Emma Hayes: Gender Parity in Football Management Still Far Off

Emma Hayes, head coach of the United States women’s national team and former Chelsea boss has stated that the men’s football world is not yet ready to appoint female managers. Despite Forest Green Rovers appointing Hannah Dingley as caretaker manager in 2023, no woman has permanently taken on the role of head coach for a men’s team in the top five tiers of English football.

Hayes, who led Chelsea to seven Women’s Super League titles including five consecutively before her current role, discussed the issue during an interview on the Today programme. She emphasized that club owners play a crucial role in advancing female managers in men’s football. Hayes believes that if the change were imminent, it would have already occurred.

She highlighted the disparity by comparing it to other professions where women lead successfully such as pilots, doctors and lawyers. Hayes stressed that achieving gender parity in sports management requires significant ongoing effort. In addition to Hayes, England women’s coach Sarina Wiegman also received a nomination for the 2024 Ballon d’Or women’s coach of the year.

However, no female coaches appeared among the nominees for the men’s coach of the year, which featured notable names like Xabi Alonso and Carlo Ancelotti. Emma Hayes believes that male players would accept a female manager as long as she is the most qualified candidate. She works with a diverse staff daily and views gender as irrelevant if the coach performs effectively.

Sarina Wiegman had previously mentioned that it is only a matter of time before a woman manages a men’s team, reflecting her optimism about future progress.