Being offered a League One job is NOT an insult, Emma, it’s just different

IF Emma Hayes were to stop managing Chelsea in the Women’s Super League and start managing AFC Wimbledon in the EFL’s League One, it would be neither a step up nor a step down.

It would be a different challenge. Simple as that.

Since my colleague Tony Banks reported that Hayes was on a shortlist to replace the recently departed Glyn Hodges, the story has been hijacked by those wanting a ruck over the merits or otherwise of women’s football.

TALKING POINT Our back page It is not insulting to on Tuesday revealing Dons interest suggest one job is bigger than the other but that particular discussion is a spurious debate to be had.

Chelsea’s women’s team and AFC Wimbledon’s men’s team have contrasting success rates but they are in different environments.

As much as people have tried – lining up social media numbers, attendance figures, wages and TV appearances alongside each other – they cannot be compared.

Anyhow, on every level it seems, Hayes could not be happier in her current role and it would take one heck of an offer from somewhere to prise her out of Chelsea, where her team is currently enjoying a 33-game unbeaten WSL run.

And clearly, she would not be interested in going through an interview process that could see competition for the job coming from the likes of Alan Pardew, Chris Powell, Sol Campbell, Danny Cowley, Ian Holloway and Neil Harris.

There are always a couple of things that shortlists for lower league managerial posts have in common.

They are never short and they have contenders on there that make you think… WHY?

Here’s why. Because there is always a chance, always a dream.

League One is two steps away from the Premier League, unlikely as it may seem for a club such as AFC Wimbledon.

Keep them up this season and who knows? An injection of cash from somewhere, a big takeover perhaps, buy a few players and, soon, you are heading to the Championship, otherwise known as Premier League Two.

In the meantime, you are competing in a very good league, a very competitive league. You are managing your club against big clubs.

You are taking your club to Sunderland, to do battle with Lee Johnson. You are taking your club to Ipswich, to cross swords with Paul Lambert.

You are trying to develop players that could be worth millions to your club.

You are catching the eye of clubs further up the food chain.

You never know. For a manager, it is not the only path but the lower leagues can provide a route to the Premier League. Just ask David Moyes, Chris Wilder, or Dean Smith.

Hayes (right) is at the very top of the women’s game and if she would not even consider trading that position for one in the third rung of the men’s game, then fair enough.

But offering her that chance would not be insulting.

In fact, it would give her a chance to be a trailblazer, a trail that could lead to the very top of the men’s game.

And when a female coach is given and takes that chance, it will not just be a step forward for the men’s game or a step forward for the women’s game.

It will be a step forward for the game, full stop.