Emma Hayes says “the time is right” for her to leave Chelsea after it was confirmed on Saturday she would be departing the club at the end of the season following 12 years in charge.
According to reports, she is set to take over the U.S. Women’s National Team, and while the 47-year-old said it was her “ambition” to manage at international level, she did not comment when asked about the vacant USWNT post.
Hayes did confirm that she would be involved in conversations about hiring her successor at Chelsea and that her departure was “100 per cent” her decision.
“I’ve been in the post for 12 years and I’ve dedicated my life to this place,” she said. “I drive four hours to and from this place 6 days a week… for 12 years. I have a five-year-old that needs more of his mummy, for sure. That’s important. Family matters. I think I’ve dedicated as much as I possibly can to this football club. I’ve loved every minute of it.
“It’s really important that if possible, we can create a succession plan for me, much like (general manager) Paul Green and I do for the players. The time is right. I will work with the club in the succession plan and do everything I can to make sure there is as good as transition as possible so my successor can have the same level of success as I can.
“I’ve taken this team to the top and I always said I wanted to leave at the top. I’ll maintain that. That’s what I want to do. I would struggle going backwards at any point or out-staying my welcome. Those things plague me. So, it’s not actually an easy thing to do to leave at the top with a world-class team but I always made the promise to myself that I would do that.”
Hayes has been in charge of Chelsea since 2012 and previously worked in the U.S. as manager of Chicago Red Stars and technical director of New York Flash.
Hayes, a fluent Spanish speaker, admitted in an interview in September 2022 her dream job was to coach Spain and she reiterated her desire to work in international management
“As a little girl I always thought maybe one day that (a national team job) would come,” she added. “For most of us we don’t necessarily fulfil every dream we have. I probably say that would always be an ambition of mine to do that.
