Now that Emma Hayes is leaving Chelsea and preparing to head Stateside upon the expiration of her contract, there's probably scope to wonder who this represents the biggest gamble for- herself, or the United States Soccer Federation, with time to peer into the wreckage of their most recent Women's World Cup campaign?
Matías Almeyda. Remember him? The Argentine defensive midfielder was a decent player, who enjoyed a twenty year career between 1991 and 2011, representing his country forty times on the international stage and who played at the 1998 and 2002 World Cups. However, these days he's ten years into a managerial career that's seen him building a body of work that is increasingly legitimising his position in the dugout and finds him now based in the birthplace of democracy.
Scandinavian influence continues to become prominent in the world of football, from the exploits of Erling Haaland to new age data and its use in match preparation. We now struggle to look at the game as it once was, therefore, this piece will delve into the reasons why the northern tip of Europe has changed the footballing landscape in its own way.
Having not set foot inside a Football League ground in far too long, I will admit to being a little unsure as the travelling party of myself, my son (Jamie), Dad (Tony), brother (Simon) and brother in law (Grant) set off for the Broadfield Stadium in the early afternoon, ahead of taking in Crawley Town v Accrington Stanley.
As a disabled supporter, I can begrudgingly admit my mobility isn't what it was even given the constraints of a relatively mild form of cerebral palsy, in addition to a later ankle injury. And so a sizeable portion of the drive down from Haywards Heath via Portsmouth (thank you Mum/Dad and Simon) was spent wondering exactly what I'd let myself in for- after all, it had been a while since the awkward shuffle to and from a seat and that after the sometimes equally daunting squeeze through the turnstile...
Now that football coming home has been rubber-stamped by UEFA, and the UK and Ireland will co-host Euro 2028, it would seem the FAI's immediate priority is getting its house in order beforehand given the uncertainty around the future direction of both the men's and women's teams of the Republic…