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Change the coaching staff
Emma Hayes didn’t go to the US alone. The former Chelsea manager is joined on the US Women’s National Team squad by her assistant coach Denis Reddy, goalkeeping coach Stuart Searle, head of performance Bart Kauberg, performance analyst Ferdia O’Hanrahan and opposition scout Cameron Meighan. Camille Abili and Theo Rivrin join Sonia Bompastor to resume their roles as assistant manager and assistant coach with the former Lyon manager, but Bompastor has a big job ahead of him in replacing so many highly regarded staff, notably Searle . Fortunately for Bompastor, general manager Paul Green, who was Hayes’ right-hand man, is staying on and guiding this process and helping to ensure a smooth transition into life at the club.
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it?
Tottenham manager Robert Villahamn pointed to the difficulty any manager would have when coming to a club as successful when he spoke of how quickly Spurs’ players have bought into what he wants to do. “I knew it was a good club to sign for because they struggled last year and I know the environment wasn’t the best,” he said. “When you come to a club like that, you know it’s quite easy, everyone is likely to accept what you say. So Chelsea, they’re winning all the time, they’re going to have a new manager, you don’t really know if they’re going to buy the new manager outright or if they’re going to feel, ‘Why are we changing this? We won all the time.” It won’t be easy to place your authority and identity on players who understand what it means to win and how to do it. Bompastor faced a similar situation when she took over Lyon. It won the league in each of its three seasons and reached two Champions League finals, winning one. But Lyon’s two managers before Bompastor, Jean-Luc Vasseur and Reynald Pedros, have been disappointing since leaving the club after securing a number of titles there. Is Bompastor good enough to buck the trend? Time will tell.
Recruitment
Hayes was known for his shrewd recruiting, often scouting players for several years. It was also important to her that people fit a certain profile she wanted off the field. Hayes has made no secret of the fact that Chelsea spent years monitoring and lusting after Sam Kerr before bringing her in, and that they will know their full months before the window opens. So what will recruiting look like this summer? Will Bompastor get a chance to sign players who suit the style of football she wants, or is the work done on who will come in? A little bit of both. Of course, some signings have already been made, in line with the way the club operates, but the club is also open to suggestions from the manager as she gets involved in that process. Hayes left the team in a very healthy place, full of young talent and experience, but every new manager wants to stamp his identity. Bompastor’s skills as a people manager will also be tested; Hayes was masterful in managing a team full of talent. Keeping players happy is no mean feat.
Champions League
One thing Bompastor has that Hayes doesn’t? Champions League Cup as manager. Hayes’ Champions League win as assistant to Vic Akers with Arsenal in 2007 should not be downplayed, but with Chelsea it was the only thing missing. Bompastor comes with the knowledge and experience to win it as a player and manager, the first woman to achieve this feat. Her triumph in 2022 came somewhat unexpectedly, against new kids on the block Barcelona, who have become the most dominant force in European football and beat Bompastor’s Lyon in that season’s final. Few managers have managed Barcelona; Bompastor is a person who has and this as a certificate is very important.
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The voice
Bompastor has big shoes to fill on and off the field. Hayes is a powerful advocate for the women’s game and much more in England, speaking on topics such as endometriosis, menstrual cycles, motherhood and loss to name but a few. Bompastor should feel no pressure to pick up the baton in this regard. No manager should have to do what Hayes did – it was exhausting for her. The day when a manager can focus on management is to be welcomed. However, there is still a long way to go in the development of women’s football and Hayes’ Chelsea are at the forefront of pushing for change and driving standards. Bompastor has the ability to use his voice in a similar way if he chooses.
Fill her competitiveness
Aston Villa and France midfielder Kenza Daly has only good things to say about Bompastor, who coached her in Lyon’s academy and played alongside her when Daly broke into the first team aged 16. “Sonja was an amazing left-back, an amazing player and so competitive,” Dali said, speaking at a UEFA We Play Strong event ahead of the Champions League final. “If you ask for one word to describe Sonja, she is competitive. Every single exercise during training was competitive with her. I was young, I was afraid of her, and when they handed out the bibs, I said to myself: “Please, God, not Sonya on my team. If I lose the ball with Sonja, she will kill me.” Off the field? “A really nice, nice human being,” she said. “With me, the relationship was different because she was also my coach and she was the type of coach you don’t mess with, but she was a good person.”
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