Emma Hayes has been mocked for her tactical analysis during World Cup hydration breaks and ITV are partly to blame for giving the misogynists on social media ammunition10:53, 18 Jun 2026Updated 10:53, 18 Jun 2026A cursory search of social media provides a grim taste of the sort of misogyny Emma Hayes has to face every time she appears on TV.‌England's World Cup opener against Croatia saw Hayes beamed into the living rooms of millions who wouldn't normally watch football. And sadly that increased exposure means increased unpleasantness.‌The former Chelsea women and current United States women head coach was not part of the punditry line-up. ITV used their first-choice trio of Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Ian Wright in their Brooklyn studio. But during the two three-minute hydration breaks, which we've all become used to at the World Cup, Hayes appeared to provide some analysis.‌Hydration breaks have been implemented at a tournament being played in potentially dangerous conditions. But they are clearly not needed at every game, with England's match taking place inside the air-conditioned AT&T Stadium.Get the latest World Cup 2026 news in your inbox with our Make Football Great Again newsletterThankfully, with the game being on ITV, viewers were treated to some actual reasoned, well-informed analysis of what we were seeing on the pitch. Rather than pump in another few minutes of adverts, as happens in America, British broadcasters have been left with a choice of what to do.‌While the BBC have chosen to stick with what they know, the commentator and co-commentator talking to fill the time, ITV have bravely tried to innovate. They have brought in Hayes - widely considered to be one of the best and most influential female coaches of all time - to educate us.She has the extremely difficult job of trying to articulate to the lay audience quite deep tactical analysis in such a short space of time. Having been given a test run in explaining how Spain's wide players could break down Cape Verde's stout defence on Monday, Hayes had a much, much bigger audience on Wednesday night.‌Such a segment is always going to divide the audience. Plenty of people are not interested in delving deeper into what is happening on the pitch. But for those who are open to hearing a different perspective, it is a worthwhile exercise.Hayes enthusiastically launched into telling us why Jordan Pickford's role in possession was so important and, later, why the angles of England's passing down the flanks had unlocked Croatia's defence for Jude Bellingham's crucial goal after the break.As a current top-level coach and experienced broadcaster, the 49-year-old is perfectly placed to do so. The problem is the tools ITV have given her. The blackboard and chalk with Xs and Os is, at very least, anachronistic and, at worst, confusing.‌Hayes has so little time to explain herself and the chalkboard is not a helpful visual aid. Once the clip started to play, everything began to make more sense. Yet the opening sequence likely made up many peoples' minds for them.ITV have made a big deal of their decision to splash out on a fancy studio in New York with a stunning backdrop. They've paid a man best known for eating hotdogs to talk about football.Article continues belowAnd yet they've left one of their best-qualified pundits open to unfair criticism by not providing her with the tools to do her job properly.Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.Content cannot be displayed without consent