Image copyright Tottenham Hotspur FC Image caption Hayes says Manchester City should take inspiration from Chelsea in hiring a female coach
Chelsea Ladies boss Emma Hayes says women should play a more significant role in football management.
Her comments follow former Chelsea player and manager Emma Hayes winning the League Two title at the weekend.
The 47-year-old, who became head coach in 2015, admitted: “It’s about equality in the game. I believe it should be demanded.
“I think it should be seen as natural for a woman to manage a men’s team, of any type.”
Hayes was appointed as manager of Arsenal Ladies ahead of the 2015-16 season, but a broken leg and subsequent ruptured anterior cruciate ligament left her out of action until last month.
But she believes women should have a bigger role in the game.
“I think it should be,” she said. “It’s only in recent times that there has been a rise in female coaches in the Premier League, and so it’s been exciting to see the players come back from injury and re-emerge in the new season.”
Both Hayes and United are coached by women, while Chelsea’s women’s team is managed by Aurelia Capassopoulos, who took over in 2016 from mother Guzia.
The others are head coach Scott Harding, assistant head coach Michail Rizvi and assistant head coach Sarah Jackson.
In 2010 Chelsea were the first team in England to appoint a female head coach, with Hayes following in 2011.
Hayes says women should take inspiration from fellow Premier League side Manchester City’s female sports scientist, Ashley Franks, in hiring a female coach.
“The most important thing is someone that you can sit down and talk about things with because it’s hard when you’re always so top-heavy. It’s great to know that Ashley Franks, who is a fantastic person, does talk about football with the senior team, so that is important,” she said.
“She’s got that input. When the senior players come in, her understanding is that she’s able to speak to a new coach or manager and can help them with their style and give them an idea of what they’re about.”