Women’s football in England is a ‘middle-class sport’, warns Emma Hayes

Emma Hayes believes professional women’s football is a “middle-class sport” which has allowed a generation of inner-city talent to be lost to the game.

Describing the European champion Lionesses as a “homogenised” side, the Chelsea manager argues the current system of academies, often located in suburban green spaces, should be abandoned in favour of bringing coaching and development into the city.

“Women’s football is quite a middle-class sport in my opinion,” Hayes said. “In terms of the locations, the pedigree of player, they’re often coming from suburban belts around the training grounds. They’re not the Alex Scotts, the Rachel Yankeys, the Anita Asantes. They’re not coming to our facilities in the same way and you’ve got to ask yourself the question: why?

“Look at the number of footballers that came out of south-east London and into the England men’s team; an unbelievable number. Why aren’t they in the women’s side? I often ask that question [at Chelsea]. They’re all from Surrey. They’re the most talented kids in Surrey. But are they the most talented kids around? I beg to differ. Why aren’t we going into London? Why aren’t we hosting our academies right in the heart of London? Who in their ivory tower has been dreaming up this prawn sandwich girls football club?”

Hayes coaches England’s latest star, east London-born Lauren James, but says she was astonished at the lack of diversity in last year’s victorious England side. The absence of black players in the team, with only three in the squad, was the subject of intensive debate over the tournament.

“What you have is this homogenised team, which is a fabulous team, but where’s its diversity? Where is it?”

Hayes believes that Karen Carney’s government-commissioned