GARY LINEKER begged Leicester to make Emma Hayes their manager – but was ignored by Foxes chiefs.
Leicester legend Lineker pinpointed Hayes as the ideal candidate for his former club when they were relegated from the Premier League in 2023.
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Gary Lineker urged Leicester to hire Emma Hayes in 2023 Credit: PA
Hayes is currently in charge of the United States women’s national team Credit: AFP
Hayes, 49, was then coming to the end of a 12-year stint in charge of Chelsea‘s women, whom she led to SEVEN Women’s Super League titles.
If the Foxes followed up on Lineker’s recommendation, Hayes would have become the first female manager in EFL history.
But his plea fell on deaf ears.
He told Hayes on The Rest Is Football podcast: “When Leicester got relegated, I called Susan Whelan, who was the then CEO of Leicester – who is no longer there, sadly – and I called her to say, ‘I think you should go for Emma as the Leicester City coach’.
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“I was going, ‘I think for many reasons. A: obviously, she’s clearly a brilliant coach – so it’s not like some kind of PR stunt’ – although PR-wise, I think it would have been brilliant: the first female manager of a professional men’s team in our country.
“And I think we had the players that you’d have done really well with.
“She said, ‘I think that’s a really good idea… but I’m not quite sure the owners are ready to make that step yet.’”
Leicester ended up hiring Enzo Maresca and bouncing straight back to the top flight.
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Hayes is working as an ITV pundit during the World Cup Credit: ITV
Hayes, meanwhile, left Chelsea to take charge of the United States women’s national team in 2024 – a job she is currently balancing with ITV punditry work at the World Cup.
A couple of years ago, the Londoner suggested the men’s game may still be some way away from hiring a female coach.
She told the BBC: “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.”
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