The coach of the Chelsea women’s team Emma Hayes has had a tough time of things this season.
With her time at the club coming to an end in a few short months, star striker Sam Kerr out for an extended period of time and her Blues now three points adrift of Manchester City in the league, it appears a rather nasty side of her character has emerged.
Chelsea lost the Continental Cup to Arsenal over the weekend, with the Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross fuelled Arsenal too good over the long haul, winning the match 1-0 in extra time.
During the match, Hayes became upset at the passion and energy exuding from the Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall, with post-game statements from her suggesting that he had been a little too macho in the technical area and, in her opinion, crossed the line during the tense final.
Her solution to the alleged grievance, prior to speaking to the media in the post-game, was to march towards her Swedish opponent and shirt-front him as the Arsenal man offered his hand towards her for the customary handshake.
Frankly, it was a bad look for Hayes, especially in light of the comments she made soon after the match, where she clearly stated that she was “not down for male aggression on the touchline. I told him this”.
Fair enough I guess. All of us would probably prefer the folks in the technical area to keep calm at all times during football matches. Of course, we also know that tensions can rise and emotion will sometimes bring out the worst in people.
We are all humans and mistakes have and will continue to be made by parents, players and coaches alike when it comes to the competitiveness that builds in sporting contests, particularly as the stakes get a little higher as the standard improves.
Yet Hayes, after her rather strange comments back in mid-March when she claimed that player-coach relationships and player-to-player relationships were “inappropriate” and hard for coaches to navigate, seems to have once again suffered a PR stumble.
Seemingly, brought on by the fact that her team is looking trophy-less the longer the season goes.
Hayes’ comments in regards to the relationships that exist within women’s football teams reek of high hypocrisy considering the number of players that have featured in the trophy-winning campaigns under her watch.
Even after apologising in the days that followed, the question as to why she made the remarks in the first instance, remains unanswered.
Frankly, she appears like a grumpy and frustrated manager, on a gender-based mission to prove something as a female coach, as opposed to a football coach.
The latest incident presents her in an awful light; one where her apparent disgust towards her coaching peer, and the claim that he became aggressive in a male fashion, whatever that means, was responded to by Hayes calling the proverbial kettle black and physically challenging the Swede.
To his credit, Eidevall seemed stunned and almost comically palmed off the rather pathetic physical intimidation that Hayes appeared to attempt to use against him.
He is a quality coach and like Hayes, a passionate leader of footballers.
There have been moments where he has toed the dangerous line of appropriateness on the sideline whilst attempting to lift Arsenal into the championship race over the last four seasons.
Emma Hayes, Manager of Chelsea, walks away from Jonas Eidevall, Manager of Arsenal, following an altercation between the pair. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Hayes’ claim was that Eidevall’s yellow card received during the match after a brief altercation with Chelsea’s Erin Cuthbert should have seen him dismissed from the sideline and banished to the stands.
Of course, passions ran high and the referee was apparently forced to take some action, deeming the yellow to be sufficient.
Yet in the moments after defeat, Hayes chose to add gender to the matter and in the greatest of ironies, to employ a tactic that she would then call out in her opposition coach.
After winning many a trophy with a number of players in her team engaged in relationships with teammates, Hayes realised the stupidity of her comments in regard to the challenge of ‘dealing’ with them.
I’d suggest she might be in line for another apology, another based around the hypocrisy of her thinking.
One can only imagine if Eidevall had roughed Hayes up in the same manner as the coaches approached each other following the final whistle.
I would argue he may have been labelled a misogynist and sacked. Perhaps Hayes should be as well.
jupiter53
Roar Pro
Hi Secret Scout, sorry about belated reply, very busy working yesterday.. In response to your comments - Para 1 - yes indeed. Para 2 - huge generalisation. Do you personally know “most women in football”? If not, then your statement is foolish. Para 3 - certainly EH’s behaviour should be looked at and quite possibly sanctioned. As to your further extrapolations about Sam Kerr; I would suggest that we wait for the court case to get some idea of what actually happened and why, and then discuss repercussions. As it is, we actually reliably know nothing.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Its one of the chief meeting places for future couples whether you like it or not.
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
Romantic Relationships in the Workplace are unprofessional and inappropriate.
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
Hayes is off to the US Womens National Team after this season, and it has a pretty toxic culture so she will fit right in.
Bodger
Roar Rookie
They’ve played several finals against each other and realistically she acts the same way as any male coach celebrating next to the opposition dug out. Neither of the coaches take it too far but if you’re losing it’s going to grate. If her excuse is male aggression then that is just BS as she acts the same way. They’ve been the best two teams for a number of years and it’s probably quite a rivalry between the teams. She should of apologised as she was clearly in the wrong. Previously they’ve given each other a hug and congratulated each other and that’s a real positive example. If she didn’t want to shake hands she shouldn’t have let her emotions get the better of her and stayed away. She didn’t hurt him but it’s not a good look and based on her accusation of male aggression if the roles were reversed she wouldn’t be as graceful as he was in the media conference.
Harry Brill
Roar Rookie
I’m merely pointing out that she didn’t get the response she probably expected.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
"I would argue he may have been labelled a misogynist and sacked. Perhaps Hayes should be as well." Sacked for a shove? What about the full on fights between Tuchel and Conte. Shouldn't they have been sacked over that if thats what your expecting.
Tony Harper
Editor
Stay classy Chelsea... Jose Mourinho would have never...
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Chelsea have brought in heaps of players this season so they are quite loaded but Kerr gets winners in big matches and cup finals. Even Champions league disaster she produced two first class assists to put Harder clear on goal.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
What are you suggesting , the aggression happens at the games between two teams coaching groups in public view. Are they doing secret meet ups in forests like hools for a fight that we dont know about. Womens coaching in the past was for volunteers, the Arsenal coach doesn't look old enough for that. Rudan has fooled everyone the bloke is a wannabe eastern suburbs metrosexual up to funny business and looking for cover stories doing the old west conspiracy theories got him followers.
Harry Brill
Roar Rookie
Her allegations would have had more traction if she worked in the men's game. But the irony of slandering men who have dedicated their lives and made personal sacrifices for the betterment of women's football wasn't lost on fans, hence why she backtracked and apologised. The most effective way to divert attention is to create a "bad guy" for others to target. Marko Rudan literally did this last month when WSW were losing their way. It fools some.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
Undoubtedly EH has a whole lot more pressure on her this season as there are 2 other title contenders in the WSL. Her team is fighting in the champions league as well as 2 domestic cup competitions and the League of course where they are going neck and neck with Man city and whilst they are 3 points adrift, there is a make up game to come. She has accepted something of what could be a poisoned chalice taking on the USA women’s team who have been struggling of late/perhaps in decline but not dominating the world scene they way they did before Europe in particular decided it was time to support the women’s game. So there are pressures from outside and within and she blew up just like we read about with just about every manager who is considered to be newsworthy. As for SK, from what I’ve seen since her injury, the side is thriving without her. They take different options and different routes to goal but you can’t make a claim that they are struggling without her. Whilst you’d rather have her fit and available as an option, there is a fair depth of talent at the club ass you’d expect from a team that has dominated the WSL in England for quite a few seasons.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Emma Hayes is completely wrong on the relationship front, relationships at the same level should never be frowned on. . The percentage of gay women in professional sport is quite high and its all out in the open. Gay men you dont really know how many there but the percentage is low maybe one per team, AFL Sydney Swans have heard of sex between players because they are all in the closet you dont know if they are in a relationship. There was lower division Italian player who said he was actually a paid sex worker for wealthier Serie A players and national team members in an article. What about related family relationships they are permanent as well , you can always break a normal relationship if its not allowed but you cant stop someone being a parent or sibling. Siblings they have quite often played on the same team . What about when John Aloisi hired Ross Aloisi as his assistant is that acceptable. Coach player relationships is another issue so was it acceptable for Popovic and Edwards to hire their kids into A-league clubs.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Usually in womens football the coaches and the staff are much better behaved than in mens football. Managers fighting , all ins after the match happen quite often in mens as well constant verbal sniping.
Waz
Roar Rookie
You know where I’m coming from then. I have a Military background and the same behaviours were exhibited then - the fit in or you know what attitude towards women existed there, and it’s prevalent in football. This post would get moderated and would never come out if I requested the comments I’ve heard from make coaches and supporters towards female coaches and players.
chris1
Roar Rookie
SS you think women shouldn't venture too far from the kitchen let alone have a place in football. Right?
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Interview some female footballers? Yeesh, I know you wont have read it, but what do you think my book is based on?
Waz
Roar Rookie
Seriously, when a women responds like this you have to imagine what drove her to this? Writing an article forgiving everyone else in saying “We are all humans and mistakes have and will continue to be made by parents, players and coaches alike when it comes to the competitiveness that builds in sporting contests” but not even attempting to extend the same forgiveness to her is, well, it’s ridiculous! Women in football clubs, from small clubs to the very top, still face casual sexism on a daily basis. There are men who find women’s presence in their football clubs inconvenient to say the least; this exhibits itself in a lack of opportunity, equipment, and playing second fiddle on match and training schedules. If you want to know which sex is kicking off at 1PM in the hot sun and which got the 5PM cooler kick off, go and look! And then have a look who is on the crappy Pitch 5 way out back and got the better pitch, it’s invariably men/boys who get the better scheduling on the better pitch …. and let’s not even start on lack of changing rooms. So Hayes will have fought her way through all this, and possibly worse, just to stand on the sidelines. And she IS correct about male aggression in football (in part it’s why we created sport, as an outlet for male aggression) so when Hayes reacts in such an extraordinary way don’t look to her, look around her for the cause - we should shine the spotlight on him not her !! A good example is Supporter behaviour in ALW is completely different to ALM, as is the Matilda’s vs Socceroos. When men enter women’s football they need to adapt to its norms, not drag in their learned behaviours A challenge for you Stuart - interview some female footballers and ask them about their experiences, ask them what may have caused Hayes to react this way. There’s an eye-opening article in that (I can give you some names, from pro level down to Amateur if you’d like?)
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
Role reverse imagine if that was a man shoving a women and stating those comments. - he would be dragged pillar to post by the media and fans She wants her cake and to eat it to, like most women in football do Absolutely should be banned for her behavior and while we're at kerrr should face repurcussions for what she said ( but we all know she won't due to her sexuallity, ethnicity and standing in the Australian sporting world)