Green Reflects on Chelsea's Successful Era

Paul Green, the former head of women's football at Chelsea, shared insights about his journey after leaving the club. After 13 years at Chelsea, he experienced so much success that most of his medals were packed in a box under his bed. It was only after his departure that he fully appreciated his accomplishments. Green formed a strong partnership with former manager Emma Hayes, leading Chelsea to an impressive tally of 19 major trophies. He left the club unexpectedly in February amidst reports of internal unrest.

Reflecting on his exit, Green stated, "Look, football clubs move on and a lot of people have changed at that club in recent years. I think ultimately they chose to go in a different direction but I feel very proud of the job that I did there and I left the club in a lot better position than when I first went in there." Under his leadership, Chelsea secured six consecutive Women’s Super League titles, with the last under current manager Sonia Bompastor in 2025. They also reached the Women’s Champions League final in 2021.

"It was an incredible time. There was a lot of potential that Emma Hayes sold to me and that came to fruition," Green remarked. He believed that the achievements of the players would be difficult for any team to match, expressing gratitude for what he described as some of the best times of his life. He noted, "I had so many medals that were just chucked under the bed in a box. I’ve had time to get them framed. Now I’ve got a new chapter here at Bay FC."

Green had a seven-month hiatus before becoming the chief football officer at Bay FC in San Francisco in September. Addressing the overwhelming response to his departure from Chelsea, he expressed how it touched him and acknowledged the challenge of adapting post-Chelsea, having spent 13 years in a routine.

Now at Bay FC, a project led by former Football Association director Kay Cossington under the multi-club ownership of Bay Collective, Green aims to replicate the success he had at Chelsea. "They sold me the vision for the club. It became too good an opportunity to turn down," he stated, enthusiastic about the potential to build something special.

Bay FC is set to move into new training facilities next year, and Green plans to make necessary adjustments in the transfer window to improve their league standing, currently third from the bottom with three matches remaining in the National Women’s Soccer League 2026 season. "The team hasn’t done as well as everybody would like it to do. We are where we are in the league, so we need to try and improve the roster immediately," he concluded.

During his time at Chelsea, Green played a pivotal role in developing English talents, including Aggie Beever-Jones and Lexi Potter, prompting discussions on the need for better opportunities for homegrown players in the league."