It has been a long wait to hear from Sonia Bompastor. The new Chelsea manager was announced as Emma Hayes’ successor in June, confirming one of the worst-kept secrets in women’s football. Two months on, with some fans joking she must be swimming from France to England, she has finally spoken publicly.
The anticipation about what she would say and what she might bring is understandable. For a significant proportion of people following the Women’s Super League (WSL), this is the first time they have known Chelsea Women without Hayes in the dugout. One of Bompastor’s first challenges will be putting her own stamp on a club so inextricably linked with the now-USWNT manager.
“I am a completely different person from Emma,” she said at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. “I have a different vision and philosophy.
“For me, it is really important to come to this club, respect everything that was built before and build my own vision. I think with my background and experience, I can support the players and the club to achieve their goals.
“I feel so lucky to have this opportunity after Emma and to show who I am as a manager and a person. The pressure is something I really like because it makes me better. I already told everyone, I am here to win every single title and every…
