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Midweek, this new ownership entity announced the hiring of Anja van Ginhoven, the English national team's managerial lead under Sarina Wiegman, taking on the role of overseer of worldwide women's football activities. The new multi-club ownership body, which includes San Francisco’s Bay FC as the first club within its group, has prior experience in hiring individuals from the English FA.

The hiring this year of Cossington, the well-respected previous technical director at the Football Association, as top executive acted as a demonstration of ambition by Bay Collective. Cossington knows female football thoroughly and currently has put together a leadership team with a deep understanding of women’s football history and packed with experience.

She marks the third core member of Wiegman’s setup to depart recently, with the chief executive exiting before the European Championships and deputy manager, Arjan Veurink, stepping down to take up the role of head coach of Holland, but her decision arrived more quickly.

Leaving was a jarring experience, yet “I’d taken my decision to leave the FA quite a long time ago”, she explains. “My agreement lasting four years, similar to Arjan and Sarina had. As they re-signed, I had already said I wasn't sure whether I would. I had grown accustomed to the thought that after the European Championship my time with England would end.”

The tournament turned into a sentimental competition due to that. “I remember very clearly, vividly, speaking with Sarina where I basically told her regarding my plans and we then remarked: ‘We share a single dream, how incredible it would be if we were to win the European Championship?’ Generally, dreams don't aspirations are realized often yet, against the odds, it actually happened.”

Wearing a Netherlands-colored shirt, Van Ginhoven has divided loyalties after her time working in England, where she was part of claiming two Euros in a row and worked within the coaching setup when the Netherlands won in the 2017 European Championship.

“England will always hold a dear spot in my heart. So, it will be difficult, notably since that the team will be arriving for the international camp soon,” she notes. “In matches between England and the Netherlands, which side do I back? Right now I'm in Dutch colors, but tomorrow I'll be in white.”

In a speedboat, you can pivot and accelerate swiftly. With a compact team such as ours, that is simple to achieve.

The club was not part of the equation when the strategic expert concluded that it was time for a change, however everything aligned at the right time. The chief executive began assembling the team and common principles proved essential.

“Almost from the very first moment we connected we felt immediate synergy,” remarks Van Ginhoven. “We were instantly aligned. We have spoken at length on various topics concerning growing the sport and the methods we believe are correct.”

The two leaders are not alone to make a move from prominent roles in the European game for an uncharted opportunity in the US. Atlético Madrid’s technical director for women's football, González, has been unveiled as the group's global sporting director.

“I was highly interested to that strong belief in the potential of the women’s game,” she 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 know you will have around you individuals who motivate you.”

The profound understanding within their group sets them apart, notes Van Ginhoven, for the collective among a number fresh club ownership ventures to launch in recent years. “That’s one of our unique selling points. Different approaches are acceptable, however we strongly feel in incorporating football expertise,” she says. “All three of us have progressed in women’s football, for most of our lives.”

As their website states, the mission for the collective is to advocate and innovate a forward-thinking and durable system of women’s football clubs, based on what works to meet the varied requirements of women. Achieving this, with collective agreement, eliminating the need for persuasion for specific initiatives, is incredibly freeing.

“I liken it to going from a tanker to a speedboat,” remarks Van Ginhoven. “You are essentially navigating in uncharted waters – as we say in the Netherlands, I don’t know if it translates – and you just need to rely on your individual understanding and experience to choose wisely. You can change direction and move quickly in a speedboat. In a lean group like this, that is simple to achieve.”

González continues: “Here, we have a completely white sheet of paper to build upon. In my view, what we do is about influencing the game on a wider scale and that blank slate permits you to undertake whatever you want, following the sport's regulations. That’s the beauty of our collective project.”

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

For a flavour of what is to come, 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