Every coach has their recipe for success; all to hit the jackpot. Take, for example, Emma Hayes. She believes the chemistry and creativity of one team help USWNT win games rather than utilizing more players from the bench. But, that strategy has been getting backlash. USWNT legend Tobin Heath thinks Hayes’ ‘no substitution’ strategy fuels the lack of depth in Team USA’s Olympic squad. And this depth concern, Heath believes could aggravate Team USA and coach Hayes’ aspirations for an Olympic gold.

USWNT legends Tobin Heath and Christen Press spoke at length about Emma Hayes’ player management for Team USA at the Paris Olympics in the recent episode of the RE-CAP Show. “Early on the show, you said, if the US does not win, it’s because they don’t have depth. Do you think that, that holds?,” Christen Press asked Tobin Heath. “Yes, I think it holds. I think it’s more true today,” said Heath in response.

Heath pointed out that Hayes is so hellbent on fielding a “cohesive group” of players every other game that she doesn’t bother if their energy levels are at “60%.”

Continuing their comments, both Press and Heath agreed on the fact that the British coach should’ve used her bench, not to rest her usual starters, but to show she trusts the other bunch of players as well. The duo also lamented that unused USWNT substitutes might have a hard time delivering their best if the semi-final against Germany is going to be the first game they play in the ongoing Olympics. However, shortly after Team USA’s final training before tonight’s Germany game, coach Hayes said she couldn’t care less about the criticism on these lines. She said her ‘stubborn’ player management is what took the US this far.

Emma Hayes thinks too many changes would have spoilt Team USA’s Olympic run

“I’ve said it from the beginning: connections help. I don’t believe we’d have gone through if we’d have made too many changes,” Emma Hayes said in last night’s interview. The coach also warned critics that she knows how to do her job and has been doing the same for years. The former Chelsea coach earlier also said one cannot play soccer when they bring too many changes to a squad. And, she reiterated this is how big tournaments such as the Olympics must be played.

Even amid intense fatigue, ace USWNT striker Trinity Rodman echoed coach Hayes and ideology and said wear and tear are obvious when one plays in important tournaments. Elsewhere, USWNT veteran Ali Krieger also placed a confident bet on coach Hayes’ strategy. Let’s see how far the Britishwoman and her Team USA go in the Paris games.