'Visionary leader' Hayes tipped to impact USA beyond gold medals

Portland Thorns general manager Karina LeBlanc believes Emma Hayes will be a force for good in the USA

Transcript

00:00Yeah, I've known Emma from many years ago.

00:04I played in many different versions of the professional soccer league in the NWSL.

00:09And so I know her as a coach.

00:12I know her now when she was at Chelsea.

00:15And it's so exciting to have somebody who's a visionary leader come into the country.

00:19And yes, obviously I have allegiance to Canada for playing for Canada.

00:22So for me, I'm her biggest advocate. I'm her biggest ally.

00:26Because I know how she's going to lead this next generation.

00:28In such a short time, she got gold for the U.S.

00:32Because she's figured out her lane and she's nailed it.

00:35And what every player on that team will see and learn from her is,

00:39yes, the technical skills of how to win and how to play better football.

00:43But they'll also see a woman who figured out her lane

00:46and figured out that I'm going to just nail it so that I can impact others.

00:50So the impact that she will have is not just on gold medals.

00:55The impact she'll have is that the importance to see it, to believe it,

00:59is that the women in that locker room, the players in that locker room,

01:02will then be like, I can do big things too.