A Completely Different Game

How do you get the best out of people? What does it take to make a team thrive? From the head coach of the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team and legendary coach of Chelsea FC comes a book of hard-won lessons for leading a team to success, on and off the field.

Few places will test your leadership skills more than elite sport. For more than twenty years, Emma Hayes has led her teams to trophy after trophy, coaching her players through personal and professional setbacks, and becoming a powerful advocate for women in sports.

A Completely Different Game shares Hayes's inspirational, innately human approach to fulfilling the potential of those around her. Beginning with her upbringing in Camden and ending with her move to the US National Team, Hayes takes us through the events that shaped her and the critical leadership lessons she learned along the way. She also lays bare the difficulties that came with managing a women's sports team in an industry designed for and catered to men, and makes a clear, actionable and urgent call for equity in sports.

Generous, authoritative, and grounded in lived experience, A Completely Different Game will help you lead with heart, strength and authenticity no matter what challenge you're facing.

I will be supporting Emma Hayes all the way on her new journey in America, where I'm sure she will continue to enjoy the success she has had throughout her fantastic career -- Sir Alex Ferguson
Hayes has done an incredible job, and she got so much respect and deserved respect -- Sarina Wiegman, manager, England Women’s National Team
Hayes's record speaks for itself, but what people don't see is the type of manager she is off the pitch. She picks players up when they are down. People think she is this tough coach, and she is, but she also puts her arm around people -- Sam Kerr, captain, Australian Women’s National Soccer Team and 3-time Golden Boot winner
Hayes has so much experience in the women's game, and she has done such incredible things with a top-tier team -- Lindsey Horan, captain, United States Women’s National Team
There'll never be another coach quite like Emma Hayes. A Completely Different Game gives an intriguing insight into her mindset and her motivations as she has fought her way to the very top. Leaders in any line will gain fresh perspective on their own practice, and football fans are in for a rare treat as Hayes details the secrets of her success with her characteristic unflinching honesty -- Carrie Dunn, acclaimed author and women's football historian
Seamlessly passing between personal and professional anecdotes, the book is written with the energy, passion, insight and no-nonsense approach usually displayed by Emma at the side of a pitch. It is a must-read for anyone interested in women's football -- Dawn Airey, Chair of the Women's Super League and Championship, and Chancellor of Edge Hill University
I've enjoyed listening to Emma speak at a number of elite coach education events. She is a powerful presenter who is open about her vulnerabilities as a leader. This book distils the messages I have heard her give on a number of occasions. It is typical here that she asks players to revolutionize and redefine team goals as part of her work with the US women's national team. With great clarity, Hayes sets out her philosophy for leadership and it applies across industries -- Professor Jean Williams, author of Lioness Legends and The History of Women's Football
Step inside Emma Hayes' dressing room, and you'll gain a fascinating insight into the mind and techniques of the best women's football coach in the world right now. From poems penned about her players to training sessions in opposition shirts, how to lobby for change to managing the toughest of personal encounters, Emma's shared experience is an essential how-to guide for leaders in any sphere. Inspiring, human and genuinely thought provoking, A Completely Different Game is a refreshingly different take from one of the icons of our national game -- Anna Kessel MBE
Hayes brings a welcome humility . . . and her candor bolsters confidence in her wisdom. The result is a rewarding guide for managing teams of all kinds Publishers Weekly

Emma Carol Hayes (Author)

Emma Hayes is the head coach of the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team and former long-time manager of Chelsea FC, one of the most successful women's teams in Europe. In June 2016, Hayes was made an MBE in the Queen's 90th birthday honours list. She was appointed OBE in the 2022 New Year Honours and named the Best FIFA Women's Coach at the Best FIFA Awards in 2023.

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