"There's no point in talking about the past in isolation. When talking about new heights, who wants to f**king do the same thing over and over again? Let’s start creating our own narrative!"
If you want to boil down U.S. women's national team coach Emma Hayes' worldview into one bite-size quote, that's the one. That declaration came just a few weeks ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics as Hayes spoke to Sam Mewis on the Women's Game podcast. And in truth, those 33 words succinctly explain who Hayes is, where she's been and where she's going.
Hayes is, of course, far more complicated than a few sentences. Her tactics are in-depth and precise. Her views of the game are nuanced and methodical, which is how she became one of the game's best coaches. And, at this point, her self-created narrative is undeniable after years of success in her native England.
But, as Hayes says, that part of her life - the past - is over. Now is the time to look to the future, both near-term and long-term. Hayes is just beginning to craft her USWNT narrative, but it's already being put to the test under the brightest of lights this summer.
U.S. Soccer hired Hayes to play the long game but, just weeks into her tenure, the USWNT are preparing for this new era's first big test. The Olympics are here and, Hayes and this U.S. team will be thrown into the fire before the coach's ideals have really taken hold with her new squad. It's a tricky spot to be in, for sure, but this is Hayes we're talking about. All you have to do is reference that quote to know that she's embracing the absurdity of this short runway to the very top.
She was brought in to be the USWNT's rebuilder, if not savior. After several steps back toward the pack, the USWNT is desperate to regain elite status. That's why Hayes is here, after all. But has that process already started? Can Hayes make enough of a difference in just a few short weeks to make this team an Olympic contender? Conventional wisdom would say no, but Hayes sure won't. The narrative is newly created, but the expectations remain the same: dominance.