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This past Wednesday, this new ownership entity revealed the hiring of Anja van Ginhoven, England's managerial lead working with Sarina Wiegman, as their overseer of worldwide women's football activities. This new collective club ownership initiative, which includes the San Francisco-based Bay FC as the inaugural team in its portfolio, has a history in hiring individuals from the national football governing body.

The hiring in recent months of Kay Cossington, the well-respected previous technical director at the Football Association, as the chief executive served as a demonstration of ambition by the collective. She is deeply familiar with the women's game thoroughly and now she has assembled a leadership team that possesses extensive knowledge of the history of women's football and filled with practical experience.

She is the third central staffer of Wiegman’s setup to leave this year, following Cossington leaving before Euro 2025 and the assistant manager, Veurink, leaving to become head coach of the Netherlands, however Van Ginhoven's choice arrived more quickly.

Stepping away has been a shock to the system, yet “I had decided to depart the Football Association some time back”, she says. “I had a contract for four years, exactly like Arjan and Sarina had. When they renewed, I had expressed I didn’t know about renewing myself. I had grown accustomed to the thought that after the European Championship my time with England would end.”

The European Championship turned into a deeply felt tournament due to that. “It's sharp in my memory, having a conversation with Wiegman where I basically told her of my choice and we then remarked: ‘We share a single dream, what a triumph it would represent to clinch the European title?’ In life, it's rare that hopes materialize every day however, absolutely incredibly, ours came true.”

Sitting in an orange T-shirt, she holds dual affections following her stint with the English team, during which she contributed to claiming two Euros in a row and was a part of the manager's team during the Dutch victory at Euro 2017.

“The English side will always hold a dear spot in my heart. So, it will be difficult, particularly now knowing that the players are due to arrive for the international camp shortly,” she notes. “When England plays the Netherlands, who do I support? I’m wearing orange at the moment, though tomorrow English white.”

You can change direction and move quickly in a speedboat. In a small team like this, that is simple to achieve.

The club was not initially considered when the management specialist concluded that it was time for a change, but the pieces fell into place perfectly. The chief executive initiated the recruitment and their shared values were crucial.

“Virtually from the start we got together we had that click moment,” says Van Ginhoven. “We were instantly aligned. We've discussed extensively regarding multiple aspects concerning growing the sport and what we think is the right way.”

These executives are among several to uproot themselves from high-profile jobs in Europe's football scene for a blank sheet of paper in the US. Atlético Madrid’s technical director for women's football, González, has been introduced as the organization's worldwide sports director.

“I was very attracted to that strong belief of the power within the female sport,” she explains. “I'm familiar with Cossington for many years; back when I was with Fifa, she was the technical director of England, and decisions like this come naturally when you are aware you'll be working alongside people who really inspire you.”

The profound understanding among their staff distinguishes them, explains Van Ginhoven, with Bay Collective part of a group fresh club ownership ventures which have emerged lately. “It's a standout feature of our approach. It’s OK that people do things in different ways, but we are firm in our belief in incorporating football expertise,” she says. “All three of us have traveled a path in female football, probably for the best part of our lives.”

As their website states, the mission for the collective is to support and lead a forward-thinking and durable system within female football clubs, based on what works for the diverse needs of women in sport. Succeeding in this, with unified understanding, eliminating the need for persuasion regarding certain decisions, is hugely liberating.

“I equate it to transitioning from a tanker to a speedboat,” states Van Ginhoven. “You're journeying in uncharted waters – that’s a Dutch saying, not sure how it comes across – and you must depend on your own knowledge and expertise for making correct choices. You can pivot and accelerate rapidly in a speedboat. In a small team like this, that is simple to achieve.”

She notes: “In this role, we start with a blank slate to start with. For me, what we do involves shaping the sport more extensively and that clean start allows you to do anything you desire, within the rules of the game. This is the appeal of what we are building together.”

Their goals are lofty, those in leading roles are voicing opinions players and fans are eager to hear and it will be interesting to observe the evolution of Bay Collective, Bay FC and other teams that may join.

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