Emma Hayes has brought success to Chelsea

SHE used to spend her evenings after school kicking a ball around the Curnock Street estate’s “yellow flats” and dreaming of a glittering future in football.

Tonight (Thursday), Emma Hayes will sit in front of a computer with her young son, waiting to find out if she has won the sport’s equivalent of the Oscars.

The former Parliament Hill School pupil is one of just three managers in the running for “The Best” Fifa women’s coach of the year gong.

The ongoing pandemic means the normally star-studded event to crown the world’s top players and coaches will run as a live virtual ceremony from Zurich.

But the 44-year-old Chelsea boss, who told the press this week that she will be wearing “formal attire” over her pyjamas as she waits for the big reveal, says that whatever happens, being named as a finalist is one of her proudest moments.

“To be acknowledged by my peers is as big of a personal achievement as I can get,” she told the New Journal. “It’s not about winning it, it’s getting there. Just to be in that situation, knowing where I’ve come from – those yellow flats – that drove my dream every day. I didn’t grow up in a privileged environment. I grew up in a loving family in an unbelievable estate.

“I had the opportunity on a daily basis to play out with my friends, play the game that I loved and dream about doing the biggest things on the biggest stages. So to actually live that out in my life, I will die happy knowing I’ve done something I’ve loved doing. I’m extremely blessed.”

It is almost two decades since the Camden Town-raised coach first featured in the pages of this newspaper.

Back then, Hayes was an ambitious 20-something preparing to swap her sports development work in West Euston and the Bourne Estate for a new life coaching across the pond in New York.

A clipping from the CNJ in 2001, as Ms Hayes heads to the United States

Today, she is regarded as one of the best in the business.

A holder of the top coaching licence and an MBE to boot, Hayes has managed professionally in the United States, helped Arsenal win the Uefa Cup as assistant to Vic Akers and packed Chelsea’s previously empty trophy cabinet with seven major titles.

Last season’s cup and league double winner, who earned her first coaching award as a 15-year-old Parliament Hill schoolgirl, said she had worked tirelessly to achieve her dreams.

“I’m resilient, but so hard working,” she said.

“I’ve sacrificed so much over the years, family events, births, weddings, birthday parties. I’ve had to travel and live abroad to fulfil my dreams and I think there’s not many professions that you make sacrifices at this level.”

The votes of fans, journalists, national team coaches and captains will decide which from Hayes, Lyon’s Champions League winning coach Jean-Luc Vasseur or Netherlands manager Sarina Wiegman wins tonight, but Camden’s favourite coaching daughter is already content.

“I’m not going to be shy about this,” she said. “I feel like I’ve just won an Oscar.”

You can watch ‘The Best’ awards on FIFATV from 6pm tonight (Thursday).