Emma Hayes: Winning it all, or nothing at all?
Emma Hayes’ Blues find themselves at a precipice at the business end of her final season. Will they achieve the Treble, or will English women’s football’s most successful manager walk away empty-handed?
Seven Women’s Super League titles; five FA Cups; two League Cups. Emma Hayes’ time at the helm with Chelsea has certainly not been light on silverware. Despite March’s defeat to Arsenal in the Continental Cup, Hayes will be hoping that this season — her last, before leaving Chelsea to take charge of the US Women’s National Team — will be no different.
In a recent team meeting, players were presented with a two-slide PowerPoint. On one slide, the four competitions — WSL, FA Cup, Conti Cup and Champions League — that they could still win at that point. On the other slide, the fact that they could still very well walk away with nothing at all.
But no pressure, right?
Mentality Monsters
Hayes dubbed her side “mentality monsters” during 2021’s Champions League campaign, and it’s a name the team have lived up to time and again. But, in a campaign beset by injury, this season it’s needed to prove truer than ever.
Australia’s Sam Kerr — a super-striker for Chelsea, with 58 goals in 75 WSL appearances — picked up an ACL injury during a January warm-weather camp, ruling her, and with her much of Chelsea’s goal threat, out for the rest of the season. Young Mia Fishel, slated to step up in the interim, tore her ACL just weeks later. Joining them on the sidelines are England’s Millie Bright, yet to return from a November recurrence of the knee injury that saw her out of the tail end of Chelsea’s 2022–23 season, and a Fran Kirby struggling for consistent minutes following a run of illness and injury.
In the absence of these big names, key players have stepped up to fill the gaps. Lauren James has made Stamford Bridge her playground, whilst Colombian forward Mayra Ramierez, signed in January following Kerr’s injury for a British record fee, has hit the ground running up front and netted her debut goal in the FA Cup against Crystal Palace. Aggie Beaver-Jones’ performances at club level are leading many to call for her to feature in the senior England squad. Hayes has lauded the versatility of 23-year old Sjoeke Nusken, signed as a midfielder but currently impacting “no matter where she plays”.
“I might give her a game in goal next week, just to test her out!” — Emma Hayes on the versatility of Sjoeke Nusken.
The return of USWNT striker Cat Macario to plug the gap up front — following a 600 day period of injury — has been transformational for Chelsea. Quickly making a name for herself as an impact sub as she continues to build her minutes, she’s been a goal threat off the bench, and even made a cake for Hayes’ medical team to thank them for their support during her recovery.
The density of Chelsea’s match schedule, which saw them play eight matches in March alone, is a double-edged sword. It undoubtedly speaks to their continued success, keeping themselves in the running across multiple fronts despite the obstacles thrown at them this season. On the other hand, it risks exhausting an already depleted side still further. While Chelsea’s squad depth means they can endure the spate of injuries better than others could, Hayes commented after their Easter weekend Continental Cup loss that her team looked tired, and didn’t play with the quality she expected.
With the south London side set to play Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League in April, there’s a concern that any tiredness could be exploited, costing Hayes the only trophy she has yet to win at Chelsea.
A Battle on Three Fronts
This weekend, Chelsea face an FA Cup semi-final away to a Manchester United side who’ve struggled this season. Having not played since their Continental Cup Final loss, Hayes will be hoping to see her side refocused and refreshed; while they go into the fixture favourites, this is a replay of 2023’s FA Cup Final, and a United team with something to prove certainly can’t be ruled out of contention. Should they reach the final, Chelsea will face either Tottenham Hotspur or Leicester — both of whom would be first-time finalists — at Wembley in May.
In the WSL, they sit 3 points behind an on-form Manchester City side bolstered by current league top scorer Khadija Bunny Shaw. Despite a game in hand which would bring them level with Gareth Taylor’s side, Hayes can’t afford to drop points at this stage if Chelsea are to avoid capitulating. City’s sole title win to date came in 2016, but having dropped out of the Continental Cup and FA Cup in quick succession this year, they have been able to put all their energy into WSL consistency. However, with a stacked Arsenal still to play, City arguably have the tougher of the remaining WSL fixtures.
The one empty spot in Hayes’ trophy cabinet is the Champions League; she was part of the 2007 Arsenal coaching team who achieved the unthinkable quadruple, but has yet to win in Europe under her own steam. April’s semi-final against current holders Barcelona will be a replay of 2021’s final, the closest Hayes has come to Champions League victory as manager. She’ll be hoping for a different conclusion to the 4–0 drumming the Spaniards dealt her three years ago, and a final against either Lyon or PSG. Hayes insists that, having won it with Arsenal, victory in Europe won’t make or break her, and she’ll walk away satisfied even if she can’t cross that final threshold and become a manager who truly has done it all with Chelsea. It’s hard to imagine, however, that the Champions League wouldn’t sit right at the top of her silverware “wish list” for this year.
“Doing it for her”
Hayes has become known for speaking her mind in press conferences; for her maybe-relevant-if-you-squint Star Wars analogies; for her willingness to take the media, referees, and the league itself to task when necessary; and for her unapologetically and unflinchingly high expectations of both her players and herself. She’s been the league’s loudest advocate for better infrastructure to support female coaches — insisting that every club should have a creche on-site — and has lead the charge for the women’s game to be seen on an equal footing with the men’s, rather than playing second fiddle.
This season, her players have rallied to ensure Hayes gets the send-off she deserves, to match the seismic impact she’s had on the sport since joining Chelsea in 2012.
Lauren James, who Hayes has championed and defended in equal measure, has said she wants to “achieve big things this year” to send her manager out on a high. James’ father has described Hayes as “like a second mother” to the striker, and, after spells at Arsenal and Manchester united, the young talent has flourished under her leadership.
Erin Cuthbert, whose leadership has been instrumental in midfield this season, has described her relationship with Hayes as being “brutal” at times, but has said she wants nothing more than to help Hayes leave behind a legacy that’s “based on winning”.
Speaking prior to her injury, Kerr said that she and Chelsea were “lucky” to have held on for Hayes as long as they have; the striker has previously outlined how the manager was instrumental in bringing her over to the WSL in the first place.
For a manager who has spent twelve seasons giving her all to the club, it is perhaps unsurprising that she has galvanised players behind her to give her the send-off that — love or loathe her — she undoubtedly deserves.
The Chelsea Way
While the Treble is in Chelsea’s sights, it’s far from in their clutches just yet. Hayes’ side need absolutely everything to align for them, to bring it to fruition. But Chelsea’s culture — the culture that Hayes has cultivated — is built on those “backs against the wall”, “win at all costs” moments. So says Erin Cuthbert, that’s what the Blues thrive on. So for a team with the mentality Hayes has fostered — a team as used to, as comfortable with, winning as Chelsea are — a dream conclusion to Hayes’ time at Chelsea absolutely possible.
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