Crisis? What Crisis — Manchester United Women

Last summer’s transfer window started off similarly to this one – as per usual Manchester United Women announcing all the outgoing players at once, which was around 5 players who left the team.

There were players that did not receive regular minutes the season before. Therefore when the season ended they were allowed to move on to new clubs.

Players leaving on a free is not new in the women’s game, the average length of a contract for female players is 2 years and around 95% percent of transfers are free transfers in the women’s game.

Therefore players leaving at the end of June when their contracts end is nothing to be concerned about.

Last year our first singing of the season was Lucy Staniforth and that was announced on 9th July 2020.

A couple of weeks later Ona Battle and Ivana Fuso were also announced.

Pre season started with these players and there were rumblings of discontent online from some but the media all remained patient as did then-manager, Casey Stoney.

Then on 19th August rumours dropped about Tobin Heath and Christen Press joining Manchester United along with Alessia Russo.

Fast forward to this summer with Manchester United Women and things have majorly changed as Casey Stoney is no longer there. She left at the end of the season under shocking circumstances with complaints about training facilities.

However, if we look at statements that have been put out since she resigned, the club have agreed that the women will train at Carrington next year and have put a package in place to improve facilities. Reports have stated that new pitches and floodlights will be installed at Carrington for the women’s team.

The statement released by Manchester United also states that deal have been completed by Casey prior to her leaving. This is something that individuals who follow women’s team will be aware of as the majority of deals are sorted around Christmas time for pre contract agreements similar to the men’s team when players enter last 6 months. For example, previous reports suggest that Casey signed Jackie Groenen in the January of 2019, but wasn’t announced until the summer.

United also state that they were in the recruitment process for a new manager. Reports now indicate the manager announcement will be this week.

With 4 players already rumoured to be signed up by Casey, it is believed that the new manager will now take up the rest of recruitment therefore potentially like last season we will hear of deals in middle of July then not hear again until August.

There have been reports in some mainstream media that United are in crisis. However other than recruitment of a new manager there is no difference between this window and last year.

Arsenal women are also without a manager and players also raised concerns about their training. However when searched in Google you do not see similar reports regarding them.

For followers of the men’s team it may seem strange that Casey has done the deals, however the manger would have inherited a squad anyway and with earlier talk of deals only lasting 2 years it is not a big of a concern in relation to women’s team

I have no doubt the new manger will be fully supported and issues around why Casey left will be resolved.

We should put our support behind the team fully and not buy into the media talk of crisis.