Emma Hayes Explains How Career Would be Different if She Was Paid Like Jurgen Klopp

Former Chelsea Women’s manager Emma Hayes has said that she would have considered stepping away from management if she were compensated at the same level as her male counterparts. The 47-year-old left behind the Women’s Super League this summer after 12 years at Stamford Bridge’s helm, but was quick to throw herself into a new position as manager of the United States Women’s National Team.

Several elite managers have taken sabbaticals from management in the past, including current Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and legendary former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. The German helmsman left Anfield at the end of last season after nine years at the club where he won the Premier League and Champions League, and is currently taking a break before accepting his next venture.

Hayes, a long-time advocate for equal rights in football and who has been linked with traditionally male positions in the past (including Gareth Southgate’s England job), exclusively told talkSPORT that she would have pursued a similar path to Klopp, but says her salary was a barrier.

Emma Hayes Opens Up About USWNT Move

She says ‘a change of scenery is as good as a break’

She added: “I have to pay the bills. But at the same time, I’ve got to do the job that I’ve dreamed about doing my whole life and yes, a break would have been optimal. But sometimes a change is as good as a rest.

“I’ve definitely felt that after the summer, just by experiencing some different things, travelling to different places, and connecting with different people. I’ve felt rejuvenated just doing that.”

This comes despite the United States making Hayes the highest-paid female head coach in world football with a $2 million (£1.6m) salary. For comparison, that is over $1 million more per year than it paid Vlatko Andonovski, the head coach before Hayes. Yet, that was a major stipulation in bringing Hayes to the United States.

The coach received equal payment compared to her men’s counterpart after Andonovski earned one-third of Hayes’s deal. Gregg Berhalter was making as much as Hayes before US Soccer fired him after the Copa America disappointment. This yearly salary is still tiny in comparison to top male managers like Klopp, who was thought to be earning around £15m a year at Liverpool, while Pep Guardiola and Roberto Mancini currently earn even more than this.

Hayes’ Impressive Trophy Cabinet

Her unprecedented success points towards a bigger pay cheque

Hayes’ case for equal pay is strongly supported by her impressive trophy collection. She has won seven WSL titles, five FA Cups, and two League Cups, and was a UEFA Women’s Champions League runner-up in the 2020-21 season. Additionally, she was named The Best FIFA Football Coach during her 12 years at the Blues, a period marked by domestic dominance.

This remarkable success has continued across the pond as well. After leaving Chelsea in May, she had only two months to prepare the USWNT for the Paris Olympics. Despite the tight timeline, she led them to an undefeated Olympic campaign, culminating in a Gold medal victory over Brazil in August.

Despite her successful trophy-laden managerial career, Hayes has faced unfair criticism from some in the men’s game. The speculation linking her to the AFC Wimbledon role in 2023 undermined the significant progress she made in advancing the women’s game. However, her achievements were vindicated in the summer when her departure from West London led to her being considered as a potential replacement for Gareth Southgate.

Although no concrete outcomes emerged from these discussions, she was also briefly rumored as a potential successor to Sarina Wiegman if the Dutch manager had left after the 2023 World Cup disappointment. Hayes will have a chance to prove her worth when the USWNT faces England’s Lionesses at Wembley on November 30.