UNITED Casey’s squad already starts to take shape
UNITED Women’s manager Casey Stoney believes people will be ‘surprised’ when they see who she has recruited to play for the team.
The Reds will be playing in the second tier of the Women’s Super League next season for the first time having set up a women’s team, and former England captain Stoney has been given the historic job of leading the side.
Since being appointed earlier this month, Stoney has been piecing together her coaching staff and has already agreed 17 players ahead of the season starting in August.
And Stoney was pleasantly surprised at how easy she has found it to recruit players, despite being in the second tier.
“I thought the recruitment process was going to more difficult because we’re not in the top tier, so I thought that would be a huge challenge for us,” Stoney told M.E.N. Sport.
“But because it’s Manchester United and because of the plans and the visions of the club and what we can do for the women’s game and the profile of the players, it has been a bit easier than expected.”
When City re-launched their team and entered WSL 1 they signed players from their rivals, and Stoney has suggested her stature within the game has allowed her to approach players in a way other teams would not be able to.
“Obviously I know the game, I have been in it a long time. Whereas other clubs might have to go through agents I go straight to the player because they know me,” Stoney explained.
And Stoney suggested United’s team will have players from teams currently in the top tier and players who played for United as girls but had to move on to step up due to the lack of a women’s team.
“We have tried to get experienced players because when you are building something you need them, but we have also gone for some really young and exciting players,” she said. “We have a good blend and each year we will try and strengthen and make sure we can compete. I have been relentless in trying to recruit the best players and we are going to put them in some uncomfortable positions and really push them to develop.
“I can’t ask players to drop down if I can’t make those promises to stretch and challenge them.”
The team will be based at United’s old training ground The Cliff and play their home games at Leigh Sports Village. While that means they are away from the first team at Carrington, Stoney says she prefers it that way.
“I am happy with it because we can do what we want when we want,” Stoney said. “I have been in women’s football a long time and as a women’s team you will never take precedent over the men’s team.
“They are discussing plans to expand Carrington and the reason we’re not there is because they just don’t have the capacity for any more teams. But our team will be part of those expansion plans.
“They’re investing £1.2m at The Cliff and it’s a building full of history and tradition, so to have that as a base is brilliant.” Stoney has only been in the job for a matter of weeks but admitted she already feels part of the United family and is hoping to pick the brains of Jose Mourinho in the near future.
“I’ve not spoken to him yet but I’m sure I will do in the future,” Stoney said. “I have been at the training ground a lot but the men’s team are having a break, but when he’s back I might be lucky enough to have a chat and pick his brains.
“The reason I took this job is because they told me they don’t do anything unless they can do it properly and already they have fully integrated the team within the club and I have been at a lot of clubs where that hasn’t happened.
“We want to build this team and put them on a platform where they can be successful.
“We have a team now that I think is good enough to try and get up within the first season and that’s what we’re trying to do.
These are the first 20 players ever in history to represent Manchester United Women’s team on a professional level.
“They’ve been given the shirt and it’s up to them to keep it.”