The numbers are stark.
That is not a pipeline that suddenly runs dry at the top. It is a profession where access has long been uneven. Men have traditionally moved through academy systems, assistant roles and established networks built around the professional men’s game. Women, for years, had fewer leagues, fewer full-time jobs and fewer obvious ladders to climb.
Licensing matters, but it is not the full answer. The Uefa Pro Licence takes time, costs serious money and sits behind earlier badges. More women are earning those qualifications - Uefa says female coaches holding C, B, A or Pro Licences reached 25,000 in 2024 - yet the old catch remains: clubs want experience, but experience only comes if somebody opens the door.
That is why Harvey’s point matters. It is not simply about whether women are ready. It is about whether decision-makers still treat their appointment as a gamble.
There are signs of movement. Bev Yanez has made the jump from player to coach. Eva Olid has earned a bigger platform after success in Scotland. And Emma Hayes, one of the defining coaches of the modern women’s game, said Sir Alex Ferguson was her “biggest champion”.
That last phrase may be the key. Progress will not come from praise alone; it will come when more clubs decide to sponsor, trust and appoint. The next storyline to watch is simple: not who says the right things, but who actually hands women the big jobs.