🔗 Share this article

On Wednesday, the Bay Collective group disclosed the appointment of Van Ginhoven, the English national team's managerial lead working with Sarina Wiegman, taking on the role of director of global women’s football operations. This new collective club ownership initiative, with Bay FC of San Francisco as the first club within its group, has prior experience in recruiting from the Football Association.

The hiring earlier this year of Cossington, the prominent former FA technical director, as top executive was a clear statement by this organization. Cossington knows the women's game thoroughly and currently has put together a management group with profound insight of the evolution of the women's game and filled with practical experience.

Van Ginhoven is the third key figure of Wiegman's coaching team to leave recently, with the chief executive leaving before Euro 2025 and the assistant manager, Arjan Veurink, moving on to assume the position of head manager of the Netherlands, but her move came sooner.

Leaving proved to be a jarring experience, but “I had decided to depart the Football Association some time back”, Van Ginhoven says. “My agreement for four years, similar to the assistant and head coach had. When they renewed, I had already said I was uncertain if I would do the same. I had grown accustomed to the notion that following the tournament I wouldn’t be part of England any more.”

The Euros was an emotional competition as a result. “I recall distinctly, speaking with Sarina in which I informed her of my choice and after which we agreed: ‘Our ultimate aspiration, how amazing would it be if we were to win the European Championship?’ Generally, it's rare that hopes materialize often however, against the odds, ours came true.”

Dressed in orange, she has divided loyalties post her tenure in England, during which she contributed to winning back-to-back European titles and worked within Wiegman’s staff during the Dutch victory at Euro 2017.

“The English side will always hold an emotional connection for me. Therefore, it will be difficult, especially with the knowledge that the players are due to arrive for the upcoming fixtures in the near future,” she notes. “When England plays the Netherlands, which side do I back? I’m wearing orange at the moment, though tomorrow English white.”

In a speedboat, you can pivot and accelerate swiftly. With a compact team such as ours, it's effortless to accomplish.

The club was not in the plans as the organisational wizard was deciding that it was time for a change, but the opportunity arose perfectly. The chief executive started to bring people in and common principles proved essential.

“Essentially upon meeting we met we experienced an instant connection,” says she. “We were instantly aligned. We have spoken at length about different things concerning growing the sport and the methods we believe are correct.”

Cossington and Van Ginhoven are among several to uproot themselves from prominent roles in the European game for a fresh start across the Atlantic. The Spanish club's female football technical lead, Patricia González, has been unveiled as the group's new global sporting director.

“I felt strongly drawn in the deep faith in the potential of the women’s game,” González comments. “I have known Kay Cossington for many years; during my tenure at Fifa, she served as England's technical director, and such choices are straightforward knowing you are going to be surrounded by individuals who motivate you.”

The extensive expertise in their team makes them unique, explains Van Ginhoven, for the collective part of a group new multi-club initiatives that have started over the past few years. “This is a key differentiator for us. Various methods are valid, but we definitely believe in having that football knowledge on board,” she adds. “Each of us have been on a journey within the women's game, throughout our careers.”

As their website states, the mission of this group is to champion and pioneer an advanced and lasting environment for women's football clubs, based on what works to meet the varied requirements of women in sport. Succeeding in this, with collective agreement, with no need to make the case for specific initiatives, provides great freedom.

“I equate it to transitioning from a tanker to a speedboat,” remarks Van Ginhoven. “You're journeying through waters that there are no roadmaps for – a common Dutch expression, not sure how it comes across – and you just need to rely on your individual understanding and experience for making correct choices. You can change direction and move quickly using a speedboat. In a lean group like this, it's straightforward to accomplish.”

She adds: “With this opportunity, we start with a blank slate to start with. For me, our mission focuses on impacting football on a wider scale and that blank slate enables you to pursue whatever you want, adhering to football's guidelines. This is the appeal of our collective project.”

The aspirations are significant, those in leading roles are expressing sentiments athletes and supporters want to hear and it will be fascinating to follow the development of this organization, the club and other teams that may join.

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