One wonders what went wrong for Vlatko Andonovski as USWNT manager. The team’s shocking exit from the 2023 World Cup was beyond imaginable. Sure, Emma Hayes arrived earlier this year and led the team back to glory with ease, thanks to a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. But under Andonovski, things went in any direction but ‘positive‘—something that USWNT icon Brandi Chastain already anticipated.

Then again, if it weren’t for Andonovski’s failure, the Stars and the Stripes would have never been able to meet Hayes. No wonder it makes Chastain have a positive gut feeling over the departure of the American-Macedonian boss and later the arrival of Hayes. “When Emma came along, I felt like it was the right time with the right team for the right reason,” said Brandi while having a chat on The Overlap US’ It’s Called Soccer segment with Gary Neville and Rebecca Lowe.

And what about the time before Hayes? “I think this was a team that was going in a direction that was really not in a positive way. It had key pieces but just not functioning in a manner that was going to allow it to be successful,” continued the 50-year-old USWNT icon, claiming that things had to go down under Andonovski eventually.

Interestingly, Brandi Chastain referenced the Brazil women’s national team as an example, pointing out that while they arguably possess the most talent across all positions, they lack the structural support necessary to become world champions. She noted that this was the path the USWNT seemed to be heading down as well, emphasizing the need to “apply a tourniquet” to halt the team’s trajectory and re-route its direction.

Chastain also believes that Hayes was the exact figure to lead with such a change, thanks to the English manager’s established roots within America. “I’ve heard her [Emma] say ‘I was made in America’ and that’s so foreign for me to hear someone not from here, especially English, to say they were born and made here in the footballing sense,” added Brandi.

The former versatile defender and forward was impressed by Hayes’ view of coaching the American team as a crucial opportunity. “She got an opportunity to be a part of football in a way that she didn’t have a chance before and then when she went back she had the biggest chance and she created an environment and a team that stood alone,” concluded Chastain.

Hayes has surely created a remarkable environment within the Women’s National Team since her arrival. The key behind her success you ask? Be vulnerable!

Here’s how Emma Hayes helped the USWNT overcome their past issues under Vlatko Andonovski

When Emma Hayes joined the USWNT, she encouraged players to speak openly like never before. “I think when your leader is vulnerable in front of the group, and leads that way, it allows space for everybody else to be vulnerable, and to share,” revealed Casey Krueger earlier. “I think the conversations and activities and the meetings that we had, they were types of activities and things that we hadn’t necessarily done in the past.”  

“[That] made us kind of dig a little bit deeper, feel a bit more vulnerable, pretty quickly.” Instead of only relying on typical training methods, Hayes fostered honesty and openness. Krueger noted that the unique meetings and discussions pushed the players to dig deeper and feel more connected. This approach, Krueger added, helped the team unite and align on what they needed to succeed.