Manchester United Women | Squad recruitment underway

[jojojo]

Cheers, guess we will just have to wait for an official announcement.

Those 18 August/11 September dates are confirmed at https://www.manutd.com/en/news/deta...s-the-lowdown-on-womens-professional-football

What I can't find is anything saying when the actual fixture list we'll be released. I think it's because there are still a couple of appeals underway from teams who couldn't join the Championship. Sheffield Ladies have dropped out, so it may be that at least one of them will get in.

 

[RedPamie]

In terms of putting a squad together, Stoney has already expressed surprise at how simple it’s been to put a squad together. Should it be? United’s budget is bigger than the majority of clubs in the division above them and the lure of full-time football, regular minutes, and a future which promises a move to the historic and soon to be redeveloped Cliff training ground for the 2019-20 season is enough to tempt plenty of players to make the drop down a tier.

Announcements should begin to filter out next week before United’s new-look squad meets up for preseason training on July 9. Players have been invited to Old Trafford in groups over the past week or two to sign contracts and make things official, including several of Stoney’s former teammates at Liverpool.

United have also made it their mission to snap up the best young talent from around the second tier, including those who first came through the United academy before being forced to move away due to the lack of first team on the red side of Manchester.

It hasn’t all been easy, United are still aiming for a couple more signings on top of the 17 already agreed, but sources tell OGM some players are “torn” about whether to take a drop down to Tier 2 or commit to a mid-table club in Tier 1 where the short-term may be rosy, but the majority of players know United’s ceiling is higher.

https://www.ourgamemag.com/2018/06/...ht-for-manchester-united-and-what-comes-next/

Maybe we're really getting Martha Harris and Amy Turner. They don't have clubs yet from my search in Twitter and web. Well let's wait and see.

And wow... About some top players torn on choosing between WSL clubs or us.

 

[Class of 63]

Kirk started work on Tuesday, and with Stoney still on holiday his first job was to tie up three final players to contracts, bringing the Manchester United squad up to 21. All the names will be announced at a media day this month, as will the identities of the remaining back-room staff.

“Essentially we’ve got 26 or 27 strangers coming together, and within six weeks we need to start getting results,” Kirk said.

IT would be no great surprise if two players Kirk formerly worked with at Hibernian, Kirsty Smith and Lizzie Arnot, reunited with him in Manchester. Both sat on the bench against Celtic last Sunday but didn't come on despite their side being 2-1 down with just seven minutes remaining.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport...-good-an-opportunity-to-miss-for-willie-kirk/

 

[jojojo]

I know it's bits of information but I like the sound of how United are handling things. We've recruited two people to head up the coaching side with lots of experience of the women's game. We're trading on that knowledge, and who we are, to recruit. Yet the expectations are coming from the new management team not the club.

That Herald article @Class of 63 quotes has a couple of other interesting lines in it as well. Including the comment that we'll be using Leigh as a training base, while work is going on at The Cliff. It sounds like we're doing a bigger refurb at The Cliff than I expected.

 

[Grande]

Kirk started work on Tuesday, and with Stoney still on holiday his first job was to tie up three final players to contracts, bringing the Manchester United squad up to 21. All the names will be announced at a media day this month, as will the identities of the remaining back-room staff.

“Essentially we’ve got 26 or 27 strangers coming together, and within six weeks we need to start getting results,” Kirk said.

IT would be no great surprise if two players Kirk formerly worked with at Hibernian, Kirsty Smith and Lizzie Arnot, reunited with him in Manchester. Both sat on the bench against Celtic last Sunday but didn't come on despite their side being 2-1 down with just seven minutes remaining.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport...-good-an-opportunity-to-miss-for-willie-kirk/

Oooh to be a Hibbie ...
Some scottish blood (and dialect) is necessary when building a United team from scratch

 

[Grande]

https://www.google.no/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/sport/amp/football/44631354

What is 2 and 2?

Lizzie Arnot is 22 with 15 caps for Scottland. Mostly a midfielder yet still put five past Celtic in this year’s cup final!

Then again, Kirsty Smith’s wiki (she’s a 24 years old right back with about 30 Scottish caps) says she plays for Doncaster Belles now, so maybe we’re getting ahead of ourselves?

 

[Damien]

Then again, Kirsty Smith’s wiki (she’s a 24 years old right back with about 30 Scottish caps) says she plays for Doncaster Belles now, so maybe we’re getting ahead of ourselves?

Anyone can edit wiki pages and the revision that changed her current club to Doncaster Belles happened over a week before she even left Hibs. If there was any truth in her moving there, it would have likely already been announced but it hasn't.

Bit of fuel to the fire that Emily Ramsey could be coming back - Willie Kirk has followed her on twitter and vice versa. I don't really expect to get any squad hints from who follows who on there but found that one interesting. Also a stab in the dark but maybe we might be signing Chelsea Weston too. Been a free agent since mid May and no news on what her next club is.

 

[RedPamie]

Some interesting names there floating around Twitter for sure.

Alex Greenwood? Mollie Green? Kirsty Hanson? Or ... Ella Toone?!

No signing announcements yet, so safe to say we won't play on Thursday vs UK Armed Forces Ladies?

 

[Trizy]

Sign everyone

 

[jojojo]

It's starting to feel like a real transfer season, watching Twitter follows, anyone not yet formally announced by someone else may be ours. Speculation about the top youngsters. The added bonus elements, the question of us rounding up some of our old youth team and the idea that we might have cashed in on disarray at Liverpool. Or even local youngsters at City (like Ella Toone) who need first team football soon and might not got it there, and others who are ready for their first fulltime contract. Right now, we really have signed everyone

As people have said though, United will have to tell us soon, otherwise we'll start getting accidental announcements by the players' grannies and from the teams we're playing behind closed doors.

 

[We need an rvn]

I'm seriously chuffed we've started a woman's team. My daughter is 9 and starting to take up football and loving it but has never really followed it because she doesn't seem to want to want men / United play. When I told her United have started a women's team the interest picked up immediately. Sadly we're stuck down on the south coast so will have to wait until 2019/2020 when United come visiting Brighton ladies to see the girls in action

 

[RedPamie]

Yep... We want announcements soon! I don't know if it'll be one big announcement or one by one. Anyway they should do it soon, because after the World Cup surely the excitement is for men's team transfers.

About the so called Twitter guessing game, it's funny because Casey's Twitter doesn't show anything. Maybe because she's already following all players and/or she's being careful. Willie's Twitter though

So I rank those player in order of plausibility from most likely to sign to least likely :

1. Amy Turner.
2. Martha Harris.
Strong rumor about both, esp Amy, she's following our official account and Willie's.
Some articles even say "several ex Liverpool players" to join Casey at United ... Hmmm...one more maybe?

3. Kirsty Hanson ex Donny Belles player. Named WSL2 Young player of the season by Ourgame magazine.

4. Chelsea Weston
Interestingly Chelsea and Kirsty Hanson are representated by a same agency and the agency tweeted "an exciting day" on June 20 with a United logo ...

5. Mollie Green. Well actually this is just a twitter guessing game from me. She's not yet announced her club.

6. Lizzie Arnot
7. Kirsty Smith

Next players below, I think, are considered "top young players". I don't think United have that pull yet? Or maybe I'm wrong.

8. Alex Greenwood
9. Ella Toone
10. Emily Ramsey

Wait.. only 10 so far?!

And who is "a senior England international" we're supposed to sign?

PS : I love how some Liverpool fans already being annoyed with some of their ex players strongly linked to United. Good times.

 

[RedDevilRoshi]

As I posted earlier, Lizzie Arnott and Kirsty Smith are two fantastic players who have done excellent at Hibs. They are my local team and both Hibs and Glasgow City are the two best clubs in the women’s league by some distance.

There are a few very good players at Hibs Ladies but those two really stood out for me whenever I got a chance to watch them. I was gutted to see them leave but the Scottish women’s game is part time and not professional. The chance to earn themselves a professional contract was going to be very hard to turn down.

 

[Adisa]

Anyone know what wages are like for top league players?

 

[cj_sparky]

Katie Zelem left Juve, maybe she is coming back.

 

[jojojo]

Anyone know what wages are like for top league players?

I covered the best guesses that are around on budgets and wages, including average WSL1/WSL2 pay in https://www.redcafe.net/threads/use...fans-and-player-numbers.439563/#post-22700490

Basically, the club wages for most of the senior pros (Arsenal, Chelsea, City and a few players at the other clubs) are around 30-40k/year. England squad members get payments from the FA on top of that - which can add another 20-30k. Signing and relocation fees are common but not particularly high. Some of the players get sponsorship money - 5k typically for England squad level.

It's thought a handful of the very best, including a couple of foreign players who aren't getting those national squad top-ups are getting over 50k/year.

 

[Adisa]

I covered the best guesses that are around on budgets and wages, including average WSL1/WSL2 pay in https://www.redcafe.net/threads/use...fans-and-player-numbers.439563/#post-22700490

Basically, the club wages for most of the senior pros (Arsenal, Chelsea, City and a few players at the other clubs) are around 30-40k/year. England squad members get payments from the FA on top of that - which can add another 20-30k. Signing and relocation fees are common but not particularly high. Some of the players get sponsorship money - 5k typically for England squad level.

It's thought a handful of the very best, including a couple of foreign players who aren't getting those national squad top-ups are getting over 50k/year.

Pretty miniscule for what is effectively a short career. Wonder whatpst do, post retirement.

 

[jojojo]

Pretty miniscule for what is effectively a short career. Wonder whatpst do, post retirement.

That's the hard thing about the change to Pro from amateur/semi-pro really. Players used to be able to do ordinary jobs or study while they played.

Casey Stoney worked as a youth team coach. Kirsty Smith has accountancy/finance qualifications from Heriot Watt. Kirsty Hanson is studying at Leeds Beckett. Some of the top youngsters go to the US to play college football while they study. At any rate, it's a safe bet they're all playing for love not money.

 

[jojojo]

Incidentally, for anyone wondering about the most famous names in world football. Alex Morgan was believed to be getting around £30k/month at Lyon - total earnings may be around $2 million/year including endorsements, sponsors etc. There are a handful who really are in a different league.

 

[Hansa]

Incidentally, for anyone wondering about the most famous names in world football. Alex Morgan is believed to be getting around £30k/month at Lyon - total earnings may be around $2 million/year including endorsements, sponsors etc. There are a handful who really are in a different league.

Ada Hegerberg, according to reports, is about to sign a deal which would make her the highest earner in the world. Morgan's salary is mentioned, but this one is apparently "on a completely different level". I guess we'll be seeing the best women copying their male counterparts in prolonged contract sagas in the not too distant future.

Noggie link: https://www.nrk.no/sport/hegerberg-med-ny-superkontrakt-_-blir-best-betalt-i-verden-1.14066587

 

[JB7]

Incidentally, for anyone wondering about the most famous names in world football. Alex Morgan is believed to be getting around £30k/month at Lyon - total earnings may be around $2 million/year including endorsements, sponsors etc. There are a handful who really are in a different league.

She doesn't play for Lyon.

 

[jojojo]

She doesn't play for Lyon.

Sorry, that should have been past tense. That was believed to be her 2017 salary with Lyon.

 

[Damien]

Bit weird there has been no announcements. Would have thought that today/tomorrow at latest would have been a good time with no World Cup matches on.

 

[RedPamie]

Bit weird there has been no announcements. Would have thought that today/tomorrow at latest would have been a good time with no World Cup matches on.

Yeah. I thought so too. I turn on notification from official account , got nothing so far. Maybe because Casey is still holidaying in Spain?

 

[littlepeasoup]

It's genuinely exciting to see a team being built up from nothing. I've always found the process fascinating.

 

[RedPamie]

Siobhan Chamberlain and Jessica Sigsworth haven't announced their clubs yet. Strong rumors about both joining us.

And another names added to the mix are Leah Galton, Millie Farrow and Lucy Roberts. Okay so basically every player not yet tied to a club is going to be linked to us

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

My mrs works at a girls school in Manchester and I know lots of them will be thrilled for us to finally be getting started on this. All the best young girls they have go straight onto City's books, which is a pain in the arse considering most of them are United fans. I'm not particularly bothered about the women's team myself if I'm honest but I'm made up for the girls in the local area to have the chance to play for United.

 

[DBT85]

Pretty miniscule for what is effectively a short career. Wonder whatpst do, post retirement.

I think most are actually bright enough to have to do real work with no massive issue. Also, when you'be only earned 50k a year, having to go and do real work isn't so far down the ladder, unlike mens players who earn a fortune and often blow it all.

 

[Grande]

Anyone can edit wiki pages and the revision that changed her current club to Doncaster Belles happened over a week before she even left Hibs. If there was any truth in her moving there, it would have likely already been announced but it hasn't.

Bit of fuel to the fire that Emily Ramsey could be coming back - Willie Kirk has followed her on twitter and vice versa. I don't really expect to get any squad hints from who follows who on there but found that one interesting. Also a stab in the dark but maybe we might be signing Chelsea Weston too. Been a free agent since mid May and no news on what her next club is.

Emily Ramsey and Katie Zelem - that would have been tremendously cool.

 

[RedPamie]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Announcements soon maybe?

Also those players linked to us started following each other in Instagram and some even already followed official account. Or United have lots of fans among players in women's game .

If our guesses are correct, two clubs or their fans would be very annoyed with us. Liverpool and Bristol City. Donny Belles too to a degree. Let's see.

 

[jojojo]

They'll have to tell us eventually

 

[RedPamie]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[Damien]

Friday! Bloody hell they're dragging it out. When were/are they due to be training? First friendly can't be far away.

 

[Class of 63]

Friday the Thirteenth

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Friday the Thirteenth

That's what went through my mind. Move it to Thursday for goodness sake.

 

[Class of 63]

That's what went through my mind. Move it to Thursday for goodness sake.

Casey Stoney and Willie Kirk out !!

No doubt the squad news will be available on Twitter by around 23:00 on the Thursday anyway.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Casey Stoney and Willie Kirk out !!

No doubt the squad news will be available on Twitter by around 23:00 on the Thursday anyway.

I am really intrigued to see how this goes. If they can get themselves promoted, then who would they be able to recruit then? The young girls won their league so there must be talent within that group that can be brought into the team as well.

 

[jojojo]

I am really intrigued to see how this goes. If they can get themselves promoted, then who would they be able to recruit then? The young girls won their league so there must be talent within that group that can be brought into the team as well.

We'll have a clearer idea when the squad really does come out. At the moment anyone not announced elsewhere is ours

If some of the rumours are to be believed we've signed next year's squad this year! It's an exciting thought though because it would mean we've rounded up several ex-United junior players, plus some young internationals. If the rumours are anything like true then I suspect all that will really happen next year, is we'll be ready to go after some southern based players, and a couple of England players who weren't sure this year (because it's the women's World Cup next summer).

As you say, our girls team is a strong one, but that's an U16 team, so it'll be a couple of years before they'll come through to the first team. The great thing is they don't have to leave and go to Liverpool etc, they can plan to stay with us now. I'm assuming somewhere in the small print of these new changes will be the appearance of a reserve/U18/21 team as well.

 

[Adisa]

Pity I have no idea of any of the player and won't be able to judge the quality of the squad. Do we expect a quick promotion campaign?

 

[DomesticTadpole]

We'll have a clearer idea when the squad really does come out. At the moment anyone not announced elsewhere is ours

If some of the rumours are to be believed we've signed next year's squad this year! It's an exciting thought though because it would mean we've rounded up several ex-United junior players, plus some young internationals. If the rumours are anything like true then I suspect all that will really happen next year, is we'll be ready to go after some southern based players, and a couple of England players who weren't sure this year (because it's the women's World Cup next summer).

As you say, our girls team is a strong one, but that's an U16 team, so it'll be a couple of years before they'll come through to the first team. The great thing is they don't have to leave and go to Liverpool etc, they can plan to stay with us now. I'm assuming somewhere in the small print of these new changes will be the appearance of a reserve/U18/21 team as well.

It is lovely that these youngster now have something to aim for. That young female United fans can dream of playing for the club they support. It can only be a good thing.