And so Emma Hayes' Chelsea tenure is over. The Blues' iconic manager bid farewell in style on Saturday when she helped her team lift a fifth successive Women's Super League title, the 16th piece of silverware in an incredible 12-year stint in west London. It might not have been the trophy-laden end that the players wanted to deliver, but it was a high for Hayes, and other key players who are also departing, to go out on after a tough season.
It's not long until Chelsea fans will be adjusting their eyes to the rather strange sight of her being in another dugout, either. Hayes is set to take over the United States women's national team almost immediately, with her first game in charge of the four-time world champions to come on June 1. It will be the first time she coaches a side other than Chelsea in a competitive setting since her ill-fated spell as manager of the Chicago Red Stars came to an end back in 2010.
There's a lot of talk about what is next for Hayes in that role and what she could do for the USWNT ahead of this summer's Olympic Games, as they try to reassert themselves following last year's shock early exit from the World Cup. It's certainly an exciting appointment for the U.S. and neutrals will be intrigued to see how it unfolds, too.
But what is next for Chelsea? After 12 years with Hayes at the helm, there is a new era coming, one made more significant by the departures of other members of the coaching staff and two key players in Fran Kirby and Maren Mjelde. But as they transition into this new chapter, there are reasons for fans of the Blues to be excited.