'Women's teams do sell out': New USA manager Emma Hayes excited about England match-up

Emma Hayes, new head coach of US women's national team, talks to ITV News about facing England at Wembley next month, and qualifying for the World Cup

US women's national team head coach and former Chelsea manager Emma Hayes has called her upcoming match against England a "wonderful advert for the game."

"Women's teams do sell out," Hayes tells ITV News as she prepares to lead the USA against the Lionesses in a friendly at Wembley Stadium on November 30.

"Two brilliant teams, I think it will be a top product and something which I'm pretty certain will be a sellout, women's teams do sell out," she said.

Hayes has had an "extraordinary" year so far, guiding Chelsea to their fifth Women's Super League (WSL) title before leaving the team in May to help the USA secure gold at the Paris Olympics - despite having only two months to prepare.

She explained she could "retire happy" after all her successes this year.

"I felt at the full-time whistle, what an extraordinary year I've just had winning a WSL title with Chelsea and now a gold medal with the USA - I could retire happy.

"I'm not in a rush," she adds.

Hayes won 16 trophies in her 12-year tenure managing Chelsea.

Despite being one of the world’s most successful managers, Hayes, who discovered her love for football playing on an estate in Camden, London, is dedicating time to support those aspiring to follow in her footsteps.

She says: "I want to be able to create opportunities for women.

"Not just for them to look at something and then not able to achieve it, I want them to be able to access it in a way that women - I don't think at this current time - are able to get into coaching the same way boys and men are."

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Hayes adds that she will "never say never" to the possibility of coaching a men's football team.

"Coaching a team like Chelsea or the US women's national team - as far as I'm concerned - is the pinnacle, I don't need to draw comparisons or talk about the men's game.

"I'm so happy doing the job I'm doing in the USA, but I never say never to anything."

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