“Top Performers Are Negative”- Emma Hayes Reveals Major Flaws in Club Soccer After Leaving Chelsea for the USWNT

“I was happy for my time at Chelsea to come to an end,” said Emma Hayes, while expressing her joy in coaching the USWNT. While the English tactician’s arrival in America was surely a blessing, one wonders why terms like ‘happy’ and ‘end’ are in the same sentence when describing her domestic stint at Chelsea F.C. Women. That too, after the success she gained in her 12 years of service. Is it because the club side of the sport failed to grasp how to truly ‘get the best out of human beings?’

Well, it could be, considering how often the former Chelsea boss has been an advocate of the mental health of players. Interestingly, this somehow became a topic of discussion during her time on the latest episode of The Sports Agents podcast. Co-host Gabby Logan alongside fellow colleague Mark Chapman asked Hayes if the club soccer continues “ignoring the human side.”

In response, the USWNT manager replied, “That’s an understatement,” revealing how ignoring it makes them unaware of the player’s mental health, resilience, and traumas. All such things also limit the understanding of how it can affect the player’s performance. Lucky for Hayes, she understands the minds of players.

“I have done so much work in and around the area to understand…’Okay, who’s this person when things aren’t going well? What does it look like? How did they get out of that? How does not help him get out of that? Why and what they are doing?'” She continued, “Trust me, when you go through these exercises, it’s fascinating to see how many top performers are [negative]. The self-talk is so negative and interferences are column, getting in the way of performance.”

Hayes slammed how coaches and teams spend ‘little’ time in making things right and are more interested in other factors like “jump tests or running the length of the field.” Urging to bring change in these methods, she concluded, “That insecurity exists for me in the game. It comes from a place of not really understanding to get the best out of human beings.”

We know how much fans give preference to club soccer over international action. However, not everyone who has lived it is in favor of it and Hayes is one of them. No wonder her time at Chelsea brought the London-born manager to the edge where she was about to end it all!

Emma Hayes ‘had enough’ before making USWNT switch from Chelsea!

Emma Hayes’ time at Chelsea often felt like a daily grind, focused solely on winning major titles. She secured her fifth consecutive WSL title with the London club before moving to the USWNT. However, the constant pressure of success took its toll. “Was I happy to do it? I don’t think my dad gave me a choice,” she said in a similar conversation.

“That’s the brutal truth, and he knew at the end that I had enough,” she added. Reflecting on her experience, the Team USA coach recalled telling her dad she couldn’t handle being in the spotlight any longer due to the demands of her coaching role. “‘Dad I’m not doing it. I don’t want another headline written tomorrow, another clickbait moment for some of the right reasons,” Hayes added.

Who would have imagined that even someone like Emma Hayes could be worn down by the relentless pressure of coaching? Hopefully, the issue she’s highlighting will be addressed.