Carla Ward: ‘People hang on Emma Hayes’s every word, and rightly so – she’s the best’

FIn “holiday mode”, Carla Ward had been enjoying a few drinks when the surprise phone call came from Emma Hayes. The American head coach asked her to work for her during a major sporting event that took place in France in July and August. “I’ll be completely honest: I had a few glasses of wine or a few strawberry daiquiris, I can’t remember which, and I didn’t take it seriously,” the former Aston Villa manager recalled. “I was like, ‘I’ve got a holiday booked, let’s see if I can change it.’ And my friend said, ‘What’s wrong with you? These are the Olympic Games!’ – then it descended into my brain. Emma meant: ‘Come to the Olympics.’”

Ward is certainly glad she said yes. The 40-year-old joined Hayes’ backroom team as a scout, analyzing opponents during a campaign that ended with the US team winning gold in Paris, and when she spoke ahead of the US’s match against England on Wembley, she recalls an unforgettable learning opportunity. . “I never had any doubt that she would win gold,” Ward said of Hates. “Being with the team 24/7, you knew there was an atmosphere of calm and confidence. People hang on her every word, and rightly so. It’s sensational to see how she delivers messages and creates this environment. For me she is the best in the world.”

Apart from that summer meeting with the Americans, the main theme of the past six months for Ward has been rest. She left Villa in May after three years in charge of the Women’s Super League with a plan to take a break from management and says she feels completely reinvigorated. “I’m refreshed, I’m recharged. It was the mental wellbeing break I needed,” she says, having managed Sheffield United and Birmingham prior to her 2021 move to Villa. “I had a great time with my daughter and I’m in a really good place physically and mentally. I’m mentally recharged after nine years of ruthlessness, job, job, job. This is the first break I’ve had and I have to say, I’ve enjoyed it.”

Ward oversaw ninth, fifth and seventh-place finishes in her three campaigns with Villa, who were relegation contenders before her arrival. Looking back on her decision to step aside, it is clear that her affection for the club made her feel conflicted about the match. movement. “It was perhaps the hardest decision I’ve ever made in my career,” Ward says. “I knew I had a burnout. I worked at a relentless pace. There was a turning point with my daughter last year around Christmas when she asked if I had a day off and, “When am I going to spend more time with you?” I found that really difficult.

“I wanted to do everything myself, and that’s not possible at that level. I left the house at 5:30 in the morning and came in at 11pm some days. And it took its toll. And I don’t think I ever really admitted it, but I think I was almost in a tough place mentally.

“But my heart was torn apart because I love Aston Villa, the club, what they do, the way I have been able to grow. They gave me a chance. I am very proud of the work we have done, both on and off the field. I think we have moved the football club forward. I think we’ve brought in some excellent people. But I had to put myself first. If I had stayed, either I would have burned out and suffered, or the players would have suffered, so it was very important to recognize that. I cried so much, for days, for weeks. Because I didn’t know if it was the right decision. But it really was the right time.”

During those difficult moments, and for much of Ward’s management career, Hayes has acted as an unofficial mentor. Ward jokes that the former Chelsea manager, who won his fifth consecutive WSL title before crossing the Atlantic, “can’t get rid of me”, adding: “No one will really understand how much they have given me over the last time has guided. four or five years. I’ve been very lucky. After our first conversation, she said, “If you need anything, just call me.” And she probably regrets it now, because we don’t stop. She is like a big sister, a mentor, all of the above, and I will be forever grateful.

It’s because of that help from Hayes that Ward is determined to pass on kindness himself to younger aspiring coaches. She joins the Powerhouse Project as Head of Coaching for their UEFA B Preparation Programme, a course designed to ensure coaches are ready to undertake the UEFA B License Course. The project was created by former professional footballers turned broadcasters Rosie and Mollie Kmita, and Ward will lead practical and classroom coaching sessions and provide mentorship to coaches and participants.

“I am very passionate about developing women in the game,” she says. “There are some really good people in the building trying to create female coaches. They have made tremendous progress in delivering diverse programs, not just here but worldwide, and giving back to young coaches is huge. Creating women leaders will be so important. It is everyone’s job to find that talent and get it to the top.”

For Ward, however, there remains a strong desire to get back into management. “That [management] is my passion, that’s who I am, that’s what I do,” she says. When and where remains a mystery, but it seems clear that the game hasn’t seen the last of Ward.