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Midweek, Bay Collective disclosed the recruitment of Van Ginhoven, the English national team's general manager working with head coach Sarina Wiegman, taking on the role of overseer of worldwide women's football activities. The new multi-club ownership body, featuring the San Francisco-based Bay FC as its initial addition among its holdings, has prior experience in bringing in talent from the English FA.

The appointment earlier this year of Cossington, the prominent ex-technical director for the FA, as top executive acted as a signal of intent by this organization. She understands women’s football comprehensively and currently she has assembled a management group with a deep understanding of the evolution of the women's game and packed with experience.

Van Ginhoven is the third core member of the manager's inner circle to exit this year, with the chief executive departing prior to the European Championships and deputy manager, Veurink, stepping down to assume the position of head manager of Holland, however her decision was made earlier.

Leaving has been a jarring experience, yet “I’d taken my decision to leave the FA some time back”, Van Ginhoven states. “My agreement lasting four years, exactly like Veurink and Wiegman had. When they renewed, I had expressed I wasn't sure if I would do the same. I was already used to the notion that post-Euros I would no longer be involved with the national team.”

The European Championship became a deeply felt competition as a result. “It's sharp in my memory, having a conversation with Sarina in which I informed her regarding my plans and then we said: ‘There’s just one dream, how incredible it would be to clinch the European title?’ In life, it's rare that dreams come true frequently yet, absolutely incredibly, ours came true.”

Dressed in orange, Van Ginhoven has divided loyalties post her tenure working in England, where she helped achieve winning back-to-back European titles and served on the manager's team when the Netherlands won at Euro 2017.

“England retains a dear spot in my heart. So, it’s going to be tough, notably since that the team are scheduled to come for the upcoming fixtures shortly,” she comments. “In matches between England and the Netherlands, who do I support? Right now I'm in Dutch colors, but tomorrow it’s white.”

A speedboat allows for rapid direction changes. In a small team like this, it's effortless to accomplish.

Bay FC was not part of the equation as the strategic expert concluded that it was time for a change, but the pieces fell into place perfectly. The chief executive started to bring people in and common principles proved essential.

“Virtually from the start we connected we felt immediate synergy,” states she. “There was immediate understanding. We've discussed extensively regarding multiple aspects concerning growing the sport and what we think is the right way.”

The two leaders are among several to uproot themselves from well-known positions within European football for an uncharted opportunity in the United States. The Spanish club's technical director for women's football, González, has been announced as the organization's global sporting director.

“I was very attracted to that strong belief regarding the strength of women's football,” she says. “I'm familiar with Cossington for an extended period; when I used to work at Fifa, she held the technical director role for England, and decisions like this come naturally knowing you will have around you individuals who motivate you.”

The profound understanding among their staff sets them apart, says she, with Bay Collective among a number recent multi-team projects that have started over the past few years. “This is a key differentiator for us. Different approaches are acceptable, however we strongly feel in incorporating football expertise,” she says. “The entire leadership have progressed in female football, for most of our lives.”

As outlined on their site, the ambition for the collective is to advocate and innovate a forward-thinking and durable system of women’s football clubs, founded on effective practices to meet the varied requirements of female athletes. Doing that, with unified understanding, with no need to make the case for specific initiatives, is hugely liberating.

“I liken it to going from a tanker to a speedboat,” says Van Ginhoven. “You're journeying across unmapped territories – as we say in the Netherlands, 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 using a speedboat. Within a compact team such as ours, that is simple to achieve.”

González continues: “With this opportunity, we start with a blank slate to start with. Personally, what we do involves shaping the sport on a much broader level and that blank slate allows you to do any direction you choose, adhering to football's guidelines. That’s the beauty of our collective project.”

The ambition is high, the executives are expressing sentiments players and fans hope to hear and it will be compelling to monitor the progress of the collective, the team and other teams that may join.

For a flavour of what is to come, 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