Head coach Marc Skinner says he is “absolutely convinced” of the “fantastic place” the Manchester United women’s team has at the club.
Skinner was speaking in response to minority co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s comments made to the BBC that “the women’s team is much smaller than the men’s team”.
“Of our £650m of income, £640m of that comes from the men’s team and £10m comes from the women’s team. With my business background you tend to focus on the bigger issues before you focus on the smaller issues,” he said.
Ratcliffe also said the women’s team “wear the Manchester United brand so in that sense are every bit as important as the men’s team” and “frankly are doing better than the men’s team”.
“I feel the support every single day,” said Skinner. “As an owner, Sir Jim is not going to be on the day-to-day running of our football business. That’s for Omar (Berrada), that’s for Jason (Wilcox), for Colette (Roche), the senior leadership who I deal with every day.
“The noise around it, I don’t feel that. I am absolutely convinced that the women’s team has a really fantastic place pushing forward with the club. Our job is to win games of football, that’s what we’re trying to do, and that’s what we’ve been successful at doing. So I’m going to continue to help do that.”
Skinner also added he would “love to stay” at the club beyond his current contract which expires at the end of the season because “there is unfinished business”.
United have until the end of March to activate the option to extend his contract by a further season. The 41-year-old signed a one-year contract extension with an option for an additional year in May.
United would still be able to re-negotiate a new deal with Skinner following the deadline if they wish.
“I’d love to stay and I mean that because I feel there’s unfinished business,” said Skinner. “More importantly, I really want to. I really want to take this club and this team. We’ve designed and built a young team and I feel it has the DNA of Manchester United in the making, a real famous Manchester United team. I want to see that through.
“I want to make sure the fans and everybody know that I have that complete energy. You’ve seen this from last year, my energy has changed in a totally positive direction, where it’s all about driving this club forwards.”
United sit second in the Women’s Super League and next face Liverpool at Anfield on Friday.
(Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
