There are two messages to take from the United States women’s national team‘s imminent hiring of Emma Hayes as head coach.

One is that U.S. Soccer is not messing around, having set its sights on one of the most highly regarded, best-credentialed tactical thinkers in the sport, and ponying up the financial package to get a deal done.

The other is the federation realizes there has been a sudden, dynamic change in the power base of women’s soccer, and it doesn’t want to be stuck on the wrong side of it. Read More