‘Whatever we’re paying her, it’s not enough’ – Alexi Lalas on Emma Hayes | OneFootball

Emma Hayes has only been the manager of the USA women’s team for six months but she has already delivered Olympic gold and been received very well by the fans.

US broadcaster Alexi Lalas is of the same opinion, and spoke glowingly of Hayes at Soccerex. “Whatever we’re paying her, it’s not enough. She’s doing a great job and has brought in a bunch of young players.”

Lalas also spoke about the fact that the US women’s team has a rich history, winning the World Cup four times since 1991. And he said there is a clear reason for that: “When it comes to the women’s game its really interesting to see how its progressing around the world. We had a head start, we as a country and a culture have legislated for it. Not just soccer but all women’s sports, to give them resources and support and belief and it translated into us dominating the women’s game for a long time.”

Emma Hayes left Chelsea in the summer, where she was incredibly successful and won the Women’s Super League seven times, to move to America in a move that many thought could have been risky.

But she has started in brilliant fashion and is helping to promote the women’s game in America. Speaking on the growth of women’s football worldwide, Lalas said: “It’s good that women’s soccer isn’t being looked at as a charity. It’s not about being benevolent, its about a business and there is gold in them there soccer hills.”