Emma Hayes believes professional women’s football is a “middle-class sport” which has allowed a generation of inner-city talent to be lost to the game. Describing the European champion Lionesses as a “homogenised” side, the Chelsea manager argues the current system of academies, often located in suburban green spaces, should be abandoned in favour of bringing coaching and development into the city.
“Women’s football is quite a middle-class sport in my opinion,” Hayes said. “In terms of the locations, the pedigree of player, they’re often coming from suburban belts around the training grounds. They’re not the Alex Scotts, the Rachel Yankeys, the Anita Asantes. They’re not coming to our facilities in the same way and you’ve got to ask yourself the question: why?
