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This past Wednesday, Bay Collective disclosed the hiring of Anja van Ginhoven, England's general manager working with Sarina Wiegman, taking on the role of director of global women’s football operations. The new collective club ownership initiative, which includes Bay FC of San Francisco as the initial addition among its holdings, has a history in hiring individuals from the Football Association.

The hiring in recent months of Kay Cossington, the influential ex-technical director for the FA, as the chief executive served as a clear statement by the collective. She is deeply familiar with the women's game comprehensively and currently she has assembled a management group that possesses extensive knowledge of women’s football history and packed with experience.

She is the third key figure of the manager's inner circle to depart recently, with Cossington departing before the Euros and the assistant manager, Veurink, stepping down to take up the role of head manager of Holland, but her move arrived more quickly.

Moving on proved to be a shock to the system, but “I had decided to exit the national setup some time back”, she says. “My agreement for four years, just as the assistant and head coach had. When they renewed, I had already said I was uncertain whether I would. I had accepted the whole idea that after the European Championship my time with England would end.”

The tournament was a deeply felt competition because of this. “I recall distinctly, speaking with Sarina when I disclosed regarding my plans and we then remarked: ‘We share a single dream, how amazing would it be if we were to win the European Championship?’ Generally, it’s not like hopes materialize frequently however, absolutely incredibly, this one did.”

Wearing a Netherlands-colored shirt, Van Ginhoven experiences split allegiances after her time with the English team, during which she contributed to securing consecutive European championships and worked within the manager's team for the Netherlands’ triumph at Euro 2017.

“England will forever have a dear spot in my heart. So, it will be difficult, particularly now knowing that the squad are due to arrive for the upcoming fixtures in the near future,” she notes. “When England plays the Netherlands, which side do I back? Right now I'm in Dutch colors, though tomorrow English white.”

In a speedboat, you can pivot and accelerate swiftly. In a lean group like this one, it's effortless to accomplish.

The American side was not in the plans as the strategic expert determined that a new chapter was needed, but the opportunity arose opportunely. The chief executive began assembling the team and their shared values were crucial.

“Virtually from the start we connected we felt immediate synergy,” remarks Van Ginhoven. “You’re immediately on the same level. Our conversations have been thorough regarding multiple aspects around how you grow the game and what we think is the right way.”

Cossington and Van Ginhoven are not the only figures to make a move from well-known positions within European football for a blank sheet of paper in the United States. The Spanish club's technical director for women's football, Patricia González, has been introduced as Bay Collective’s worldwide sports director.

“I was highly interested to that strong belief in the potential of women's football,” González explains. “I have known Kay Cossington for an extended period; during my tenure at Fifa, she was the technical director of England, and such choices are straightforward when you are aware you will have around you colleagues who drive you.”

The depth of knowledge among their staff distinguishes them, notes she, as Bay Collective among a number new multi-club initiatives to launch in recent years. “It's a standout feature of our approach. It’s OK that people do things in different ways, but we definitely believe in ensuring deep football understanding,” she adds. “The entire leadership have progressed in women’s football, probably for the best part of our lives.”

As outlined on their site, the ambition for the collective is to support and lead a progressive and sustainable ecosystem within female football clubs, founded on effective practices for the diverse needs of female athletes. Succeeding in this, with everyone on the same page, with no need to make the case for specific initiatives, is hugely liberating.

“I equate it to moving from a large ship to a fast boat,” remarks Van Ginhoven. “You’re basically driving across unmapped territories – that’s a Dutch saying, I don’t know if it translates – and it's necessary to trust your own knowledge and expertise to make the right decision. Adjusting course and speeding up is possible using a speedboat. In a lean group like this, it's straightforward to accomplish.”

She continues: “Here, we have a completely white sheet of paper to start with. For me, our work is about influencing the game more extensively and that clean start enables you to pursue any direction you choose, adhering to football's guidelines. That is the advantage of our joint endeavor.”

The aspirations are significant, those in leading roles are saying the things players and fans hope to hear and it will be compelling to observe the evolution of the collective, the club and future additions to the group.

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