Her departure was confirmed after our 6-0 victory over Aston Villa a week ago. It came as a shock to not only supporters but also her squad, all of whom have only ever known Chelsea Women with Hayes as their manager.

‘It’s been really difficult after I spoke with the players,’ Hayes explained.

‘I felt like I was abandoning my family. So, of course, my initial thoughts in these last few days were sadness but also pride, because we did win 6-0 and it was a tremendous performance.

‘It’s very unusual for a manager to be in one place the length of time I have. It’s more normal for the players to maybe change a little more often and probably most managers for that reason.

‘Now I just feel so much pride for the club I represent, the team I represent, and I want to do everything possible to make sure we continue with the good work that’s been done in my time here.’

You can watch the full interview, in which Hayes discusses the thinking behind her decision and looks ahead to the remainder of the campaign, below.