More than 15,000 people have paid a deposit for a season ticket at Denver Summit FC despite the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) expansion club having only three players and yet to play a match. So the sense of responsibility that comes with the task of building a team the state of Colorado can be proud is one staff there are acutely aware of.

Principally, that mission has been assigned to Nick Cushing, the former Manchester City women’s and New York City men’s team head coach, who was hired as Denver’s first head coach in August, six months before they embark on their first NWSL campaign, when the division expands to 16 sides in February. It is not hard to see the logic behind the choice; the Englishman was in charge of City when they were new to an expanded Women’s Super League in 2014, with new signings such as Steph Houghton, Jill Scott and Toni Duggan. They went on to win a League Cup in their first top-flight season and the league title in 2016.

The difference this time is Denver have an entirely blank canvas for Cushing to work on and, with his new colleagues, he...