Millie Bright explains how 'refreshed' Chelsea are already improving under Sonia Bompastor after Emma Hayes’ USWNT exit

The Blues enjoyed considerable success under their previous boss, with Hayes overseeing seven WSL title triumphs during her 12-year reign in west London. She is now calling the shots for the United States, and helped them to Olympic glory in Paris this summer.

Chelsea are moving in a new direction under former Lyon manager Sonia Bompastor, with England international defender Bright telling the club’s official website on how a squad well versed in success can become even better: “We’ve it felt immediately from training sessions. We’re hoping the fans can see that because as players we’ve definitely felt the change in training – the intensity, for me, and the quality on the ball have been the biggest change. We just want to be better all around. We’ve always had that winning mentality, but I think we’ve gained more to it. We’re even more eager now to go to the next level. It’s all the other factors that we needed to catch up a little bit, so we hope the fans can see we’re trying to implement that.

“Everyone’s really driven to be better – to become a better player. With the changes we’ve made in the environment: with Sonia coming in, the new staff and new players, it has really freshened things up. I think we’re ready to go to that next level as a team. You can see from all the players that there is really good energy.”

Bright, who has welcomed Chelsea’s signing of fellow Lionesses defender Lucy Bronze, remains club captain at Kingsmeadow. That is a role she intends to continue making the most of, adding on being a leader: “I’m grateful to be in the position that I’m in and to be part of the new journey. It feels like the start of a new era, but nothing has changed in the respect that we want to win everything and we want to be champions again. That has been made extremely clear by Sonia in what we are trying to achieve. We’re all aligned and the process begins now with the first match under her.”

Chelsea are in the United States at present, taking in friendly dates with Gotham FC and Arsenal, with a final pre-season outing against Feyenoord on home soil set to carry them into a WSL season opening clash with Aston Villa on September 20.