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This past Wednesday, Bay Collective announced the hiring of Van Ginhoven, the English national team's managerial lead working with Sarina Wiegman, taking on the role of director of global women’s football operations. This freshly established multi-club ownership body, which includes Bay FC of San Francisco as the first club among its holdings, has a history in hiring individuals from the English FA.

The appointment in recent months of Kay Cossington, the prominent previous technical director at the Football Association, as the chief executive was a signal of intent by the collective. She is deeply familiar with the women's game thoroughly and currently has put together a leadership team with profound insight of the history of women's football and filled with professional background.

Van Ginhoven marks the third core member of Wiegman’s setup to exit recently, following Cossington exiting prior to the Euros and the assistant manager, Arjan Veurink, stepping down to assume the position of manager of the Dutch national team, but Van Ginhoven's choice was made earlier.

Moving on has been a jarring experience, but “I’d taken my decision to depart the Football Association some time back”, Van Ginhoven says. “My agreement lasting four years, just as the assistant and head coach did. Upon their extension, I previously indicated I was uncertain whether I would. I was already used to the whole idea that following the tournament I would no longer be involved with the national team.”

The tournament became an emotional tournament because of this. “I remember very clearly, vividly, having a conversation with Wiegman when I disclosed regarding my plans and after which we agreed: ‘Our ultimate aspiration, how incredible it would be if we were to win the European Championship?’ Generally, it's rare that aspirations are realized frequently however, against the odds, it actually happened.”

Wearing a Netherlands-colored shirt, Van Ginhoven experiences split allegiances after her time in England, where she was part of claiming two Euros in a row and was a part of Wiegman’s staff when the Netherlands won at Euro 2017.

“The English side retains a special place in my heart. So, it will be challenging, notably since that the players are due to arrive for national team duty soon,” she says. “When England plays the Netherlands, which side do I back? I’m wearing orange at the moment, but tomorrow I'll be in white.”

You can change direction and move quickly in a speedboat. In a small team like this, that’s easily done.

Bay FC was not in the plans as the strategic expert was deciding it was time to move on, but the pieces fell into place opportunely. The chief executive initiated the recruitment and common principles were crucial.

“Essentially upon meeting we connected we felt immediate synergy,” remarks Van Ginhoven. “There was immediate understanding. We've discussed extensively regarding multiple aspects concerning growing the sport and what we think is the right way.”

Cossington and Van Ginhoven are not alone to relocate from prominent roles in the European game for an uncharted opportunity in the US. Atlético Madrid’s women’s technical director, Patricia González, has been unveiled as the group's new global sporting director.

“I was very attracted in the deep faith of the power of women's football,” she says. “I've been acquainted with Kay Cossington for an extended period; 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 profound understanding within their group makes them unique, says Van Ginhoven, as Bay Collective among a number fresh club ownership ventures that have started in recent years. “This is a key differentiator for us. It’s OK that people do things in different ways, but we definitely believe in incorporating football expertise,” she adds. “Each of us have been on a journey within the women's game, for most of our lives.”

As their website states, the goal 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 in sport. Achieving this, with unified understanding, without having to justify actions for why you would take certain actions, is incredibly freeing.

“I liken it to transitioning from a tanker to a speedboat,” remarks she. “You are essentially navigating through waters that there are no roadmaps for – as we say in the Netherlands, I don’t know if it translates – and it's necessary to trust your personal insight and skills for making correct choices. You can change direction and move quickly in a speedboat. In a small team like this, that’s easily done.”

She notes: “With this opportunity, we begin with a clean canvas to build upon. Personally, our work is about influencing the game on a wider scale and that clean start allows you to do anything you desire, following the sport's regulations. That’s the beauty of what we are building together.”

The aspirations are significant, those in leading roles are saying the things the football community want to hear and it will be interesting to monitor the progress of the collective, Bay FC and other teams that may join.

As a preview of upcoming developments, 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