Manchester United captain Maya Le Tissier says youth development main aim for new head coach
Manchester United captain Maya Le Tissier says bringing through young players will be a main focus of the club’s new head coach following Marc Skinner’s departure.
As The Athletic reported on Monday, Skinner left Manchester United after a mutual termination of his contract. The 43-year-old told staff on Sunday evening he was stepping away, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation.
The club expects to appoint a new head coach swiftly — background checks have already been completed on potential successors — and the club’s view is that a new leader of the women’s operation will bring fresh energy and a renewed ambition.
There is also an expectation that the new manager will deliver on United’s new direction of bringing through academy prospects into the first team.
Speaking to media the day after Skinner’s exit, senior players Ella Toone and Le Tissier said neither had been involved in discussions regarding the club’s search for a new manager.
“As players, it’s about what we do on the pitch. We don’t focus on the external noise of what’s happening at the club,” Toone said.
Toone spoke to the media following Skinner’s exit (Carl Recine/Getty Images)
“We’re focussing on ourselves and whatever decisions happen higher up, then that’s on them and we’ve got to remain focussed and ready for the start of the season.”
Asked whether either player had been provided assurances by the club after accusations of limited investment into the women’s team, Le Tissier said: “I think the club have been pretty clear with what they’ve said, bringing through the youth. They’ve always done that historically. They’ve been pretty clear with that.
“When we speak to the new manager, the ambitions will be clear.”
The England international added: “Me and Tooney are at Man United because we want to win and we’ll be doing everything we can to make that happen.”
The Athletic reported this week director of football operations Ameesh Manek informed first-team players last Monday that United would be following a “sustainable long-term” investment model, while prioritising placing faith in young players in a bid to play “exciting attacking” football. It was also said that two more signings would arrive before the new season: a central defender and a left-winger.
On what type of manager she would like to see replace Skinner, Toone said: “The club’s ambition now is to bring through the youth, so you need someone who’s going to get the best out of those players, but also look after the older ones in the group.
“No matter who comes in, we want someone who’s just going to give 100 per cent, improve us as players and as a team and get us playing that attacking football that United wants us to play.”
Both players praised Skinner’s efforts throughout his five-year tenure, which saw United reach four cup finals, lift their first major trophy (the FA Cup in 2024) and reach the quarter-finals of last season’s Champions League.
“He’s done a lot for both of us as players,” Toone said. “No matter who manages at this club, when you don’t get good results or whatever, you come under pressure. That’s because you’re at a big club like Manchester United, we want to win. He was under a lot of scrutiny. But he kept going, he turned up every day. He brought energy. We can’t thank him enough for everything he’s done.”
“It was obviously not something that you wanted to hear, a manager committing to this club for five years, putting everything in every single day to this club, and now they’re leaving,” Le Tissier added. “There’s been a lot of challenges, but also a lot of really nice moments that we’ve had with him as well. It was said but now we move on now onto a new manager.”