Paul Green Reflects on Chelsea Success and New Challenge at Bay FC
Former Chelsea head of women's football Paul Green discusses his 19-trophy tenure, his sudden exit, and his new role building Bay FC.
Paul Green, the former head of women's football at Chelsea, has reflected on a 13-year tenure that yielded 19 major trophies, including six successive Women's Super League titles, the most recent under current manager Sonia Bompastor in 2025. Chelsea also reached the Women's Champions League final in 2021. Green said much of his success only sank in after his sudden departure in February, and that many of his medals had been stored in a box under his bed until he had them framed.
Green attributed the success to a partnership with former manager Emma Hayes, saying the potential she described to him ultimately came to fruition. He added that in his view the players' dominance will be difficult for any team to replicate. Asked about his exit amid reports of unrest in Chelsea's hierarchy, Green said the club chose a different direction but that he left it in a better position than he found it.
He described the response to his departure as overwhelming, particularly from people across women's football, and said it took him a long time to reply to everyone who reached out. After seven months away from the game, he was appointed chief football officer at San Francisco's Bay FC in September, a project led by former Football Association director Kay Cossington under the multi-club ownership of Bay Collective. Green said the vision sold to him was too good to turn down and saw similarities with Chelsea's early days.
Bay FC are third bottom of the National Women's Soccer League with three matches left in the 2026 season, and Green said the roster needs immediate improvement. He is confident his 20 years of connections can help bring in players to support what he called a good nucleus of talent, while stressing that staffing and facilities must be right off the pitch. The club is due to move into new training facilities next year.
Green also addressed the development of homegrown English talent, having overseen players including Aggie Beever-Jones and Lexi Potter, the latter of whom debuted in England's 5-0 win over Greece last week. With gametime for young domestic players shrinking, he suggested a strong loan programme, moves abroad, or a B team entering at level three of the pyramid, acknowledging the last idea is controversial. FA director of women's football Sue Day said the issue needs addressing without imposing regulation, and England manager Sarina Wiegman has voiced concern that too few young players are getting enough football.
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