United finally setting up a women's team | Championship application successful

[LoCalXT]

Seems like we are behind in everything these days.

YouTube took long
No snapchat
Dull playstyle
Finally a women's team

 

[Lay]

About fecking time.

 

[Jamie Shawcross]

At least there will be no danger of them parking the bus...they cant park

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Can't blame you for not enjoying it, isn't a great watch. I watch 10-20 womens games a week but it really isn't for everyone.

With regards to your second point, it's a weird one. Realistically it is everyone's interest for them to use established clubs. It's a chance for United/City/Chelsea etc to get women into football, supporting the team and in turn feeding money into the club. Womens football (and women sport in general) lags behind men in terms of stature, salaries and exposure. I guess anything that can help to bridge the gap, or reduce the time it will take for the gap to be bridged, can only really be a positive. UK is far behind other countries in terms of Womens clubs. Most top flight sides in Germany and France (two historically dominant European countries at Womens club level) have had women sides set up which share the mens name and their standard is all the better for it. The money in Womens football is also very minimal. Fran Kirby was the highest british transfer fee a couple of years back and she cost 50k. The easiest way for more money to get into the game is to come from the male club I guess.

Wait, what?

 

[TMDaines]

I guess anything that can help to bridge the gap, or reduce the time it will take for the gap to be bridged, can only really be a positive. UK is far behind other countries in terms of Womens clubs. Most top flight sides in Germany and France (two historically dominant European countries at Womens club level) have had women sides set up which share the mens name and their standard is all the better for it.

Relatively no-one gives a shit in Europe too. All the Women's CL finals are played in front of two-third empty stadiums. People have only got so many fecks to gives and aren't just going to suddenly give the same level of attention to women's, disabled, blind, youth, senior, etc. football because a unmeritocratic form of equality demands so. People will generally want to watch the most elite form of any sport.

 

[GazTheLegend]

Why are people so excited by this ? Couldn’t really care less whether we have a women’s team or not. Admittedly I’m not a fan of women’s football as the standard is so poor and is anyone really bothered what league we are in and whether or not we got promoted or relegated ?

Not for me but I guess good luck moving forward.

On a personal level? Because I have a newborn daughter and I am absolutely ecstatic that if she chooses to grow up supporting Manchester United with her Dad, I don’t have to turn around to her and say “oh, but you’re not allowed to play for them.”

There’s a lot of girls getting coached to play football where I am currently playing myself, like - a seriously surprising number, maybe 50-100 or so, and that’s at a tiny sports village so it has to be a matter of time only before it takes off imo.

 

[Jamie Shawcross]

Can't blame you for not enjoying it, isn't a great watch. I watch 10-20 womens games a week but it really isn't for everyone.

With regards to your second point, it's a weird one. Realistically it is everyone's interest for them to use established clubs. It's a chance for United/City/Chelsea etc to get women into football, supporting the team and in turn feeding money into the club. Womens football (and women sport in general) lags behind men in terms of stature, salaries and exposure. I guess anything that can help to bridge the gap, or reduce the time it will take for the gap to be bridged, can only really be a positive. UK is far behind other countries in terms of Womens clubs. Most top flight sides in Germany and France (two historically dominant European countries at Womens club level) have had women sides set up which share the mens name and their standard is all the better for it. The money in Womens football is also very minimal. Fran Kirby was the highest british transfer fee a couple of years back and she cost 50k. The easiest way for more money to get into the game is to come from the male club I guess.

1) LOADS of women already love football. I know countless female reds.

2) The gender pay gap is a myth

 

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

On a personal level? Because I have a newborn daughter and I am absolutely ecstatic that if she chooses to grow up supporting Manchester United with her Dad, I don’t have to turn around to her and say “oh, but you’re not allowed to play for them.”

There’s a lot of girls getting coached to play football where I am currently playing myself, like - a seriously surprising number, maybe 50-100 or so, and that’s at a tiny sports village so it has to be a matter of time only before it takes off imo.

No more needs to be said really.

Great for girls/women and United.

 

[Santoryo]

Giggsy regretting that he took the Wales job

 

[No Idea For Nickname]

Bloody hell, about 20 years too late. For me anyway. Maybe I can be goal keeper.? Almost the size of the goal it self, so no easy goals to concede. One woman Bus me.

 

[GE]

About time.

We’re like a bloody dinosaur - late for everything nowadays. Last club to join Twitter, last club to use Instagram, last club to use YouTube and now the last big club to have a woman’s team but still no SnapChat.

I see the tunnel at OT has been given a lick of paint, but it still looks like an old shed compared to almost all Premier League teams, let alone big teams in Europe.. even West Brom’s tunnel looks shiny and modern! It was embarrassing seeing the shambles of a tunnel on ‘Tunnel Cam’ for the Brighton match. Look at City’s and Liverpool’s compared to ours on YouTube. An absolute disgrace.

OT needs a giant renovation and expansion just like Barca and Madrid are currently undergoing otherwise we will be playing catch-up yet again.

I’m becoming sick of this club, it’s jist all about the $$$£££€€€. Evolve or become extinct.

 

[Ubik]

Excellent!

 

[edcunited1878]

Can't wait for the unequal pay stories accusing United of gender inequality.

 

[Spiersey]

Wait, what?

I gamble for a living

Relatively no-one gives a shit in Europe too. All the Women's CL finals are played in front of two-third empty stadiums. People have only got so many fecks to gives and aren't just going to suddenly give the same level of attention to women's, disabled, blind, youth, senior, etc. football because a unmeritocratic form of equality demands so. People will generally want to watch the most elite form of any sport.

so follow a few womens leagues very very closely along with internationals.

I don't disagree at all, but it's a cyclical thing. As the quality goes up so to will viewership and as viewership goes up so will the quality due to money etc.

1) LOADS of women already love football. I know countless female reds.

2) The gender pay gap is a myth

Correct, loads already do. Loads also have zero interest in it. It's about getting MORE of them into it.

What do you mean by a myth? I think women and men being paid the same in sports is bollocks unless they are to the same standard.

 

[arthurka]

Finally we get to see a United team that might get our heart rate going a bit quicker.. ...

 

[Carolina Red]

Sign Alex Morgan!

 

[Jig1234]

Can't wait for Man Utd to ruin Women's football by mopping up the talent...

Seems like we are behind in everything these days.

YouTube took long
No snapchat
Dull playstyle
Finally a women's team

Don't forget the website. ManUtd.com is prehistoric.

 

[Jig1234]

In all seriousness, this is long overdue... I just hope it's done properly and not half-arsed.

 

[Hed Zitin]

I hope we don't invest much in it. Honestly I doubt I'll give the team a second thought.

Nice for any women that dream of putting on our shirt though. Especially kids.

 

[Antisocial]

Good news that the club are bringing back the women’s team - especially for the girls we have in our academy that have had to leave to other clubs to continue in the sport.

Wasn’t the women’s side first axed for financial reasons though? I guess the club overall is better placed to support the side now that it was when the Glazers took over, or are women’s sides generating significantly more revenue than back then?

 

[Big Andy]

Does anyone really care about this? Will anyone watch them?

 

[Romez]

Nah, I'm of the same opinion. Don't think it does sport any favours to just have the women's version of everything poorly ape the men's version of things.

If people get something out of this great, but Manchester United are one thing only for me. This has less priority than potentially entering and winning the Checkatrade Trophy or the U18 League.

Looking forward to the equal pay discussions already for the men's and women's teams in 2021.

Ah right thanks, not really my cup of tea so haven't looked at anything to do with it. I watched ten minutes of a game a week or so ago and couldn't take much more.
Still, I suppose it's a good thing,. Not that I agree with it.

To clarify, I totally think women should have football teams and play the sport. I just think their own clubs should be started and built up and not jumping on to exsisting clubs that have taken decades to build a history and and stature. I could and probably am way off the mark but at the moment that's how I feel about it.

This makes no sense.

If it wasn’t done this way, women’s football would be in a way worse state than it is today. You’re acting like making a women’s team takes something away from the club as a whole.

Are you really expecting random women to come together, start a football team then expect them to build a fan base in 2018?

I just don’t get how you could take away anything negative from this. Women watch football too, little girls should be able to have the same dream as little boys, playing for their favourite club.

 

[The_Order]

I am having horrible flashbacks of past threads on women's football - man we have some truly awful posters on this site

 

[Zlatan 7]

Can't blame you for not enjoying it, isn't a great watch. I watch 10-20 womens games a week but it really isn't for everyone.

With regards to your second point, it's a weird one. Realistically it is everyone's interest for them to use established clubs. It's a chance for United/City/Chelsea etc to get women into football, supporting the team and in turn feeding money into the club. Womens football (and women sport in general) lags behind men in terms of stature, salaries and exposure. I guess anything that can help to bridge the gap, or reduce the time it will take for the gap to be bridged, can only really be a positive. UK is far behind other countries in terms of Womens clubs. Most top flight sides in Germany and France (two historically dominant European countries at Womens club level) have had women sides set up which share the mens name and their standard is all the better for it. The money in Womens football is also very minimal. Fran Kirby was the highest british transfer fee a couple of years back and she cost 50k. The easiest way for more money to get into the game is to come from the male club I guess.

That’s some amount of football!

Great points you’ve shown me in the second part, like I said I havnt put much thought into it. The quality I’ve seen has been quite bad and that’s from the ‘top’ English teams.

One thing I’m curious about, if the women are to use the existing clubs name, facilities etc then I should imagine they’ll also have use of the clubs finances, (this isn’t a moan about taking money from the men) but an instant unfair starting point for the women’s teams/leagues. I suppose that’s something that is just part of it, can’t be helped and accepted.

 

[TMDaines]

This makes no sense.

If it wasn’t done this way, women’s football would be in a way worse state than it is today. You’re acting like making a women’s team takes something away from the club as a whole.

Are you really expecting random women to come together, start a football team then expect them to build a fan base in 2018?

I just don’t get how you could take away anything negative from this. Women watch football too, little girls should be able to have the same dream as little boys, playing for their favourite club.

There’s plenty of clubs out there, some more closely related to men’s teams than others, who have a history in the women’s game. I don’t get why people feel the need to have the landscape of the women’s game look more and more like the men’s and displace other teams.

Let’s be real for a minute. Virtually nobody views playing for the women’s team of the major clubs as having the sporting cachet as playing for the men’s teams. If girls want to dream of playing for United, great, but unless a genetic freak comes along ain’t none of them going to be following in the footsteps of Best, Cantona and Ronaldo. It may as well be a whole different sport and is at best a highly inferior level. The standard of it is far inferior to anything in the top 10 tiers of English league football. Individuals can pretend otherwise, but no facet of society affords it the same level of care or respect – and why would it? It’s an objectively inferior form of the sport.

If you have a personal connection and a reason to care, then great, but don’t be surprised when relatively few others do.

 

[Paolo Di Canio]

The jokes will be fierce when it turns out our womens team play more entertaining than the means team

 

[Keeps It tidy]

There’s plenty of clubs out there, some more closely related to men’s teams than others, who have a history in the women’s game. I don’t get why people feel the need to have the landscape of the women’s game look more and more like the men’s and displace other teams.

Let’s be real for a minute. Virtually nobody views playing for the women’s team of the major clubs as having the sporting cachet as playing for the men’s teams. If girls want to dream of playing for United, great, but unless a genetic freak comes along ain’t none of them going to be following in the footsteps of Best, Cantona and Ronaldo. It’s a whole different sport. Individuals can pretend otherwise.

Who is pretending otherwise?

 

[Zlatan 7]

This makes no sense.

If it wasn’t done this way, women’s football would be in a way worse state than it is today. You’re acting like making a women’s team takes something away from the club as a whole.

Are you really expecting random women to come together, start a football team then expect them to build a fan base in 2018?

I just don’t get how you could take away anything negative from this. Women watch football too, little girls should be able to have the same dream as little boys, playing for their favourite club.

Dummy back in mate, I’m not acting like anything, especially that it’s Taking something from the club.
I’m also not expecting anything.
I’ve also not taken anything negative from it. Way to go off on one!

I coach my lads under 8s football team and we have 3 girls in there who I can see love their football, I encourage them and treat them just like the boys. They all love football.

This was a point about what teams / clubs could and should be used.

 

[jojojo]

Pleased to see it. Is not the first time we've run a women's team, but women's football has made some good progress since then. With the growth of the women's game it's become steadily more of an anomally that we weren't involved.

 

[RuudTom83]

Yay!! add it to the list of things we can all complain about!

 

[Spiersey]

That’s some amount of football!

Great points you’ve shown me in the second part, like I said I havnt put much thought into it. The quality I’ve seen has been quite bad and that’s from the ‘top’ English teams.

One thing I’m curious about, if the women are to use the existing clubs name, facilities etc then I should imagine they’ll also have use of the clubs finances, (this isn’t a moan about taking money from the men) but an instant unfair starting point for the women’s teams/leagues. I suppose that’s something that is just part of it, can’t be helped and accepted.

The quality in terms of actual technical ability is quite high. It's physically and tactically that the players lack. The first touch etc are of a high level at the top level. However, a dearth of good quality coaching both at grass roots and at the top level (Phil Neville is England manager, says it all) is an automatic handicap. Teams rarely defend as units and if they do it's simply a case of having 11 players around the box rather than moving as one. Similar with attacking.

The money required to run a womens team is literally minimal. Probably run it for a season easily off a couple of days of running costs of United mens side. Not sure if there are any rules regarding cash injections from the mens clubs. PSG tried to buy their way to the French title a couple years back but failed. They've sort of stopped now. City have done similar. Agree it is unfair if United can pump in money earnt from the Mens side compared to Doncaster Belles.

 

[Gazautd18]

Good. Will watch them until our regular collection of multi millionaire's manage to serve up some entertaining football.

 

[TMDaines]

Who is pretending otherwise?

Those who have attempted to shame clubs by insisting it is wrong for a men’s football club to be exactly that in 2018.

 

[DanNistelrooy]

Giggsy regretting that he took the Wales job

Well played

 

[Zlatan 7]

The quality in terms of actual technical ability is quite high. It's physically and tactically that the players lack. The first touch etc are of a high level at the top level. However, a dearth of good quality coaching both at grass roots and at the top level (Phil Neville is England manager, says it all) is an automatic handicap. Teams rarely defend as units and if they do it's simply a case of having 11 players around the box rather than moving as one. Similar with attacking.

The money required to run a womens team is literally minimal. Probably run it for a season easily off a couple of days of running costs of United mens side. Not sure if there are any rules regarding cash injections from the mens clubs. PSG tried to buy their way to the French title a couple years back but failed. They've sort of stopped now. City have done similar. Agree it is unfair if United can pump in money earnt from the Mens side compared to Doncaster Belles.

Agree with your first point again, the technical quality and control was there. It was more the kicking power, long balls seemed to just be hoofed as hard as possible with not much concern for accuracy and the awerness of what’s around and passing just seemed off. Again this will likely improve with better coaching.

As I said, I’m all for women’s football, I just don’t see much need in imitating the men’s league especially if the money is not needed.
I suppose it’s mainly for an increased initial boost of fan base which can’t really be a bad thing

 

[groovyalbert]

Would love to know the reasons behind this having taken so long!

 

[Grande]

On a personal level? Because I have a newborn daughter and I am absolutely ecstatic that if she chooses to grow up supporting Manchester United with her Dad, I don’t have to turn around to her and say “oh, but you’re not allowed to play for them.”

There’s a lot of girls getting coached to play football where I am currently playing myself, like - a seriously surprising number, maybe 50-100 or so, and that’s at a tiny sports village so it has to be a matter of time only before it takes off imo.

Me too. After watching Holland deservedly (and entertainingly) beat England in this summer’s Euros, my girls asked me who were the best players in United’s womens team. I was ashamed at their disappointment in my answer. Particularly as we’d just watched players from Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea.

Bloody hell, about 20 years too late. For me anyway. Maybe I can be goal keeper.? Almost the size of the goal it self, so no easy goals to concede. One woman Bus me.

Never too late to dream!

 

[prateik]

Couldn't do it till Giggsy was around.

 

[jojojo]

As I said, I’m all for women’s football, I just don’t see much need in imitating the men’s league especially if the money is not needed.
I suppose it’s mainly for an increased initial boost of fan base which can’t really be a bad thing

The men's game has more than just money and fans. Though there no harm in a women's team leaning on a club in that way. Just like most men's clubs have leant on local businesses for financial support in the past. If using the name helps build the crowds or attracts players (as it does with the girls teams, that United already ran) then that's good as well.

More importantly though, clubs like United know how to run teams to play in national leagues - from travel logistics to laundry. It's got specialist coaching, physio, and medical staff that can act as specialist backup and offer training to the women's team's own staff. It's got a marketing department that knows how to do everything from getting sponsors for training kit to arranging the team photos.

In United's case it's even got an old training ground - the Cliff - that it can use to give the team is own training base.

Sounds like an ideal arrangement to me.

 

[jojojo]

The statement from the club emphasises that they expect to build it by recruiting from the youth teams. A very good approach to see.

=========

MANCHESTER UNITED APPLIES TO JOIN WSL2
• Application submitted to FA
• New professional team would create pathway for graduates from successful girls’ regional talent club

Manchester United has submitted an application to the Football Association to establish a professional women’s team in the second tier of the Women’s Super League.

If successful, the move would provide a career pathway for players who graduate from the long-established and highly successful Girls' Regional Talent Club, which has seen some 15 of its graduates playing international football this season alone.

The squad would be based at the club's historic training centre at The Cliff.

Announcing the move, Ed Woodward said: "We are pleased to announce that the club intends to establish its first ever professional women’s team and has submitted an application to enter WSL2.

"The FA has provided excellent support through the process and we believe that launching a team in WSL2 would give many more of our graduates from the Regional Talent Club the chance to establish themselves as first-team players.

"The Manchester United women’s team must be built in the same image and with the same principles as the men's first team and offer academy players a clear route to top-level football within the club."


http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-F...ional-womens-team-in-super-league-tier-2.aspx