New Chelsea Women manager Bompastor hoping to build on foundations laid by Hayes | OneFootball

Sonia Bompastor is ready to embrace the foundations Emma Hayes left at Chelsea but hopes to create a legacy of her own in the WSL.

The summer at Stamford Bridge was a momentous one as an era that spelled across 12 years, and brought eight WSL titles, came to an end as Hayes left to take up the role as boss of the US Women’s National Team.

For many associated with the women’s team at Chelsea, it was all they knew, but now they are preparing to work under another proven winner, Bompastor.

The French coach also had her own emotional goodbye to become the woman tasked with leading Chelsea post-Hayes.

She called time at Lyon, a club where she spent six years playing and 11 years coaching, including three years in charge of the first team and she will now aim to recreate the success her English predecessor brought, at her new club.

Bompastor said: “Emma did a really great job, I just want to build on her legacy. I feel such a lucky manager to have this opportunity after Emma and to show who I am as a manager and a person.

“The pressure is something I really like because it makes me better.

“She is a great manager and person so it is good for me to come after her.

“She has been so committed and she gave her life to the club and coming from Lyon, the base is really good and she left the club in a really good position but I wasn’t expecting anything else.”

Bompastor felt her time with the French Champions came to a natural end after winning three league titles and a Champions League and wanted to “get out the comfort zone and try a new challenge.”

That new challenge will not only involve trying to continue the endless winning that became a formality since 2012, but she will also have to implement her own style at the club after it had been sculpted perfectly into the way Hayes wanted it.

Bompastor said: “I am a completely different person to Emma. I have a different vision and philosophy so I am just trying to build on that legacy but also finding my way to manage the players and the staff.

“For me what is really important is to come to this club and respect everything that was built before and bring my own vision and I think with my background and experience I can support the club and players to achieve their goals and be successful.

“It is also about my vision and background. I am taking about me a lot but it is also about my backroom staff and it is about everyone to make sure we bring what we need to to make sure this club is performing at the high level.”

Bompastor took her first training session at the start of this month, after signing a four-year contract with the club in May and she believes that it is enough time to forge her own path in west London.

The 44-year-old said: “I think four years is a good time to put my philosophy, my visions in. I feel like that the club is supporting me and the club, staff and environment is really great and I am thankful for that and the four-year contract and the welcoming from the beginning.

“When I join a project I want to feel like I am part of it and they have the same vision on the women’s game and I felt that from the conversations. I feel like I am in a good place.”

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