[ad_1]
Emma Hayes has no desire to change the “American DNA” of the United States women’s team when she steps on the sidelines for the first time Saturday as head coach of a team hungry for redemption.
A pre-Olympic friendly against South Korea will be American fans’ first look at the Hayes era as the team works to overcome its worst World Cup campaign last year.
“We all know the basic ingredients of the American DNA, and that will not change under my leadership,” said Brittain Hayes.
“The most important thing was their ability to grasp information really, really quickly and learn — mushrooms, amazing mushrooms.
“No matter what we’ve thrown at them this week, they’ve taken it, swallowed it. This team is desperate to improve.”
Hayes’ appointment was announced in November, but the former Chelsea manager didn’t join the US in an official capacity until this month, after she won her seventh WSL title with the west London club.
That timeline gives her little room to familiarize herself with the team—let alone pick an 18-player Olympic roster.
The four-time gold medalists have less than two months to go before they begin their Olympic campaign in Paris against Zambia, but Hayes said they are taking the process one step at a time.
“It’s an opportunity, as I said before, to learn about the players, to learn about their tactical understanding, to see where the technique is at the highest level,” she told reporters.
“We all know they are competitive, but they were incredibly studious all week.”
Speaking at his first press conference as head coach, Hayes gave a glimpse of his famously bubbly personality and made it clear he’s relishing the challenges ahead.
“This is my passion. It’s something I’ve loved since the first minute I came out of my mother’s womb,” she said. “It’s such a privilege to be doing a job that I really love to do.”
After facing South Korea on Saturday in Commerce City, Colo., the US will play the Asian side again on Tuesday in St. Paul, Minn.
[ad_2]
