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This past Wednesday, the Bay Collective group announced the recruitment of Van Ginhoven, the English national team's general manager working with Sarina Wiegman, taking on the role of overseer of worldwide women's football activities. The new multi-team ownership group, featuring Bay FC of San Francisco as its first club within its group, has previously engaged in hiring individuals from the English FA.

The selection in recent months of Kay Cossington, the well-respected previous technical director at the Football Association, as the chief executive acted as a demonstration of ambition from this organization. She is deeply familiar with women’s football inside out and now has put together a management group with a deep understanding of women’s football history and filled with experience.

Van Ginhoven is the third central staffer of Wiegman’s setup to exit in the current year, with the chief executive leaving prior to the Euros and assistant coach, Veurink, moving on to become manager of Holland, however Van Ginhoven's choice arrived more quickly.

Moving on has been a shock to the system, yet “I had decided to exit the national setup well in advance”, Van Ginhoven says. “My agreement for four years, just as Veurink and Wiegman had. As they re-signed, I had already said I didn’t know whether I would. I had accepted the thought that following the tournament I wouldn’t be part of England any more.”

The tournament was a sentimental event because of this. “I recall distinctly, speaking with the head coach where I basically told her regarding my plans and we then remarked: ‘There’s just one dream, how amazing would it be if we were to win the European Championship?’ In life, it's rare that dreams come true often but, against the odds, this one did.”

Sitting in an orange T-shirt, she holds dual affections after her time in England, where she was part of winning back-to-back European titles and served on the manager's team for the Netherlands’ triumph at Euro 2017.

“The national team retains a dear spot in my heart. So, it will be challenging, particularly now knowing that the players are due to arrive for the international camp soon,” she says. “In matches between England and the Netherlands, which side do I back? Today I have on orange, though tomorrow English white.”

In a speedboat, you can pivot and accelerate swiftly. In a lean group like this one, that’s easily done.

The American side was not in the plans as the strategic expert concluded it was time to move on, but the opportunity arose opportunely. Cossington initiated the recruitment and mutual beliefs were crucial.

“Almost from the very first moment we got together we had that click moment,” remarks Van Ginhoven. “There was immediate understanding. We've discussed extensively about different things concerning growing the sport and the methods we believe are correct.”

The two leaders are not alone to uproot themselves from high-profile jobs within European football for a fresh start in the US. The Spanish club's female football technical lead, Patricia González, has been unveiled as Bay Collective’s new global sporting director.

“I felt strongly drawn in the deep faith of the power within the female sport,” she comments. “I have known Kay Cossington for an extended period; when I used to work at Fifa, she served as England's technical director, and decisions like this come naturally when you know you'll be working alongside individuals who motivate you.”

The extensive expertise among their staff distinguishes them, notes Van Ginhoven, for the collective one of several fresh club ownership ventures that have started over the past few years. “It's a standout feature of our approach. Different approaches are acceptable, however we strongly feel in having that football knowledge on board,” she states. “Each of us have traveled a path in women’s football, throughout our careers.”

According to their online statement, the ambition of Bay Collective is to advocate and innovate a progressive and sustainable ecosystem for women's football clubs, based on what works addressing the different demands of female athletes. Doing that, with collective agreement, with no need to make the case for specific initiatives, provides great freedom.

“I equate it to moving from a large ship to a fast boat,” says Van Ginhoven. “You’re basically driving in uncharted waters – a common Dutch expression, I'm unsure if it translates well – and you must depend on your individual understanding and experience for making correct choices. Adjusting course and speeding up is possible in a speedboat. In a small team like this, that’s easily done.”

González continues: “With this opportunity, we start with a blank slate to work from. In my view, our work focuses on impacting football more extensively and that white paper allows you to do anything you desire, following the sport's regulations. This is the appeal of what we are building together.”

The ambition is high, the management are saying the things players and fans are eager to hear and it will be fascinating to observe the evolution of the collective, the club and any clubs added to the portfolio.

As a preview of upcoming developments, which elements are crucial in a high-performance setting? “{It all starts and ends with|Everything begins and concludes with|The foundation and culmination involve