s always thinking about the present moment and what she can do. We’re learning every day, we’re building our relationships, which has been good, and it’s come so naturally. We’re in a good place right now."