Manchester United could not have imagined a more tragic end to the 2023/24 Women’s Super League campaign.
When the full-time whistle blew at Old Trafford on 18 May, it marked the end of a season marked by highs and lows. The club’s 6-0 defeat of Chelsea at home, as Emma Hayes’ side celebrated a fifth consecutive league title, was one of those days.
Such a heavy defeat stung, but it also meant they finished outside the top four, despite coming agonizingly close to their first league title just one season ago. To add insult to injury, it was north-west rivals Liverpool who jumped up the table to claim that fourth spot.
As they say, every cloud has a silver lining. For United last season, it came in a historic way to win the FA Cup, an achievement that cannot be overshadowed. Not only did they beat Chelsea on their way to the final, they also beat Tottenham at Wembley – in securing silverware, they achieved what no other United Women’s team had done before.
However, while it offered some form of redemption, there was no escaping the fact that the campaign as a whole had failed to meet its lofty demands. But for manager Marc Skinner, he already knew exactly where the team fell.
“The balance in our squad was not right,” admitted the 41-year-old, speaking at the press launch of the 2024/25 Barclays WSL season earlier this month. “After the sixth game we lost Gabby George, who we had only bought in the summer. We also had a left-back playing on the right.
“But, I need to emphasize again that this is not a theory of disaster at Manchester United, that if you don’t win everything, then you don’t achieve well. I get the pressure of being at Manchester United, I live every day wanting to win.
If the league season is in motion, the start of the transfer window has proved disastrous. While key players, including Mary Earps and ex-captain Katie Zelem, are facing the exit door, new owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has admitted in interviews that plans for the women’s team are ‘to be decided’, and reports suggest the team has been moved to temporary facilities at Carrington training center to house the men’s team during preparations.
Inside the club, however, Skinner insists that unity belies the narrative of confusion, and last season’s disappointment has been tempered by a renewed sense of energy and purpose. “What was reported outside could not be more true,” said the manager.
“We don’t train in the barracks. We train in a facility built for our players. We have a better gym and pool for them to recover on site.”
A closer look at recruitment would also suggest that the squad is in a strong position. United have been among the shrewdest operators in the transfer market this summer, and the signings of Elisabeth Terland, Celin Bizet and Dominique Janssen are not to be underestimated.
While Ratcliffe may have painted a figure indifferent to the women’s team, his subordinates and the wider team are undoubtedly united in improving things, in particular, new sporting director Dan Ashworth and chief executive Omar Berrada. Skinner believes that relationship is the reason they have regained the spark that helped them so much in the last two seasons.
“[They] it was great and they both came in with the ability to speak to the team,” the manager added. “I can’t tell you how human and authentic those conversations were.
“They really love women’s football and they have a burning desire for it to be at the forefront of their path. [Ashworth] I first went in, met him in the dining hall with all the other members of the male group and we talked for an hour. No one interrupted him in our conversation.
“When you feel like you’re alone, you’re not going to achieve what you’re aiming for. I feel that – be careful I’m using language that feels irrational – that with Dan and Omar coming in, they’re a real force for us. Need a Spark In my second season, we had a fantastic season.
“That spark we had that season, I can feel it again. It wasn’t missed last year but maybe it hit us at the end of the season. This season it’s like we’re trying to build that impenetrable power again.
“We know there are many people who want Manchester United to fail. But in my opinion, in order to succeed, we need that spark and I feel that the leaders we have now will help us do that.”
One of the most notable changes on the field this summer is the appointment of new captains, following the departure of long-time captain Zelem. Skinner has entrusted Maya Le Tissier with the captain’s armband, while star Ella Toone has taken the position of vice-captain.
“The reason I chose Maya – and I said to him when he first signed that he will be the captain of Manchester United tomorrow – he plays every second of every game and always drives the standards in training.
“He does more all the time. At the Marbella Football Center [where the team had a pre-season training camp] there is a mountain about four or five hundred meters and it is really steep. In one of the sessions, we had the girls run up a hill to mentally see what they were going to do.
“Maya has reached the top, see [the team] he did the same, but he got down and did another one on his back. He leads with passion, dedication, energy and is the epitome of what I want our team to be.
“I wanted Tooney there by his side because I felt that if there is a girl or any boy who looks up to Manchester United, who better to represent them than the famous number 7 who has grown up a Manchester United fan all his life. What I can do next to that is to put in an experienced leadership team [together]and that’s the next stage.”
Along with Zelem, another high-profile departure this summer was 2023 FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper Mary Earps. But, after joining the club from NWSL side OL Reign last summer and having an established year in England, Skinner believes Phallon Tullis-Joyce is ready to step up and fill that gap.
“To be clear, Phallon is the best shortstop I’ve ever worked with in my life,” emphasized Skinner. “He’s an amazing footballer, an incredibly intelligent, thoughtful person and I’m looking forward to showing what he can do for this team.
“He’s a long-term goalkeeper. That’s why I bought him. He’s a natural leader. Last year he had to learn a lot about England and we had Mary Earps. I’m looking forward to this year so you can see what he’s got.”
Skinner’s energy when discussing the revamped squad and ambitions for the season was palpable. Despite the criticism the club and team have faced over the past 12 months, the no-nonsense attitude has never changed, and he is confident they have the tools to better deal with the challenges of the long season ahead.
“Everyone has their own opinion,” he concluded. “I never change what I say. Whether I’m under pressure or not, I always hold my own.
“I knew that if the players left, we would face problems. I knew it because the fans invested in the team, if they didn’t care about you you wouldn’t hear anything.
“I feel like we’ve done a job in this transfer window not only for this season but for Manchester United teams to come. I’m looking at Emma Watson, Simi. [Awujo]Anna Sandberg – these are players who can represent the club for many years to come.
“Our fans had every right to feel the way they feel but I hope we can change that, especially in the way we played to show them that this is their team and they can follow it to lead us to success.”
After a disappointing end to last season at Old Trafford, the club will return to the stadium of dreams on Saturday to kick off their 2024/25 campaign against West Ham. Fans will only hope that Skinner’s energy and optimism will translate into strong and consistent play on the field as they look to reclaim their place among the WSL’s elite.
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