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Midweek, the Bay Collective group disclosed the hiring of Anja 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. The freshly established multi-club ownership body, which includes San Francisco’s Bay FC as its first club in its portfolio, has previously engaged in recruiting from the national football governing body.

The selection in recent months of Cossington, the prominent previous technical director at the Football Association, as top executive was a signal of intent from the collective. Cossington is deeply familiar with the women's game comprehensively and currently she has assembled a leadership team with profound insight of the history of women's football and filled with practical experience.

She is the third core member of Wiegman's coaching team to leave in the current year, with the chief executive departing prior to the Euros and assistant coach, Arjan Veurink, moving on to assume the position of head manager of Holland, but her decision came sooner.

Stepping away proved to be a jarring experience, yet “I’d taken my decision to exit the national setup quite a long time ago”, she says. “My agreement for four years, just as Veurink and Wiegman had. Upon their extension, I previously indicated I wasn't sure if I would do the same. I had accepted the notion that after the European Championship my time with England would end.”

The Euros became a deeply felt tournament due to that. “It's sharp in my memory, having a conversation with Sarina when I disclosed of my choice and we then remarked: ‘Our ultimate aspiration, how amazing would it be to clinch the European title?’ In reality, dreams don't aspirations are realized every day but, absolutely incredibly, this one did.”

Sitting in an orange T-shirt, she holds dual affections after her time in England, where she was part of claiming two Euros in a row and served on the coaching setup for the Netherlands’ triumph at Euro 2017.

“The English side retains a special place in my heart. Therefore, it will be challenging, especially with the knowledge that the team are due to arrive for the international camp shortly,” she says. “When England plays the Netherlands, which side do I back? I’m wearing orange at the moment, but tomorrow it’s white.”

A speedboat allows for rapid direction changes. In a lean group like this one, that’s easily done.

The American side was not part of the equation as the management specialist determined it was time to move on, however the opportunity arose at the right time. Cossington initiated the recruitment and common principles were crucial.

“Essentially upon meeting we connected we felt immediate synergy,” says Van Ginhoven. “You’re immediately on the same level. We have spoken at length on various topics concerning growing the sport and what we think is the right way.”

Cossington and Van Ginhoven are not alone to relocate from well-known positions in Europe's football scene for a fresh start in the US. The Spanish club's female football technical lead, Patricia González, has been introduced as the group's global sporting director.

“I was highly interested in the deep faith of the power of women's football,” she comments. “I'm familiar with Cossington for an extended period; back when I was with Fifa, she was the technical director of England, and it’s easy to make these decisions when you are aware you are going to be surrounded by colleagues who drive you.”

The depth of knowledge within their group makes them unique, notes Van Ginhoven, for the collective one of several fresh club ownership ventures to launch in recent years. “That’s one of our unique selling points. Different approaches are acceptable, but we are firm in our belief in ensuring deep football understanding,” she adds. “All three of us have traveled a path in female football, probably for the best part of our lives.”

As their website states, the goal of this group is to champion and pioneer a forward-thinking and durable system within female football clubs, built on proven methods for the diverse needs of female athletes. Achieving this, with collective agreement, eliminating the need for persuasion regarding certain decisions, is hugely liberating.

“I liken it to moving from a large ship to a fast boat,” says Van Ginhoven. “You’re basically driving across unmapped territories – that’s a Dutch saying, I'm unsure if it translates well – and it's necessary to trust your personal insight and skills to make the right decision. You can change direction and move quickly with a speedboat. In a small team like this, that’s easily done.”

She continues: “Here, we start with a blank slate to work from. Personally, our mission involves shaping the sport on a much broader level and that white paper permits you to undertake anything you desire, following the sport's regulations. That’s the beauty of what we are building together.”

Their goals are lofty, those in leading roles are saying the things players and fans hope to hear and it will be interesting to observe the evolution of the collective, the club and any clubs added to the portfolio.

To get a sense of future plans, 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