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This past Wednesday, Bay Collective revealed the recruitment of Anja van Ginhoven, the English national team's managerial lead under head coach Sarina Wiegman, taking on the role of global women's football operations director. This new multi-team ownership group, featuring the San Francisco-based Bay FC as the first club in its portfolio, has previously engaged in bringing in talent from the English FA.

The appointment earlier this year of Cossington, the influential former FA technical director, to the CEO role acted as a demonstration of ambition from this organization. She knows the women's game inside out and currently she has assembled an executive team that possesses extensive knowledge of women’s football history and filled with professional background.

She marks the third core member of the manager's inner circle to depart in the current year, with the chief executive leaving before the European Championships and the assistant manager, Arjan Veurink, moving on to become head coach of Holland, however her move arrived more quickly.

Stepping away proved to be a shock to the system, yet “My choice was made to depart the Football Association quite a long time ago”, she explains. “The terms lasting four years, similar to Arjan and Sarina had. As they re-signed, I had already said I was uncertain whether I would. I was already used to the whole idea that post-Euros I would no longer be involved with the national team.”

The Euros was a deeply felt tournament because of this. “I recall distinctly, discussing with the head coach in which I informed her regarding my plans and after which we agreed: ‘Our ultimate aspiration, how incredible it would be to clinch the European title?’ In reality, it’s not like hopes materialize often however, against the odds, it actually happened.”

Wearing a Netherlands-colored shirt, she has divided loyalties post her tenure working in England, where she was part of securing consecutive European championships and was a part of the coaching setup when the Netherlands won at Euro 2017.

“The national team retains an emotional connection for me. Therefore, it will be challenging, particularly now knowing that the team are due to arrive for the upcoming fixtures in the near future,” she says. “Whenever the two nations face off, who do I support? I’m wearing orange at the moment, but tomorrow it’s white.”

A speedboat allows for rapid direction changes. With a compact team such as ours, that is simple to achieve.

The American side was not initially considered when the organisational wizard concluded that a new chapter was needed, however the pieces fell into place at the right time. Cossington began assembling the team and mutual beliefs proved essential.

“Almost from the very first moment we got together we had that click moment,” says she. “There was immediate understanding. We have spoken at length on various topics around how you grow the game and our shared vision for the right approach.”

Cossington and Van Ginhoven are not alone to uproot themselves from high-profile jobs within European football for a fresh start in the United States. The Spanish club's technical director for women's football, González, has been introduced as the group's global sporting director.

“I was very attracted in the deep faith in the potential of the women’s game,” González explains. “I've been acquainted with Kay Cossington for a long time; during my tenure at Fifa, she served as England's technical director, and such choices are straightforward when you are aware you will have around you individuals who motivate you.”

The depth of knowledge in their team sets them apart, notes Van Ginhoven, as Bay Collective part of a group recent multi-team projects which have emerged lately. “That’s one of our unique selling points. Various methods are valid, but we definitely believe in having that football knowledge on board,” she states. “Each of us have progressed in women’s football, probably for the best part of our lives.”

According to their online statement, the ambition of this group is to support and lead a progressive and sustainable ecosystem for women's football clubs, based on what works to meet the varied requirements of women in sport. Succeeding in this, with unified understanding, with no need to make the case for why you would take certain actions, provides great freedom.

“I equate it to moving from a large ship to a fast boat,” states Van Ginhoven. “You're journeying through waters that there are no roadmaps for – as we say in the Netherlands, I'm unsure if it translates well – and it's necessary to trust your own knowledge and expertise to choose wisely. Adjusting course and speeding up is possible with a speedboat. Within a compact team such as ours, it's straightforward to accomplish.”

González notes: “With this opportunity, we start with a blank slate to build upon. For me, our work is about influencing the game more extensively and that clean start permits you to undertake whatever you want, following the sport's regulations. That’s the beauty of what we are building together.”

The ambition is high, the executives are voicing opinions athletes and supporters are eager to hear and it will be interesting to observe the evolution of this organization, the club and any clubs added to the portfolio.

To get a sense of future plans, what factors are essential in a high-performance setting? “{It all starts and ends with|Everything begins and concludes with|The foundation and culmination involve