Hayes is off at end of the season - USA the likely destination. Oh! and her side won 6-0
By Paul Lagan on the M6/M1
Well that was a surprise - Emma Hayes is on her way out of Kingsmeadow/Stamford Bridge at the end of the season.
With not a real hint of what was to happen minutes after speaking to reporters pitch side at the Bescot Stadium after her charges thrashed Aston Villa 6-0 in the WS, the club opted then to say that she was off.
It's almost certain that she will become the new head coach of the USA side.
The clue is in the first sentence of the club's statement.
It said: "Chelsea FC can today confirm that highly decorated Chelsea Women’s manager Emma Hayes will depart the club at the end of the season to pursue a new opportunity outside of the WSL and club football."
Now unless she wants to exit football and the UK completely, her next destination is out of the country and into the international arena.
The USA gig is up for grabs and she is not afraid to take a seismic step as she has already being involved in USA club football. earlier in her career.
It was also her decision according to the views expressed by co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley.
They said: "Given everything she has contributed to Chelsea in over a decade with the club, and the legacy she leaves behind, we would never stand in her way when she felt it was the right time to pursue a new challenge.
“We are pleased that she will remain with the club for the remainder of the season to give us the time to identify her successor.
“There will be plenty of time to celebrate Emma’s many achievements at the club and to give her the farewell she deserves, but for now, as she always has been, Emma will be solely focused on making this season as successful as possible for Chelsea"
Her post-match comments were that basically it was a great performance and the players did what she wanted to do given the kind of statistics they are producing in terms of expected goals, etc.
