Emma Hayes’ Chelsea stint was so historic that any football fan would wonder why she left the club in early 2024. Hayes won her fifth straight WSL crown with Chelsea in her last season, and that was her 16th title with the London club in a decade. And many followers of English football also believe that the 47-year-old left Chelsea high and dry. Meanwhile, some Britons are unhappy that the London native chose the USWNT coaching job, when she could have waited for the Lionesses’ job. However, Lionesses’ legend Katie Chapman has no hard feelings for Hayes for departing Chelsea and snubbing England for the US.

Katie Chapman spent four seasons with coach Hayes in Chelsea. Seeing tremendous success over those years, Chapman could have naturally expected the US boss to stay and strive for Chelsea. But she is happy that Hayes joined the US camp. “I think it was the right move for her,” Katie Chapman said in a recent interview. Continuing, the English legend observed that the 47-year-old had given her all for Chelsea.

“She did an amazing job at Chelsea over the 12 years she was there. She built the club from bottom to top. I think she’d won every domestic trophy there was going and I think the next step from that is to manage the national team,” she added, as compiled by the Ealing Times. Thereafter, the English legend also cleared the air as to why Emma Hayes chose the USWNT instead of England.  “The opportunity for England wasn’t there and the USA one cropped up probably at the right time for her. I’m sure she’s glad she took it,” the Chelsea and Arsenal legend added.

Anyhow, while speaking at length about Hayes’ return to Wembley, Chapman observed that the US coach would have a strange time facing a home crowd.

Chapman stresses that Emma Hayes wouldn’t have it easy to play against England as a British woman

All eyes are on the USWNT-England friendly match due on November 30 at Wembley Stadium. Going to Wembley means the warmth of homecoming for the London-born Emma Hayes. But won’t it be quite tense to go against England in the English capital, that too on home soil? “I’m sure it will be quite strange, with her obviously being English and being in the English game and then managing the USA as an English manager,” Chapman said.

But having seen and experienced the British coach’s winning zeal, the 42-year-old stressed that the former won’t take things lightly because she’s facing England. As Chapman puts it, Hayes won’t care two hoots if it’s her country, she will go the extra mile to ensure the USWNT’s win against the Lionesses.