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Midweek, this new ownership entity announced the recruitment of Van Ginhoven, England's general manager under Sarina Wiegman, taking on the role of overseer of worldwide women's football activities. This new multi-club ownership body, with the San Francisco-based Bay FC as the initial addition within its group, has a history in bringing in talent from the Football Association.

The appointment earlier this year of Kay Cossington, the well-respected ex-technical director for the FA, as top executive served as a clear statement by Bay Collective. Cossington knows the women's game thoroughly and now has gathered a management group that possesses extensive knowledge of women’s football history and filled with experience.

Van Ginhoven becomes the third core member of Wiegman's coaching team to depart in the current year, with the chief executive leaving before the Euros and deputy manager, Arjan Veurink, leaving to become head manager of Holland, however her move came sooner.

Leaving proved to be a jarring experience, yet “My choice was made to leave the FA quite a long time ago”, she says. “I had a contract covering four years, exactly like the assistant and head coach did. When they renewed, I had already said I was uncertain about renewing myself. I had accepted the thought that following the tournament my time with England would end.”

The Euros was a sentimental tournament as a result. “I remember very clearly, vividly, speaking with Sarina where I basically told her regarding my plans and then we said: ‘There’s just one dream, how amazing would it be that we win the Euros?’ In reality, it's rare that aspirations are realized often but, against the odds, it actually happened.”

Wearing a Netherlands-colored shirt, she has divided loyalties post her tenure with the English team, where she helped achieve claiming two Euros in a row and was a part of the coaching setup for the Netherlands’ triumph in the 2017 European Championship.

“The national team will always hold a special place in my heart. So, it will be challenging, particularly now knowing that the team are due to arrive for national team duty shortly,” she comments. “Whenever the two nations face off, who do I support? Right now I'm in Dutch colors, though tomorrow English 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 part of the equation as the organisational wizard was deciding that a new chapter was needed, however the pieces fell into place at the right time. The chief executive began assembling the team and their shared values were key.

“Virtually from the start we met we had that click moment,” remarks Van Ginhoven. “There was immediate understanding. Our conversations have been thorough on various topics concerning growing the sport and what we think is the right way.”

These executives are not alone to uproot themselves from high-profile jobs in Europe's football scene for a fresh start across the Atlantic. The Spanish club's women’s technical director, González, has been announced as the group's global sporting director.

“I was very attracted in the deep faith regarding the strength within the female sport,” González comments. “I've been acquainted with Kay Cossington for many years; back when I was with Fifa, she held the technical director role for England, and such choices are straightforward knowing you will have around you individuals who motivate you.”

The extensive expertise in their team sets them apart, explains Van Ginhoven, as Bay Collective among a number recent multi-team projects which have emerged in recent years. “This is a key differentiator for us. Various methods are valid, but we are firm in our belief in having that football knowledge on board,” she states. “The entire leadership have traveled a path in female football, for most of our lives.”

As their website states, the goal of this group is to advocate and innovate an advanced and lasting environment of women’s football clubs, founded on effective practices to meet the varied requirements of female athletes. Succeeding in this, with collective agreement, with no need to make the case for specific initiatives, is incredibly freeing.

“I compare it with going from a tanker to a speedboat,” remarks Van Ginhoven. “You’re basically driving in uncharted waters – that’s a Dutch saying, I don’t know if it translates – and it's necessary to trust your personal insight and skills to choose wisely. Adjusting course and speeding up is possible in a speedboat. In a lean group like this, that is simple to achieve.”

González continues: “In this role, we start with a blank slate to work from. For me, our mission is about influencing the game on a much broader level and that blank slate permits you to undertake whatever you want, adhering to football's guidelines. That is the advantage of our joint endeavor.”

Their goals are lofty, the management are saying the things the football community are eager to hear and it will be compelling to observe the evolution of Bay Collective, the team and other teams that may join.

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