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Midweek, this new ownership entity announced the hiring of Anja van Ginhoven, the English national team's general manager working with head coach Sarina Wiegman, taking on the role of director of global women’s football operations. This freshly established multi-club ownership body, which includes the San Francisco-based Bay FC as its inaugural team within its group, has prior experience in bringing in talent from the Football Association.

The hiring this year of Cossington, the influential former FA technical director, as the chief executive was a clear statement by Bay Collective. Cossington is deeply familiar with the women's game comprehensively and now has gathered a management group that possesses extensive knowledge of the history of women's football and laden with professional background.

Van Ginhoven is the third key figure of the manager's inner circle to depart in the current year, following the chief executive leaving prior to the European Championships and the assistant manager, Veurink, stepping down to take up the role of manager of Holland, but her decision arrived more quickly.

Leaving has been a jarring experience, yet “I had decided to exit the national setup some time back”, Van Ginhoven states. “I had a contract for four years, similar to the assistant and head coach did. When they renewed, I previously indicated I was uncertain whether I would. I had accepted the notion that following the tournament I wouldn’t be part of England any more.”

The European Championship turned into a deeply felt competition because of this. “I recall distinctly, speaking with Sarina where I basically told her regarding my plans and after which we agreed: ‘There’s just one dream, how amazing would it be if we were to win the European Championship?’ Generally, dreams don't hopes materialize every day but, against the odds, it actually happened.”

Dressed in orange, Van Ginhoven holds dual affections post her tenure with the English team, where she was part of winning back-to-back European titles and was a part of the coaching setup for the Netherlands’ triumph at Euro 2017.

“England will forever have an emotional connection for me. So, it will be challenging, particularly now knowing that the team are due to arrive for the upcoming fixtures in the near future,” she notes. “In matches between England and the Netherlands, where do my loyalties lie? Right now I'm in Dutch colors, but tomorrow I'll be in white.”

You can change direction and move quickly in a speedboat. With a compact team such as ours, it's effortless to accomplish.

The club was not initially considered as the strategic expert was deciding that a new chapter was needed, but the pieces fell into place perfectly. The chief executive started to bring people in and common principles proved essential.

“Virtually from the start we connected we experienced an instant connection,” states she. “You’re immediately on the same level. We've discussed extensively regarding multiple aspects related to developing women's football and the methods we believe are correct.”

The two leaders are not alone to make a move from high-profile jobs within European football for a blank sheet of paper across the Atlantic. Atlético Madrid’s female football technical lead, Patricia González, has been announced as Bay Collective’s global sporting director.

“I felt strongly drawn in the deep faith of the power of women's football,” González says. “I have known Kay Cossington for a long time; back when I was with Fifa, she served as England's technical director, and it’s easy to make these decisions knowing you'll be working alongside people who really inspire you.”

The depth of knowledge among their staff sets them apart, says Van Ginhoven, with Bay Collective among a number fresh club ownership ventures which have emerged in recent years. “That’s one of our unique selling points. Various methods are valid, however we strongly feel in ensuring deep football understanding,” she says. “Each of us have been on a journey in female football, probably for the best part of our lives.”

As outlined on their site, the mission for the collective is to champion and pioneer a progressive and sustainable ecosystem within female football clubs, founded on effective practices addressing the different demands of women. Doing that, with unified understanding, eliminating the need for persuasion regarding certain decisions, is hugely liberating.

“I equate it to moving from a large ship to a fast boat,” remarks she. “You're journeying in uncharted waters – as we say in the Netherlands, I don’t know if it translates – and you just need to rely on your personal insight and skills to make the right decision. Adjusting course and speeding up is possible with a speedboat. In a lean group like this, that is simple to achieve.”

She notes: “In this role, we begin with a clean canvas to build upon. Personally, our work is about influencing the game on a much broader level and that blank slate enables you to pursue anything you desire, following the sport's regulations. That is the advantage of our joint endeavor.”

The ambition is high, the executives are expressing sentiments the football community hope to hear and it will be compelling to monitor the progress of this organization, Bay FC and future additions to the group.

As a preview of upcoming developments, what factors are essential for a top-level environment? “{It all starts and ends with|Everything begins and concludes with|The foundation and culmination involve