Emma Hayes is back in the United States after leading the U.S. women’s national team to an Olympic gold medal at the Paris Games. The trip is very much about business ahead of a trio of October friendlies against Iceland and Argentina.
After a whirlwind introduction that included a sprint through the Olympics, Hayes finally has the luxury of time and can dig into some of the larger projects that excited her about the job. The USWNT boss also faces big questions, three years out from the next Women’s World Cup in Brazil. Maybe not as big as choosing to leave Alex Morgan off the 18-player Olympic roster, defensible as that choice was in the moment, but crucial nonetheless and aimed at the future.
On Sunday, Hayes traveled back to the home of her former employer, the Chicago Red Stars, to watch the team take on the North Carolina Courage. During a half-time interview with CBS Sports, Hayes said she and the rest of the program were reflecting on recent successes beyond just the Olympics. But there is little rest for a head coach who took one of the most high-profile jobs in soccer less than five months ago.
Hayes led the U.S. to an Olympic gold medal in her first three months in charge (Claudio Villa / Getty Images)
Hayes’ build starts with this trip and continues…
