When Sir Jim Ratcliffe admitted he and the club are yet to lay out a detailed plan on the future of Manchester United Women, he inadvertently exposed a glaring oversight in the new ownership’s approach.
After the 71-year-old billionaire purchased a minority stake in the Red Devils earlier this year, there was a renewed sense of optimism after years of neglect from the Glazers. There was finally a reason to be excited about the future and what could be achieved – yet that hopefulness is yet to transpire to the women’s side.
Ratcliffe’s lack of interest in Marc Skinner’s team was evident in May when they made history to win the FA Cup, their first piece of major silverware in the women’s game, beating Tottenham Hotspur in the final at Wembley. While Spurs had club chairman Daniel Levy watching on in the stands, United’s new co-owner instead chose to be at Old Trafford for a Premier League game against Arsenal. A simple good luck message had to do.
Therefore, it’s hard to blame United fans for being even more incensed by the INEOS CEO’s recent comments when asked about the plans and developments of the women’s team.
“We haven’t got into that level of detail with the women’s football team yet,” he said in an interview with Bloomberg that was released last week. “We’ve been pretty much focused on resolving the first team issues and that’s been pretty full-time for the first six months.”
The interviewer went on to ask: “So to be confirmed?”
“Correct,” he replied.
Ratcliffe’s remarks, outlining that full focus has been on the men’s senior side following his arrival earlier this year, reveal a troubling complacency that leaves the club walking a fine line in terms of their status as a significant power in the WSL. They only have to ask rivals Liverpool what years of neglect and a lack of vision or direction can lead to.
Skinner and co are on the brink of a critical period. A handful of senior players, including goalkeeper and England international Mary Earps, are out of contract this summer and there has so far been little movement with regards to a new deal.
Earps spoke very candidly after the curtains were drawn on a very mixed season for the Red Devils. FA Cup glory aside, their league form was far from consistent and they slipped out of the top four, with Liverpool claiming their spot in the latter stages of the campaign.
“The honest reality is that conversations…
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