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Emma Hayes has said she let herself down by describing player-player relationships as “inappropriate”.
The Chelsea Women manager’s comments on Thursday sparked criticism on social media, with many saying that player-player relationships should not be looked at in the same way as player-coach ones because there is not a power imbalance.
Chelsea defender Jess Carter, who is in a relationship with Germany and Chelsea goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, liked a post on X that described Hayes’ comments as “beyond bonkers”.
After Friday night’s 3-1 win over Arsenal in the Women’s Super League, however, Hayes sought to clarify her remarks and said she had discussed the issue with Carter.
“I’ve spoken with her,” she said. “This is all I’m going to say on it. I don’t want to create any more clickbait headlines. I think sometimes that becomes the case, when we have honest conversations about things, so of course I’m disappointed about that. Jess and I have had a conversation today, as I have with other players within the team.
“They know exactly who I am and they know exactly what my intentions were. But I have to expect that I’m supposed to be the most well-trained, non-clickbait headline coach, and I let myself down yesterday. I didn’t think it was right for me to use the term ‘inappropriate’ for the players.
“Nonetheless, when we have honest conversations about these things, I don’t take those things back, but I have zero criticism of any player in my dressing room for anything. Their professionalism, for what they’ve given to the club regardless of their status, regardless of who they are in a relationship with, I’ve been unbelievably supportive of all of the players. I’ve been a champion for equality and for equity.
“As I keep saying to my players, even if we have disagreements in life, we mustn’t play them out publicly, we must have those conversations with each other, because it’s an important thing you should do in a workplace and everyone understands that. And I think you saw from the performance tonight that everybody is absolutely invested in what we are doing. Tremendous performance from everyone including Jess.”
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