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This past Wednesday, Bay Collective announced the hiring of Anja van Ginhoven, the English national team's managerial lead working with Sarina Wiegman, to serve as their overseer of worldwide women's football activities. The new collective club ownership initiative, which includes the San Francisco-based Bay FC as its inaugural team in its portfolio, has previously engaged in bringing in talent from the Football Association.

The hiring this year of Cossington, the prominent ex-technical director for the FA, as top executive acted as a signal of intent by the collective. She knows women’s football thoroughly and currently has put together a management group with a deep understanding of women’s football history and laden with practical experience.

She becomes the third central staffer of Wiegman's coaching team to depart recently, with the chief executive departing prior to the European Championships and assistant coach, Arjan Veurink, moving on to assume the position of head coach of the Netherlands, but her decision arrived more quickly.

Leaving proved to be a jarring experience, yet “I’d taken my decision to leave the FA some time back”, she says. “The terms lasting four years, similar to the assistant and head coach had. Upon their extension, I had expressed I was uncertain whether I would. I had grown accustomed to the notion that after the European Championship my time with England would end.”

The Euros turned into an emotional event due to that. “I recall distinctly, having a conversation with Sarina when I disclosed of my choice and after which we agreed: ‘There’s just one dream, how amazing would it be if we were to win the European Championship?’ Generally, dreams don't dreams come true often but, against the odds, ours came true.”

Sitting in an orange T-shirt, Van Ginhoven holds dual affections after her time in England, where she was part of claiming two Euros in a row and was a part of the coaching setup when the Netherlands won at Euro 2017.

“England retains an emotional connection for me. So, it will be difficult, notably since that the players are scheduled to come for the international camp soon,” she notes. “When England plays the Netherlands, where do my loyalties lie? I’m wearing orange at the moment, but tomorrow it’s white.”

You can change direction and move quickly in a speedboat. With a compact team such as ours, that’s easily done.

The American side was not initially considered as the strategic expert determined it was time to move on, however the opportunity arose at the right time. Cossington initiated the recruitment and common principles were key.

“Essentially upon meeting we got together we experienced an instant connection,” states Van Ginhoven. “You’re immediately on the same level. We have spoken at length on various topics related to developing women's football and what we think is the right way.”

These executives are among several to relocate from well-known positions in Europe's football scene for a fresh start across the Atlantic. The Spanish club's women’s technical director, González, has been announced as the organization's worldwide sports director.

“I was highly interested by the firm conviction in the potential within the female sport,” she comments. “I've been acquainted with Kay Cossington for an extended period; back when I was with Fifa, she served as England's technical director, and such choices are straightforward knowing you are going to be surrounded by people who really inspire you.”

The depth of knowledge within their group makes them unique, says Van Ginhoven, for the collective part of a group new multi-club initiatives that have started in recent years. “This is a key differentiator for us. It’s OK that people do things in different ways, but we are firm in our belief in ensuring deep football understanding,” she adds. “Each of us have been on a journey within the women's game, for most of our lives.”

According to their online statement, the mission of this group is to advocate and innovate an advanced and lasting environment for women's football clubs, based on what works for the diverse needs of women. Succeeding in this, with collective agreement, without having to justify actions for specific initiatives, is hugely liberating.

“I liken it to moving from a large ship to a fast boat,” states she. “You're journeying across unmapped territories – a common Dutch expression, I don’t know if it translates – and it's necessary to trust your personal insight and skills to make the right decision. Adjusting course and speeding up is possible using a speedboat. In a small team like this, it's straightforward to accomplish.”

González adds: “With this opportunity, we start with a blank slate to start with. For me, what we do focuses on impacting football more extensively and that blank slate permits you to undertake anything you desire, within the rules of the game. This is the appeal of our joint endeavor.”

The ambition is high, the executives are voicing opinions players and fans are eager to hear and it will be fascinating to follow the development of the collective, the club and other teams that may join.

To get a sense of future plans, which elements are crucial for a top-level environment? “{It all starts and ends with|Everything begins and concludes with|The foundation and culmination involve