Emma Hayes Admits ‘Feeling Joyful’ With USWNT After Years of ‘Grief’ at Chelsea – “Sapped Me of Everything”

Emma Hayes was seldom been denied success as a Chelsea manager. Life, however, wasn’t rosy for the London native with the WSL giants. She has famously said she had more fun within a month in the US camp compared to her last seasons at Chelsea. Well, that’s because the gold medal win with the USWNT was like a downpour in the desert for the English boss. Besides the pressure of consistently delivering the best, Hayes had to battle certain personal griefs during her Chelsea stint.

Emma Hayes’ 16 title-hauling run with Chelsea is indeed a guide for any aspiring soccer manager to follow. However, she was so worn out towards the climax of her Chelsea career that she was eager to embark on a new chapter.

“I was happy for my time at Chelsea to come to an end,” the British coach said in a recent interview with The Telegraph.

She added, “But I have enjoyed feeling joyful again. I didn’t realize how debilitating grief is and how much both grief and my own personal struggles of the last few years have really sapped me of everything.” We all know that Hayes’ final season in Chelsea went through several bumps before coming to a successful end. She drew daggers with fellow coaches. She faced the music for her outlandish comments on dating between players.

Anyhow, Hayes’ Chelsea days started to become troublesome before the 23-24 season. It’s not like the London club has taken the happiness out of the 47-year-old. But personal sorrows did.

Team USA’s Olympic gold is a relief for Emma Hayes!

Titles have indeed been Emma Hayes’ best friends in Chelsea. However, not many are aware of the excruciating pain she had gone through behind the scenes while lifting some of these titles. “I struggle to look at pictures of trophy lifts,” Hayes said during the same interview.

For starters, she had to be at the hospital for an emergency procedure before she won the 2015 WSL title with the London club. Later, she stated that her 2018 FA Cup triumph would give her painful flashbacks.

Ten days after the 2018 FA triumph, Hayes gave birth to her son Harry and a stillborn twin boy. “I remember being in excruciating pain. Every image was of pain,” Hayes said, recalling the time of Harry’s birth.

Besides, the 47-year-old also lost her father and, a key influential figure in September 2023. Indeed, that was quite a lot on the Londoner’s plate over the past few years. No wonder why she values the USWNT job so much. Moreover, she is giving and taking respect in the US.

“There is such a different vibe working in the US. Working in women’s sports is valued,” the British coach said. Extending her loyalty to the USWNT further, the 47-year-old recently said she doesn’t fancy coaching a men’s side since the USWNT is the pinnacle of women’s soccer.