Chelsea boss says women's game will return stronger; adds support to Black Lives Matter movement
Saturday 6 June 2020 14:02, UK
Chelsea Women's manager Emma Hayes says this season's title win was the toughest yet during her eight years with the club.
Chelsea were handed the Women's Super League title this week following last month's decision to end the campaign early due to coronavirus.
The Blues were one point behind leaders Manchester City when the season was postponed, but were crowned champions - due to their game in hand - after WSL clubs opted to decide the title on a points-per-game basis.
It follows their title wins in 2015 and 2018, and Hayes said: "It was a brilliant league campaign, not just for my team but for the league as a whole.
"There's no doubt that this has been the hardest title to win, and that's a real credit not just to the teams involved, but to the FA, who I think are improving standards all the time."
Hayes - who celebrated the title win with a Zoom call with the Chelsea squad - also expressed her sympathy for City and Arsenal, who were competing for the title before the season was prematurely ended.
"I can empathise with the position they're in but I don't determine the outcome. If it had been in another order, we would have accepted that. But I know they will be extremely active in the summer and I have to be prepared for next season."
Hayes also expressed her support for the decision to curtail the WSL season, despite women's football in Germany having already returned, as well as the Premier League's planned resumption.
She said: "The right decision was taken to terminate the league, but it wasn't done flippantly. I think we were in a very different stage of the pandemic to Germany, for example, and it was a decision that the vast majority of teams supported.
"They tried desperately to resume the season but the players, too, wanted a termination.
"The FA have ring-fenced their funding for next season, and I can safely say the appetite from clubs that are investing in the game hasn't changed. I think we're solid.
"This is one of the most joined-up processes I've known since I've been in women's football. I would much rather be working towards a full season next year, rather than a small tournament or something like that.
"Just because it didn't resume, doesn't mean we're at threat. I trust in the people that are running our league and I believe we will come back bigger, stronger and better."
As well as discussing her latest success, Hayes was also keen to add her voice to those calling for equality following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, at the hands of police in America last month.
"As a club, we are so committed to equality and diversity," she explained. "I share the concerns around the world about everything from a lack of opportunity to groups of people being oppressed.
"It's a situation that was bubbling away because black lives do matter. It's brought to the forefront the importance of tolerance, acceptance and to be educated about how people are experiencing their lives.
"We have to be even more conscious of the things we do on a day-to-day basis and take into consideration the feelings and sensibilities of others."
