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In a way at least, the news that women’s football will be represented in future versions of Football Manager will not change anything for Chelsea boss Emma Hayes. She’s been there for several seasons already as an AI-controlled manager who sometimes appears in the Football League.
“I love getting texts from people,” she smiles, “telling me I just got fired as Rotherham’s manager.”
But by all accounts, this week’s announcement is a game-changer. This isn’t just a simple data update, it will be a painstakingly produced simulation of grassroots women’s football to the international stage and Hayes has no doubts what that means.
“It means a lot, when you think about how hard women’s football has worked in recent years to make progress, that we are stepping into this place where football is only for men and women.
“I always say the most important thing we do about women in football is just to normalize it. And then we don’t have to think twice. I say this after doing punditry over the summer in men’s football where we only talk about football. It’s just normalizing. And if you consider the demographics of the people who play Football Manager, this will be a group of people who will see women’s football grow in front of them. So it’s really exciting.
Hayes has been a revelation this summer, co-commenting on European Championship matches for the acclaimed but not universal ITV Sport. A picture of her preparation process went viral, and she won praise for how she introduced concepts like data analytics into her expertise without sacrificing articulation.
“Oh my God, I had a great time,” she beams. “An incredible moment. It was great.
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