Chelsea manager Emma Hayes is determined to get her hands on a trophy for the Blues this season, labelling it her “absolute priority”.
As the nine-time Surrey County Cup winners prepare to kick off their Super League 1 campaign at Notts County on Sunday, Hayes will hope to secure silverware after missing out to Liverpool on goal difference in 2014’s title race.
Chelsea opened their season in remarkable form at Wheatsheaf Park last weekend, hitting Watford Ladies for six in the FA Cup. With a hat-trick from new signing Marija Banusic adding to goals from Ji So-Yun, Gemma Davison and Millie Bright, the Blues look to be fully prepared for their trip to Meadow Lane.
“That’s what we all come to work for – winning,” says Hayes ahead of the meeting. “That’s why I’m at Chelsea.”
“It’s a perfect marriage. I like the pressure and the demand for trophies. The disappointing thing is that we could be sitting here with a title. To go that close last year, over the course of 14 games, shows you that the quality is there.”
Having worked as assistant manager at Arsenal Ladies from 2006 to 2008, before enjoying a spell in the United States as head coach and director of soccer operations for Chicago Red Stars, Hayes is well aware of the requirements for young players in women’s football.
With Germany and the United States leading the developments in women’s football, the 38-year-old spoke to Pat Nevin about the current plans for women’s football in England.
“I think we’re starting to get it right at the top end, with the professional league,” she said.
“Where we fall short is that our 17 year-olds come out the centre of excellence and none of us have big enough budgets to home-school them here, like the boys do.
“Can we support them in that? You’ve got clubs that are investing in the top end, but not in young players. We start losing players in those middle years, aged 17 to 20. I think that little age group there is neglected.”
Chelsea will head to Meadow Lane looking to take advantage of the shock defeat inflicted by Sunderland on reigning champions Liverpool earlier in the week.
