Emma Hayes

Emma Carol Hayes (born 18 October 1976) is an English professional football manager who is the manager of FA WSL club Chelsea Women.

Hayes played for Arsenal's academy as a midfielder from 1988 to 1996, but an ankle injury while on a ski trip when she was 17 ultimately ended her playing career.

With football ruled out, Hayes studied European studies, Spanish, and sociology at Liverpool Hope University College and later read for a master's degree in intelligence and international affairs.

While at Liverpool Hope, Hayes coached the women's football team from 1997 to 1999.

She then studied at Liverpool Hope University, graduating in 1999.

In 1999, she moved back to London, helping develop youth players at Croydon and Crystal Palace.

In 2002, she became the manager of the Long Island Lady Riders in Long Island, New York, becoming the youngest coach in the league.

In the USL W-League, she led the team to finish first in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference, and was named as the league's coach of the season.

The team won their conference semi-final match 3–1 against the New York Magic, before losing 4–2 in the conference championship against the Boston Renegades.

She was appointed as the head coach for the Iona Gaels women's team, of Iona College in New Rochelle, New York, on 22 January 2003, where she remained until the end of the 2005 season.

She was also the first team assistant coach and academy director for Arsenal Ladies between 2006 and 2008.

Hayes joined Chicago Red Stars as a manager on 15 May 2008.

She previously served as the head coach and director of football operations for Chicago Red Stars of Women's Professional Soccer in the United States from 2008 until 24 May 2010.

She will depart Chelsea at the end of the 2023–24 Women's Super League season as she is set to become the new manager of the United States women's national team after the WSL season is over.

Hayes was born in Camden, London, and attended Parliament Hill School.

After she was sacked in 2010, she took up a technical director role at Western New York Flash and advised them on transfers, helping to create a team that won the 2011 Women's Professional Soccer championship.

After another stint as a consultant for Washington Freedom, Hayes returned to London and worked for the family business, Covent Garden FX, a currency exchange.

During the mid-season 2012 Summer Olympics break on 14 August 2012, Chelsea hired Hayes as manager for the remainder of the 2012 season following the resignation of Matt Beard to become manager at Liverpool.

Hayes managed her first match with Chelsea on 18 August 2012 in a 1–0 win at Doncaster Rovers Belles.

After narrowly missing out on the 2014 FA WSL 1 title on the final day, Hayes oversaw a huge squad overhaul that bore witness to the addition of several arrivals.

Swedish shot-stopper Hedvig Lindahl and promising England centre-half Millie Bright were among the new recruits.

Marija Banusic, Gemma Davison and Niamh Fahey also joined Chelsea, signing from Kristianstads, Liverpool Ladies and Arsenal Ladies respectively.

Later on in the season, Hayes won the race for Reading & England forward Fran Kirby for a British record fee.

With the agonising memories of final-day defeat Still Fresh in memory, Hayes guided her side to a historic league and cup double, edging the FA Cup Final thanks to a lone strike from Ji So-yun late on in the first half.

Later on in the season, they avenged themselves by winning The FA WSL 1 title, after hammering Sunderland at home 4–0 to secure the trophy.

In the Women's Champions League, Hayes's side reached the last 16 after defeating Glasgow City.

After their 2–1 home defeat by VfL Wolfsburg, Hayes criticised The Football Association for poor fixture scheduling, insisting that the competition is "geared to French, German and Swedish teams, and until we change that or listen to clubs like Chelsea we are always going to get knocked out in the early rounds".

Hayes' side finished second in The FA WSL 1, five points adrift of Champions Manchester City.

The Blues also reached the FA Cup Final for the second consecutive year, losing 1–0 to a strong Arsenal side.

Chelsea however won the FA WSL Spring Series, an interim edition of the FA WSL.

Hayes led the side to first place, finishing on the same points as Manchester City but beating them on goal difference.

Hayes was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to football.

Aided with addition of new players including Ramona Bachmann, Maren Mjelde, Erin Cuthbert and Crystal Dunn, Emma Hayes guided her side to finish top, in a reorganised FA WSL1, on goal difference.

The team also played the FA Cup competitions and reached the semi-final but were knocked out by Birmingham City in a penalty shoot-out.

Hayes sought to rebuild the team at the conclusion of the 2017–18 season around new recruits Sam Kerr, Pernille Harder, Melanie Leupolz, Magda Eriksson, and Ann Katrin Berger, having moved on some key first-team players.

The 2019–20 and 2020–21 season saw her team win back-to-back WSL titles in what were record breaking years, following a trophy-less 2018–19 campaign.

Given Chelsea's dominance in the 2020–21 season in both Europe and England, some observers hailed them as one of the best teams ever.

Hayes became the first woman manager to reach the Champions League final in 12 years.

On 16 May, her Chelsea team, also playing their first-ever Champions League final, lost 4–0 to Barcelona Femeni.

Hayes won the 2020–21 FA WSL Manager of the Season award.