New USA women’s boss Emma Hayes says player-to-player relationships on football teams ‘inappropriate’ because hard to manage
- Hayes is expected to take charge of America team for two friendlies against South Korea in June
- Chelsea boss was speaking ahead of her side’s London derby against Arsenal in the WSL
Emma Hayes, the incoming coach of the US women’s national team, said player-to-player relationships on teams were “inappropriate” because they present extra challenges to manage, although she acknowledged that “we’re dealing with human beings”.
Hayes is finishing out the season as manager of Chelsea in the Women’s Super League and is expected to make her debut leading the US national team in a pair of friendly matches against South Korea in June.
Hayes spoke at a press conference on Thursday ahead of a WSL match against Arsenal. She was asked about player safeguards in the context of reports in the British media that Leicester women’s manager coach Willie Kirk is being investigated by the club following an allegation of a player-coach relationship.
“We have to have safeguarding, make sure that’s it’s accessible for each and every club to protect players,” she said.
“Player-coach relationships they’re inappropriate, player-to-player relationships are inappropriate,” Hayes said. “But we have to look at it in the context of where the game has come from, and say ‘look we’re in a professional era now’ where the expectations in place for players and coaches is such that all of our focus and attention has got to be on having the top standards.”
Player-to-player relationships can be hard to navigate for a coach, she said.
