Alex Morgan Given a Stark Reminder of ‘High Stakes’ to Fit in USWNT’s Emma Hayes Era Ahead of Summer Olympics

A new era has begun for the United States Women’s National Team. Emma Hayes is finally in town to take the lead of the American ladies. With the squad filled with countless talents, the biggest task for the iconic Chelsea manager is to pick the best XI. As the competition remains to make the cut in Hayes’ squad, veteran Alex Morgan has been warned about her place in the team, as she ‘may or may not be involved’ in the upcoming Olympics.

The warning came in the latest episode of the ‘State of the Union’ podcast. Host David Mosse discussed Emma Hayes’ first challenge before the friendly clash against South Korea tomorrow. Interestingly, host Alexi Lalas narrated that Morgan’s 4-year-old daughter and Hayes’ 6-year-old son have been playing together at the hotel while the team trains for the clash. While the USMNT icon called it a ‘nice little story,’ hearing it also makes it quite strange for the pundit, insisting it doesn’t indicate that Morgan has received a place on the team.

Lalas said, “The dynamic of this team is always part of the story. What’s going on behind the scenes and the relationships is what’s going to happen. But ultimately, this is high stakes in terms of performance, in terms of positions—especially when you are talking about someone like Alex Morgan—who may or may not be involved in this summer and going forward with the national team.”

Lalas emphasized that there would be tough competition for everyone, but veterans like Morgan would need to work harder to cement their place in the squad. Notably, this is the same warning that former player Ali Krieger had for the upcoming generation of the USWNT.

Alex Morgan may have to burn the midnight oil as Emma Hayes won’t take ‘any sh*t’ from USWNT stars!

Earlier, during one segment of “Kicking It”, courtesy of the Attacking Third, Ali Kreiger talked about how Emma Hayes would bring a remarkable shift in the USWNT. However, it may come at a cost: “I don’t think she [Hayes] is going to take any sh*t from any of the players,” she said while expressing her confidence in the former Blues’ boss.  

Players shall prove their worth in the team, otherwise, Hayes won’t think for a second to bring in a fresh pair of legs. Krieger predicted that Hayes would set high standards, demanding hard work and leaving no space for entitlement or mistakes. Certainly, Alex Morgan is left with no choice but to give her all to secure her spot on the team.