Chelsea boss Emma Hayes conducted a bizarre press conference which included reciting a poem as she deflected questions about her altercation with Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall after the League Cup final last month.
Hayes, whose side were beaten by the Gunners, pushed Eidevall at the full-time whistle and later labelled his touchline behaviour as ‘male aggression’.
The Chelsea manager faced widespread criticism for her remarks, including Arsenal legend Ian Wright who said her words could have ‘finished’ the Gunners’ boss.
On Friday, Hayes spoke to the media for the first time since the incident and gave a series of unusual answers, but appeared to reaffirm that Eidevall had acted in an aggressive manner.
Hayes said: ‘My son said to me after the game, “when you push someone in school you’re asked to go and take time out.”
‘I said to him: “you know what, you can’t meet aggression with aggression. All you can do is tell the teacher. All you can do is go and explain to the teacher why you think something is unfair.”
‘I said “even if the parents go to the teacher, that's all you can do. You cannot meet aggression with aggression.”
‘I thought it was a really good conversation to have with my son after the final.’
Asked whether she stood by her ‘male aggression’ comment, Hayes then recited a section of the Robert Frost’s 1943 poem Choose something like a star.
Hayes said: ‘So when at times the mob is swayed, to carry praise or blame too far, we may choose something like a star, to stay our minds on and be staid.’
Asked to explain what she meant by her comments, Hayes refused to elaborate. ‘I’ve had a fantastic break, I’ve already explained an important analogy that I’ve shared with my son and the lessons learned. My focus is on moving forward and I’ve had time to look at my star.’
She added that she did ‘not have an opinion’ on Eidevall’s comments that her words after the final had been ‘irresponsible’ and that the pair have not had a conversation since.
‘We don’t play Arsenal. We don’t have each other’s telephone numbers, we have no reason to do that.
‘But I’m sure when I become the boss of the USA, we will have conversations. But until the end of the season, my focus is on Chelsea.’
The Blues travel to Manchester United for the semi-final of the FA Cup on Sunday.