Chelsea women's legend Paul Green, nicknamed “PG” by the players, has left his role as Chelsea's head of women's football after 13 years at the club.
In the club, they thanked Paul for his dedication and service over more than a decade and wished him well for the future.
This is the second long-serving staff member to leave Chelsea in the past few days. The other is Chelsea secretary Dave Barnard, who announced plans to retire.
This all raises speculation about internal changes under the new ownership. Normally, when a player signs or a transfer is made, Paul Green is always quoted in the announcement. But with the contract extension of Sonia Bompastor announced at the end of last week, his name was nowhere to be seen. Blueco has been controlling the men's team; it decided to go to the women's team. If it ain't broken, don't fix it attitude clearly not reflected over there. This also comes just days after Giannis Antetokounmpo announced his investment in the club.
Green worked closely with former manager Emma Hayes, helping her deliver five successive WSL titles and reach a first Women’s Champions League final. Chelsea have won 19 trophies during Green's spell at the club, but it is believed his role started to change when the women's team was restructured in 2024.
When he first joined Chelsea in February 2013, he was part of the coaching staff, moving from Doncaster Rovers Bells to become assistant manager. During their time at the club, they shared an office with Green, an architect for the ambitious blueprint that would take the women's team to the top of English and European football.
He was particularly involved in the club's recruitment strategy and masterminded Chelsea's transfer window,r three or four windows ahead of time.
He acted as interim manager in 2022 due to Hayes's absence following her emergency hysterectomy surgery. He stepped in for six games alongside assistant manager Denise Reddy, who followed the former manager to the USWNT.
Giving an insight into their relationship in 2023, Hayes said that she would “tell him I want to get to the moon, he’ll tell me the rocket isn’t built yet”.
The club said Green "played a significant role in the development and growth of the women's programme" and "contributed to the establishment of strong foundations and the evolution of Chelsea Women into one of the leading teams in the domestic and European game".
This move might be a big shock, but in the grand scheme of things, it's unsurprising given the increasing influence of co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, who are taking a more active role around the women’s team. For example, when Bompastors contract extension was announced, they were quoted, not Paul Green, who normally is
Green’s departure comes days after the club announced a new long-term contract for the manager, Sonia Bompastor, whom he helped recruit following the departure of Hayes, and who achieved an unbeaten domestic treble in her first season in charge.
That came days after she voiced her frustration with their recruitment during the summer transfer window, highlighting injuries and a lack of squad depth as reasons Chelsea has fallen nine points behind WSL leaders Manchester City.
Still, fans are livid at how Chelsea has let an “irreplaceable” member of staff go.
One said, “Chelsea Women, as we know it, will never be the same again. Paul Green is irreplaceable. Terrible from the club.”
While another added, “Paul Green was instrumental in what the club achieved in the last decade and is a huge loss. The club statement is a joke. Deserves better than that.”
Another said, “Paul Green built a team that won six straight titles and an invincible treble. Neil Bath and Jim Fraser led an academy that produced a core of homegrown Champions League winners.”
Sam Kerr praised his influence on social media: “Thank you, PG, for everything you have done for us!” the forward wrote. “We wouldn’t have all the success we have had without you! Big, big loss for the club.” Erin Cuthbert also posted on Green’s impact on her career.
The loss of Green’s experience and wider influence within the game marks a sea change at Chelsea, with the head of women’s football having been widely considered a key continuity piece following Hayes’s decision to leave the club to become head coach of the US women’s national team.
However, Green's departure comes as a shock, given that he has been a stalwart of the club's structure for more than a decade and has been hugely successful in his position.
It will lead to further questions about Chelsea's direction and whether there is disharmony within the club.
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