FIRST of all, congratulations to Emma Hayes. The Chelsea manager picked herself up mentally and emotionally after losing the Women’s Super League (WSL) on the final day of last season in dramatic circumstances to go again this year.

She dusted herself off and led her side to the double, the FA Cup at Wembley — which was the club’s first trophy — and a few months later to the league title.

It is not easy to regroup after coming so close to the league. You only have to look at Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool if you want to see how not to make a title charge the following season, but she had the strength and character to coach her side across the finish line the second time around.