He elaborates, "We work tirelessly to create a purely psychological sanctuary for all. The camaraderie within the team is rock solid and the common will is an unstoppable force.
While she doesn't outright say it's perfect, she admits that it's moving in a better direction.
Players are raving about the leaps and bounds Hayes has brought to the team during their short time together. An article by Sophia Smith, a player who won the title on Tuesday, exudes a deep appreciation for the new head coach.
Smith exclaimed, "Since she came on board, we've been refreshed. She has a great sense of humor and a cool composure, which is exactly what we were craving. We have the strength and the talent, we just need someone to believe in us and help us." Emma is exactly that kind of presence.
Alyssa Naeher The goalie clearly felt the team's buy-in to Hayes' vision, and it goes far beyond that.
Naeher added, "She is extremely personable and openly shares herself with the team and players. This sincerity has won everyone over," "She is the kind of coach you would fight for. You can feel her support and she doesn't allow anyone to be perfunctory, there's no doubt about that.
Alyssa Naeher saved Team USA's spot in the final when it mattered.
As a coach, Hayes may be nervous, but that nervousness is what motivates her players. Naeher reveals that even the criticism is filled with positive expectations.
She states, "She knows your potential and has faith that you can do it. That belief is crucial."
Hayes is meticulous about the details on the field, and off the field, she doesn't forget to catch every detail: in France, for example, she booked nail technicians for her players because she knows how to cherish every moment.
These seemingly insignificant gestures, which may not be directly related to winning a knockout game, are accomplishing something much bigger. It's these details that make the players run easier and make the toughness more bearable - because they know that they are a team.
It's her coaching philosophy, her quest for excellence, and it's also because Hayes is Hayes - she's always a cut above the rest of the population, a little naive, and always speaks with a sense of honesty (even if the players don't always get it right away). She referred to the final group stage match against Australia as a "banana peel game," which in the U.S. would be called a "trap game. After all, everyone is constantly learning.
When it comes down to it, Hayes likes to joke. As she walked out of the mixed zone accompanied by the U.S. soccer team's press officer, Hayes was immediately asked whether she preferred Spain or Brazil for the final.
Without hesitation, she responded, "I don't care."
