Emma Hayes: Chelsea boss says women’s football is ‘middle class’

Women’s football is “middle class” and girls do not have the same access to playing football as boys, says Chelsea boss Emma Hayes.

In April, the UK government announced a major national review of domestic women’s football.

Earlier this month, the Football Association also announced plans to ensure every girl with talent has access to high-quality training.

“We should be thinking differently,” Hayes said.

“Women’s football is quite middle class in my opinion, in terms of the locations, and the pedigree of players that are coming are often coming from suburban, urban belts around the training grounds,” added the Blues boss.

“They’re not the Alex Scotts, the Rachel Yankeys – (they’re) not coming to our facilities in the same way.

“If you want a diverse group involved with our game at an elite level, then perhaps we should be travelling into the cities more.”

A lack of diversity and opportunity have been long-term issues in English women’s football.

The number of black, Asian and minority ethnic players in the England team for a major tournament decreased from six in 2007 to two mixed-heritage players at the 2019 World Cup.

There were three mixed-heritage players – Jess Carter, Nikita Parris and Demi Stokes – in the Euro 2022 squad, but none were part of the starting 11 which went unchanged through the tournament.

Compared with the men’s game, the pool of black, Asian and minority ethnic players to choose from in women’s football is a lot smaller.

It is estimated the proportion of players in the Women’s Super League is lower – between 10-15% – compared with about 33% in the Premier League.

“Boys, generally, in the academy game, they’re having parents that are taking them somewhere or they will get on trains to do it – girls won’t,” said Hayes.

“Families won’t let the girls go to games.”

Following their success at Euro 2022, the Lionesses wrote a letter to Conservative party leadership candidates to ensure “every young girl” can play football at school.

The team highlighted only 63% of girls can play football in PE lessons, according to a FA campaign, external published in 2021.

“My nine-year-old niece goes to school and says to me, ‘why do I have the girls’ sessions only once a week and the boys have three?’,” added Hayes.

“I don’t know, why is that? I bet you that’s probably the case across the board.

“I wonder in the community how often those pitches are available for girls in much the same way they are for the boys.

“I don’t know what to tell my niece when she cries, when she says, ‘why don’t I get to play it more like (the boys)?’.”