LONDON (AP) — Chelsea women’s manager Emma Hayes says she will rely on her son’s advice to avoid more touchline confrontations.
Hayes, the incoming coach of the U.S. women’s national team, was asked Friday about the incident from nearly two weeks ago when she appeared to push Arsenal coach Jonas Eidevall after a game and later complained about “male aggression.”
That confrontation took place after Arsenal beat Chelsea 1-0 in the Women’s English League Cup final.
Along with quoting a Robert Frost poem at a press conference, Hayes indicated she would avoid similar incidents in the future.
“Of course it’s not right to meet aggression with aggression. I can only control my own behaviors. I’ve reflected on that,” she said.
“Next time I just need to listen to my son’s advice. I need to go to the teacher if I’ve got anything to say.”
After that March 31 match, Hayes appeared to push Eidevall and say something to him as he went to shake her hand after the final whistle. When questioned later, the Chelsea coach said “I’m not down for male aggression on the touchline.”
Earlier Friday, Eidevall called Hayes’ post-match comments “irresponsible.”
Hayes in her session on Friday quoted from Frost’s poem entitled “Choose Something Like a Star.”
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