It is tempting to imagine Emma Hayes as soccer's Wonder Woman who comes to America to fight for peace, justice and World Cup glory. Fierce and determined, she is imbued with motivational powers, tactical acuity and a mental fortitude that should help her blow past any obstacle in her path until she has achieved nothing less than restoring the toppled majesty of the U.S. women's national team to its rightful place on the global throne.
But that's comic book fantasy, of course, and Hayes laughs raucously as the above scenario is recounted to her.
"I wish I was blessed with superpowers but unfortunately no coach is," she says.