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Midweek, the Bay Collective group announced the appointment of Van Ginhoven, the English national team's general manager under Sarina Wiegman, to serve as their global women's football operations director. This new multi-team ownership group, which includes San Francisco’s Bay FC as its first club among its holdings, has prior experience in bringing in talent from the national football governing body.

The appointment in recent months of Kay Cossington, the influential former FA technical director, as the chief executive was a clear statement by Bay Collective. Cossington understands female football comprehensively and currently has put together an executive team with a deep understanding of women’s football history and filled with practical experience.

Van Ginhoven becomes the third central staffer of Wiegman's coaching team to depart in the current year, following Cossington leaving prior to Euro 2025 and deputy manager, Arjan Veurink, stepping down to become manager of the Dutch national team, however her move arrived more quickly.

Leaving was a surprising shift, yet “I had decided to depart the Football Association some time back”, she says. “The terms lasting four years, just as Veurink and Wiegman did. Upon their extension, I previously indicated I didn’t know if I would do the same. I was already used to the whole idea that after the European Championship I would no longer be involved with the national team.”

The European Championship was an emotional competition because of this. “I recall distinctly, speaking with the head coach in which I informed her of my choice and after which we agreed: ‘Our ultimate aspiration, how amazing would it be that we win the Euros?’ In reality, dreams don't dreams come true frequently however, remarkably, it actually happened.”

Dressed in orange, Van Ginhoven experiences split allegiances following her stint in England, where she was part of securing consecutive European championships and was a part of the manager's team during the Dutch victory at Euro 2017.

“The national team retains a special place in my heart. So, it will be difficult, especially with the knowledge that the team are due to arrive for the international camp soon,” she notes. “Whenever the two nations face off, which side do I back? Today I have on orange, though tomorrow English white.”

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

The club was not part of the equation as the organisational wizard determined it was time to move on, but everything aligned perfectly. The chief executive initiated the recruitment and mutual beliefs were crucial.

“Essentially upon meeting we got together we felt immediate synergy,” remarks she. “There was immediate understanding. Our conversations have been thorough regarding multiple aspects concerning growing the sport and our shared vision for the right approach.”

The two leaders are among several to relocate from high-profile jobs in the European game for a fresh start across the Atlantic. The Spanish club's female football technical lead, González, has been introduced as the organization's worldwide sports director.

“I was very attracted by the firm conviction of the power within the female sport,” González says. “I'm familiar with Cossington for an extended period; during my tenure at Fifa, she held the technical director role for England, and decisions like this come naturally when you know you are going to be surrounded by people who really inspire you.”

The profound understanding in their team sets them apart, says Van Ginhoven, with Bay Collective one of several new multi-club initiatives that have started in recent years. “That’s one of our unique selling points. It’s OK that people do things in different ways, but we definitely believe in having that football knowledge on board,” she says. “All three of us have been on a journey within the women's game, for most of our lives.”

As outlined on their site, the ambition of Bay Collective is to support and lead an advanced and lasting environment for women's football clubs, founded on effective practices for the diverse needs of women. Succeeding in this, with collective agreement, without having to justify actions regarding certain decisions, is hugely liberating.

“I compare it with transitioning from a tanker to a speedboat,” says she. “You are essentially navigating across unmapped territories – a common Dutch expression, I'm unsure if it translates well – and you must depend on your individual understanding and experience to make the right decision. You can pivot and accelerate rapidly with a speedboat. In a lean group like this, that is simple to achieve.”

She adds: “Here, we begin with a clean canvas to build upon. In my view, our mission is about influencing the game more extensively and that white paper allows you to do whatever you want, adhering to football's guidelines. That’s the beauty of what we are building together.”

The aspirations are significant, the management are voicing opinions the football community hope to hear and it will be interesting to observe the evolution of the collective, the team and future additions to the group.

For a flavour of what is to come, what are the key aspects of a high-performance environment? “{It all starts and ends with|Everything begins and concludes with|The foundation and culmination involve