If it was not already an almighty task to fill the shoes of Emma Hayes, the former Chelsea boss winning Olympic gold after just 10 games in charge of the United States has only enhanced her glowing reputation.
But as her successor, Frenchwoman Sonia Bompastor, walked into her first press conference at Stamford Bridge, a big smile on her face, it quickly became clear the Blues have found someone who is more than ready to take on that challenge.
‘I am a completely different person from Emma, I have a different vision and philosophy,’ Bompastor said.
‘I’m just trying to build on that legacy and find a way to manage the players and staff. For me what is really important is to come to this club, respect everything that was built before and build my own vision.
‘I think from my background and experience, I can support the players and the club to achieve their goals. I hope we will be successful. It’s also about bringing my vision, my experience and background. I’m talking a lot about me but it’s also about Camille Abby, my assistant and the other coaches. I will use everyone to make sure we bring what we need to bring to make sure this team keeps performing at a high level.’
Sonia Bompastor is more than ready to take on the challenge as Chelsea Women's boss
The Frenchwoman insists she will bring a 'different vision and philosophy' to the club
Chelsea are preparing for a new era under Bompastor following Emma Hayes' departure
Bompastor left Lyon, where she won three successive league titles and the 2021-22 Champions League, to join Chelsea. She was the outstanding candidate and seemingly Bompastor was ready to jump at the chance.
Asked when Chelsea first reached out, the 44-year-old joked: ‘Can I say this kind of information? I don’t understand the question, sorry!’
She then continued: ‘It was a secret for everyone, no? In France, no one knew the secret. No, I'm joking, because obviously everyone knew about the fact I was coming, and we were trying to keep the secret, but it was not a secret.
‘I just felt it was the best way to do, you know, not telling everyone I was coming, because I wanted to show respect for Lyon and we were still involved in such big games at the end of the season with the league, the Champions League final. So, yeah, I just felt it was the right thing to do.
‘I knew, really, I’m not going to give the date, but I knew almost since Emma said “I’m leaving”, just a few weeks after I knew I was becoming the new coach for Chelsea. But we kept the secret until March?
‘I think the news just came out, we had to play a French Cup game, and all the players before the game they were, like, with social media and they came to me and I went, “Oh, I don’t know what is going on!”
Bompastor is the only woman to have won the Champions League as a player and a manager and her experience in Europe was one of the key reasons Chelsea, who are yet to win the competition, hired her.
Bompastor insisted she wants to keep the WSL champions 'performing at a high level'
‘Every trophy is very important but the UWCL is a special one. At the moment the club had success in the past but maybe this is the one that’s missing. When I had the meeting with sporting directors I said it was something special to win. I had the incredible chance to win it as a player and a manager. I think we have all the infrastructure to win it. We have to work really hard to make sure we get there. I can’t wait to start this competition as it’s a really special one.’
Chelsea qualified automatically for the group stage after winning last season’s WSL and while they are yet to discover their three opponents, they already know they will have some difficult league games before and after those fixtures.
The Blues face Manchester United on October 6 before their first group game, scheduled for October 7/8. After that midweek clash, they play Arsenal at the Emirates on October 13.
For the second round of group games, they play Liverpool and Manchester City before and after. Should they progress to the quarter-finals, they will have an away trip to City sandwiched in-between both legs.
The competitiveness of the Women’s Super League compared to other countries is something Bompastor believes has held English clubs back and ensured she will try to work with the FA to see how they may be able to work on fixture scheduling.
Hayes helped Chelsea lift the WSL title five times in a row before leaving for the US
‘I watch so many games from the English League, and I think the biggest difference is the intensity. The league is so much more competitive compared to France. In France, most of the time, you only have two clubs who are able to win the title. So here you probably have three or four.
‘Every game will be really difficult on the physical side and something that will be really difficult is sometimes when you will have to play mid-week a Champions League game, you still have to play your very big game on weekends against Arsenal, Manchester City, or United. This is something really hard, because you need to perform during one week with three games, three competitive games and this is something really difficult sometimes for the players to be able to perform with not a lot of recovery between the games.
‘This is something really different from France, because in France, the French Federation was helping a lot the French clubs, especially the ones who are playing the Champions League, and this is an example, but anytime we were playing a Champions League game in the middle of the week, the French Federation were the ones who are making sure we are not playing a big team in the league, just to help us to perform in the Champions League. This is something really good, and maybe this is something we will need to work on with the FA. I will try to use my voice.’
Chelsea have won the last five WSL titles and Bompastor knows there is expectation she will pick up where Hayes left off, as well as competing in Europe.
Bompastor will also be hoping to lead Chelsea to success in Europe in the 2024-25 campaign
Hayes was by far the longest-serving manager before her departure. She was perhaps the only manager in the league who was untouchable. Bompastor, though, says she does not feel any pressure from the club’s owners and has been given assurances she will be afforded time.
‘At the moment I don’t feel any pressure. Even if the club puts me under some pressure, I’m the one who puts even more pressure on me. I don’t need someone to come and tell me what I have to do. I don’t feel that pressure. I’ve signed for four years, I think four years is a good time for me to come and put my own philosophy, vision and what I feel at the moment, it’s on me.
'The club has been so supportive of me, my coaches, the staff, the players and the environment and the atmosphere is really great so I’m thankful to them for that. On the contract, I just felt that from the beginning, welcoming in the club from everyone so I’m so happy to be here.
‘It was really important because when I join a new club, a new project, I just want to feel I’m part of it and I’m working with people who are on the same page, they have the same vision of the game, the women’s game. I just felt that from the first meeting with everyone in the club. Ambitions, we are aligned, winning mentality, we are aligned. Having the good support, we are aligned. I just feel I’m in the right place.’