Emma Hayes is immortal! USWNT-bound boss gets ‘Chelsea legend forever’ billing from Lionesses star Lauren James

Emma Hayes has become immortal, with England international Lauren James saying the USWNT-bound coach will be a “Chelsea legend forever”.

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• Coach joined the Blues in 2012
• Enjoyed remarkable success since then
• Preparing to inherit international reins

• Table of Contents

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Hayes is in the process of bidding a long goodbye to the Blues, as her stunning 12-year reign in west London comes to a close. At the end of the 2023-24 campaign, she will be heading to the United States to fill a demanding international post.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Hayes will leave Chelsea with multiple WSL titles and FA Cup triumphs to her name, with there still the potential for her to land a first Champions League crown before bidding farewell, and James says her achievements will stand the test of time.

• WHAT JAMES SAID ABOUT HAYES

  Lionesses star James has told of the collective desire at Chelsea to deliver more silverware for their outgoing boss: “We want to win trophies – obviously for the club, for ourselves and especially because it’s Emma’s final year. Hopefully we can send her off on a high for all of the amazing years that she has had at the club. She will live on to be a Chelsea legend forever.”

• DID YOU KNOW?

  James has thrived under Hayes since joining Chelsea from Manchester United in 2021 – registering a personal-best 15 goals this season – and said of how important her current coach has been to ongoing individual development: “Massive. She just understands me as a person, on and off the pitch. She knows how to get the best out of me – good and bad days. That didn’t just come overnight, but she put time into me to work together on that.”