Emma Hayes believes men's football is still not ready for the prospect of female coaches, saying there is much work to be done to bring about true equality in the game.
Hayes won seven Women's Super League titles during a glittering 12-year spell in charge of Chelsea before leaving to take charge of the United States in May.
Like England coach Sarina Wiegman, Hayes has sometimes been suggested as somebody who could make the transition from the women's game to men's football, but no female coach has ever taken charge of a team in England's top four tiers on a permanent basis.
Forest Green Rovers made Hannah Dingley caretaker manager last year while in the fourth tier, only to overlook her and go through three permanent bosses – including former Watford striker Troy Deeney – as they dropped out of the Football League.
Speaking during an appearance on the Today programme on BBC, Hayes said barriers remain in place to prevent women succeeding in the men's game.
"I think you need to get more owners in to ask them that question, because they're the people you have to ask that question to. I'm not the one in charge of that," Hayes said.
Asked whether club owners are ready to appoint a female coach, Hayes said: "Of course they're not, otherwise it would have happened by now.
"I've said this a million times over – you can find a female pilot, a female doctor, a female lawyer, a female banker, but you can't find a female coach working in the men's game, leading men.
"It just shows you how much work there is to be done."
Hayes has been nominated for the Women's Coach of the Year prize at the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony, which will take place on October 28.
Wiegman, Filipa Patao, Arthur Elias, Jonatan Giraldez and Hayes' Chelsea successor Sonia Bompastor are also in the running.
USWNT icon Morgan announces retirement and pregnancy
United States legend Alex Morgan has announced her retirement from professional football, also confirming she is pregnant with her second child.
Morgan is one of the most recognisable and decorated players in the history of the USWNT, helping them win back-to-back World Cups in 2015 and 2019 as well as capturing an Olympic gold medal at London 2012.
Her tally of 224 caps puts her ninth in the team's all-time appearance charts, while only Abby Wambach (184), Mia Hamm (158), Carli Lloyd (134) and Kristine Lilly (130) have bettered her total of 123 goals for the team.
Since she made her international debut in March 2010, no player has been involved in more goals for the USWNT than Morgan (175, 123 goals, 52 assists).
Her 88 goal involvements (60 goals, 28 assists) in regular-season NWSL play, meanwhile, put her third in the all-time charts, behind Sam Kerr and Lynn Williams (both 102).
Despite featuring regularly for the USWNT earlier this year, she was left out of Emma Hayes' squad for the Paris Olympics, where they beat Brazil to win a record-extending fifth gold medal.
Morgan, who returned to the NWSL with the San Diego Wave in 2022 following a brief spell in the Women's Super League with Tottenham, confirmed on Thursday that her second pregnancy had influenced a decision that was already on her mind.
"I want to get to the point quickly – I'm retiring. I have so much clarity about this decision, and I am so happy to be able to tell you," Morgan said in a video posted to X.
"It has been a long time coming, and this decision wasn't easy, but at the beginning of 2024 I felt in my heart and soul that this was the last season that I would play soccer."
Morgan will play one final match for San Diego before hanging up her boots, versus the Carolina Courage in the NWSL on Sunday.
In a statement released by U.S. Soccer, the 35-year-old said: "I grew up on this team, it was so much more than soccer.
"It was the friendships and the unwavering respect and support among each other, the relentless push for global investment in women's sports, and the pivotal moments of success both on and off the field.
"I am so incredibly honoured to have borrowed the crest for more than 15 years. I learned so much about myself in that time and so much of that is a credit to my team-mates and our fans.
"I feel immense pride in where this team is headed, and I will forever be a fan of the USWNT."
World Cup winner Mata seals Western Sydney Wanderers move
Former Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata has joined the seventh club of his career, moving to A-League side Western Sydney Wanderers from Vissel Kobe.
Mata, who left the Japanese club in January, will join up with the 2014 Asian champions ahead of the new campaign.
The Spaniard is aiming to win another championship in a different country, after winning the Turkish Super Lig with Galatasaray and the J1 League in 2023.
Mata's most prolific years came in the Premier League, scoring 52 goals and adding 55 assists in 278 appearances in English football's top flight for Chelsea and Manchester United.
The 36-year-old has also won honours on the international stage, having been part of Spain's successes in the 2010 World Cup and 2012 European Championships.
"I'm really excited to join the Western Sydney Wanderers and I cannot wait to arrive and train with the team to prepare for the season ahead," Mata said.
"I'm feeling grateful and excited for this new adventure, and looking forward to trying to win another championship in a different league."
Gibbs-White: England job 'suits Carsley perfectly'
Morgan Gibbs-White believes Lee Carsley is a perfect fit for the England job and has backed the interim head coach to get the full-time position.
Gibbs-White is one of four new players, along with Angel Gomes, Tino Livramento and Noni Madueke, to be called up in Carsley's first England squad for the start of their Nations League campaign.
The Nottingham Forest captain was a key player for Carsley in the U21s, making 15 appearances under him, and was also part of the Under-21 European Championship win last year.
England won all six of their matches at the tournament in Romania and Georgia, scoring 11 goals and overperforming their expected goals (xG) figures by 2.5.
Their defensive solidity was just as important to their success though, as they did not concede a single goal from 79 shots faced.
And Gibbs-White thinks that with his credentials, Carsley should be a real contender to become the permanent England manager.
"I know how he works, he's a great manager tactically, man-management is great," Gibbs-White said.
"I was buzzing when I found out that he got the job as he really deserved it, and I feel like it suits him perfectly.
"Hopefully the games go well for him, and you never know what the future holds."
Madueke, another of the players to make the move up from England U21, also has faith that Carsley will do well in the role.
The Chelsea winger made 19 appearances under the 50-year-old, with only Taylor Harwood-Belis (21) being handed more caps than him.
"He has great ideas, and he is also able to implement the way he wants to play, like in your mind, and make it easy for you," Madueke told BBC Radio 5 Live. "I feel as though all of the top managers have that.
"Definitely I couldn't speak more highly of him. I feel as though he is a great manager. I feel as though he knows the pathway, he knows the system.
"He knows the FA; he has been working at the FA for a long time. [He is] similar to Gareth [Southgate] in that sense, so I hope he can do extremely well.
"I have got all the belief in him for sure."
England begin their Nations League campaign against the Republic of Ireland in League B Group 2 before hosting Finland on Tuesday.
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