A GAME CHANGER
Ever since Pelé first slipped on a New York Cosmos shirt in 1975, football players and coaches moving to America have carried an air of glamour. From George Best to Lionel Messi, via Johan Cruyff and David Beckham, there is something of the pioneer spirit in heading Over There, and always the tantalising sense of a bigger picture, the deal that sees ‘soccer’ break America. That has never quite happened, usually because the USA USA USA (let’s get it out of the way) tends to attract players past their prime, or those looking to build their coaching experience – your Rooneys, your Henrys, your Vieiras. With Emma Hayes, it’s a different story.
