It’s difficult to imagine Chelsea without Emma Hayes. After all, the two have worked in tandem to deliver unprecedented success. When Hayes took over, the Blues’ women’s team had never won a major trophy. Now, they have won 15. How on earth do you replace her?
That’s the difficult task that this club has now. As confirmed on Tuesday, Hayes will leave Chelsea at the end of the season, set to become the new head coach of the United States women’s national team. The news was a shock when it arrived, but it was always going to come to this at some point – and it at least gives Chelsea a good six months or so to find that perfect successor.
They’ll have some help, too. “I think it’s really important, if possible, to create a succession plan for me, much like we do with the players,” Hayes said on Friday. “I will work with the club in the succession plan and do everything I can to make sure there is as good at transition as possible so that my successor can have the same level of success I had.”
There have already been a handful of names linked with the job, one that will certainly appeal to many because of the budget available, the incredible support from the club and the extremely talented squad that will be inherited.
So, who could follow Hayes as the new Chelsea manager? GOAL picks out some of those worth a look-in…