- 8 months ago
Manchester United Women's manager Marc Skinner on losing the FA Cup and Sir Jim Ratcliffe not at the Women's Final
18/05/2025
Wembley Stadium, London, UK
18/05/2025
Wembley Stadium, London, UK
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00How are you doing?
00:02Four.
00:14Right, who's first?
00:17Hello, mate.
00:21Where are we starting?
00:23Done?
00:24It's done.
00:25Hello, mate.
00:26Yep.
00:26First of all, what did you make of the performance overall?
00:30It was, I thought we started well.
00:34I felt we matched them physically.
00:37There's been a lot of talk around, I think I heard tactically around their rotations in midfield,
00:42but we just need to be a little bit braver and jump.
00:47But their plan was to pull us in to go over us 1v1s on the halfway line.
00:51So, all in all, I think, you know, I wanted us to be kind of with the ball brave.
00:57I wanted to take them.
00:58I think they dribbled and dueled better than us a little bit more, which they pay for.
01:02So, no credit to them.
01:05Congratulations to them on the season they've had.
01:08But, yeah, I think we could have been better in those moments.
01:11But, again, Dan, it comes down to the game has swung on set pieces.
01:17And it's a penalty that's poor from us.
01:19And, again, a set piece that's poor from us.
01:22And I'm not blaming the set piece.
01:23It's concentration and player individuality within that.
01:26So, we've got work to do.
01:28How do you kind of sum that up, the set pieces?
01:30Because, obviously, you know, across the season you've been so good defensively.
01:33But in these games against Chelsea you've been undone kind of, you know, three, four times across the games.
01:38Yeah, they're pretty good at them, Dan.
01:40They're pretty good.
01:40They've got monsters in there.
01:42So, yeah, you give up something, they can attack a different zone.
01:46They've got quality on delivery.
01:47It's not easy is the answer.
01:50You know, when you deliver set pieces, you can do them for days and days.
01:54And then they find a different space.
01:55So, you've just got to, in the moment, take responsibility.
01:58And I think from the young team that I've got, I think their experience will grow from this moment.
02:01You know, I see Anna Sandberg at the end who's, you know, distraught.
02:05She's in a big final.
02:06But she'll learn from it.
02:07You know, there's loads and loads of learning opportunities.
02:09As disappointed as I am, we've had a fantastic season.
02:12We've had a fantastic season to do what we've done and get into Champions League qualification again.
02:18We've had a fantastic season.
02:19So, those moments will fix.
02:21I have no doubt.
02:22It will change again next year, Dan.
02:23It always does.
02:24But I think in big moments, we have to make sure we take individual responsibility.
02:29Emma?
02:30By the way, guys, you don't have to say commiserations.
02:32It's fine.
02:32It's fine.
02:33I get it.
02:33We lost.
02:35Can I just ask about Ella Toon?
02:36Obviously, she wasn't in the starting XI.
02:38What was the thinking behind that one?
02:39Well, when, if you watch Chelsea and we've played them three times, they, when they play
02:44Coughbets, they boot our midfielders.
02:46And she's a much better player than that.
02:48She's a great player, but they try and physically dominate you in midfield.
02:52So, I felt that if we started the game without physically matching them, then I felt that
02:58we would, you know, wouldn't have a foothold in the game.
03:00It's a pretty balanced first half.
03:02I know they had a bit of territory and we had to defend, but I don't think Evie Keeper
03:06really had to do that much.
03:07So, it was about balancing for the right time.
03:09So, what I didn't like against Arsenal, Em, was that we didn't have much change.
03:13There wasn't nothing to come into the game, so it couldn't really make us better.
03:19So, yeah, it was, you know, it's nothing, it wasn't personal.
03:22It was more about the right opportunity to change the game.
03:25And I felt that Tuna could do that from the second half.
03:27So, just so happens at half time, we take an injury to Millie and, and she has to come
03:33out, so we have to adapt anyway.
03:34So, but it was more about game plan.
03:37It's very difficult to go toe-to-toe with Chelsea, especially in the final.
03:42So, we had to try and find the ability to adapt the game and change it.
03:45So, that's sole reason, tactical.
03:47I'm sure you will be expecting this, but Chelsea's board obviously turned out in
03:52numbers, new investors.
03:54You know, Alexis, Serena flew over from the US to be here.
03:57Yeah.
03:58So, Jim Ratcliffe wasn't here yet again.
04:00He was obviously criticised heavily last year for not being here.
04:02Why wasn't he here and how do you feel about that?
04:05In all honesty, I don't know why Jim wasn't here.
04:08So, I can't give you that answer.
04:10But we were really well represented.
04:11Like, Omar's up there.
04:13Omar, you know, we've got the Glazer family in a massive support.
04:17And, and obviously Jason's up there as well.
04:20So, I know we're trying to find a story, but we've just lost the final.
04:25And from my perspective, I don't know the answer to that.
04:28And how I feel about that is I've just lost the final, but our club is really well represented.
04:33So, and those are the people that I kind of deal with every day.
04:35So, that's the people I need to be in.
04:39They need to see that for us to be able to look at what we need to do to close a growing gap in finance that Chelsea obviously have.
04:48So, yeah, I don't really feel like, I don't know the answer you'd have to ask that.
04:53But I feel like we were really well supported from the club.
04:55I appreciate, you know, as you said, it's an FA Cup final, but arguably that's more reason to talk about it because you've reached this stage.
05:02It's such a pinnacle of, of the game and, and obviously, you know, one of the co-owners of the club hasn't been here.
05:09I appreciate you say you don't work with them on an everyday basis, but surely that, that is a concern for, you know, the women's side of Manchester United that somebody is high profile.
05:18So, Jim Ratcliffe doesn't feel the need to be here.
05:21I mean, potentially, that's the angle you want to talk about.
05:24For me, Em, like the reality is that it's the investment in the team that needs to happen.
05:28It's not whether you're visible.
05:29I get you, the representation of visibility is how you see it, but as long as our club is, and team is being invested in, that is also a way of showing your support for the team.
05:38So, for us, we need to close that gap.
05:41And again, as I say, like, Omar is a, is a key player in what we do.
05:45Jason is a key player in the football side of what we do, and they were here.
05:48And obviously, the Glazer family are key players in what we do still.
05:51So, for us, I understand the angle.
05:55I don't know the reason why Jim wasn't here, but as long as the club continues to invest in the right way that we need to do to close that gap, then they're still showing the support in that way.
06:04And I really think that's a pertinent point.
06:07Visibility is key, and I get that they're flown over.
06:09Let's see how many times they fly over in the season for Chelsea, because it's a final, so it's easy for them to do so.
06:14So, and credit to them by that.
06:16It's not, you know, that's them.
06:18But from my perspective, I feel the support, and, you know, we need to show it in the right way in the summer, I think, in order for us to close that gap.
06:26Appreciate your answers.
06:27Thank you, Em.
06:29Hi, Mark.
06:31Just going back to Ella, I appreciate you gave the explanation of the tactics, but does, obviously, she's got a bit of a knack for delivering at Wembley, that we've seen before, both for England and Man United.
06:39Does that come into your thinking at all when you're selecting a team?
06:42Of course.
06:42Of course it does.
06:43Yeah, of course it does.
06:44The reality is, though, Kit, we've also played Chelsea, and in the season, I felt that there were moments in that game where, you know, the first game, Tooney didn't play, she was injured when we played them away.
06:55And then the second game, we played them, and I felt that we had one of our best performances ever against Chelsea.
07:01So, from our perspective, there was rationale for us to do that.
07:05Yes, she can.
07:06Of course she can.
07:07She's an incredible player, but we also need to be in the game for 90 minutes, not just little flashes that, you know, unfortunately, we were.
07:14I wasn't able to deliver today.
07:16And just also to go on stuff with Sir Jim, would you have expected an explanation for why he wasn't here, or would you be seeking an explanation?
07:25To get that explanation, that's not, it wouldn't come to me.
07:28That would come to the people around me.
07:29I'm here to work with the team, so I wouldn't expect, I don't know the rationale.
07:34Maybe we'll talk about that in the summer, I don't know.
07:36But the reality was, I felt that we were well supported from the club.
07:40Thank you, Kit.
07:41Tom?
07:41Can I just say, I don't think we need any more gym questions.
07:44Mark's clearly explained, we've been focusing very heavily this week on, like, the actual match, and not about who's going to be here and who's not going to be here.
07:52So, I don't think we need any more questions on it.
07:54He said what he needs to say, okay?
07:56Mark, what did Ella say when you told her that she wasn't playing today?
07:59How did she take the news?
08:00Yeah, we met, of course, because I do that in person.
08:05Look, Tuna's my vice captain.
08:07She understands the situation.
08:08She'll be extremely disappointed not to start.
08:10That's the nature of the person.
08:14So, yeah, she took the information, and that was it, Tom.
08:19That's part and parcel of making decisions in this game.
08:22It's not nice.
08:23It's not a nice place to be, especially in big finals.
08:26But I always knew that Tuna could come into the game and make a difference.
08:29So, that was always the plan.
08:31Please, can I ask a more broad question about Chelsea's sort of dominance now?
08:34I think there was maybe a sentiment last season that Emma Hayes is moving on,
08:38end of an era, maybe it's a chance for others, and they've only gone and got stronger.
08:41Like, it's an unbeaten domestic season.
08:43How concerned are you by that?
08:45Can the gap be closed not just by yourselves, but everybody?
08:48I think I've answered this.
08:49Not today, Tom, but I'll answer it again.
08:52The honesty is I don't know.
08:53I've got to find Manchester United's way in the summer.
08:57Right now, we've had a big, long season.
09:00We've got to another FA Cup final, three in a row.
09:02We've got back into Champions League qualification.
09:05So, I think for me, if you saw me at the end on the pitch, it's not...
09:08I'm staring into space because I'm thinking about how I can close that gap.
09:12And I'm not going to have the finances that maybe in Arsenal or Manchester City are.
09:15But I think I get the dominance, but I think it sounds crazy,
09:20but I think Chelsea have, in games this year, been able to...
09:24You could have got them, and I don't think most teams in the league have maximised that.
09:28So, let's see.
09:29I mean, they're only going to invest, Tom.
09:31So, we've really got to...
09:33I've got to dig deep in my thoughts and see where I can close that gap.
09:37But I will do that, for sure.
09:40I don't know if England is ready for that type of system in terms of opinion.
10:00Who knows that WPL might look at that as a strategy.
10:05I think right now we just have to find a way of closing that gap to Chelsea as much as we can.
10:12The reality is you play them twice, so you've got to be almost perfect against...
10:15Like today, we'd have had to have been perfect against them.
10:19Having been in that, the playoff system, I think it doesn't really...
10:25For the team that's been the best team in the league for the whole of the year,
10:28they probably sometimes don't get the reward they deserve, which is to win that ending.
10:32So, probably not.
10:33I don't think we're ready for it in England anyway.
10:35Yeah, I don't think we're ready for it.
10:40What did he say in the huddle at the end?
10:43That went on for quite a while.
10:45Yeah, I just said to be proud of them.
10:46It's really hard in disappointment to find the words to kind of give people some solace.
10:53So, I just am really proud of you for the seizing you've given.
10:57We have to go away.
10:59Say, for example, we don't get a pound to spend in the sun, which I know we will.
11:02So, we will.
11:03But we've got to maximise what we've got in the minute.
11:07So, as our players, we have to come back fitter, stronger, more aggressive.
11:11We have to concentrate more and control the controllables.
11:15And I think that's all right.
11:16Give them the power.
11:17I still believe this, and I'll believe this as long as I'm Manchester.
11:19I think we're the best team and have the best team spirit in the country.
11:24Honestly, I see it.
11:25We've got a unique spirit as a group.
11:27But now we need to maximise.
11:28George said to my sports science group, just that whatever you need, we need to maximise.
11:35Because I felt today, in some of those duels, I felt we got bounced far too easily.
11:40So, I think young people will learn from that.
11:42And that's where we can grow.
11:43So, that was the theme of what I was trying to say.
11:46In terms of, I'm not talking about Sir Jim not being here, but he has said in the past that the women's team wear the shirt.
11:54And they have a kind of duty to kind of back you.
11:59There's a new training ground coming on stream at the start of next season, hopefully.
12:05You're talking about closing the gap.
12:07How do you ensure that it doesn't get wider?
12:10Is it a simple financial manoeuvres or is there another way?
12:16I think it's, honestly, I think I said this, I need to go and find the other answers.
12:22I don't think, it is financial.
12:24There's some finances in it because I think we, you know, vastly, quite openly spend less than Chelsea.
12:31You know, they spend often and they win for it.
12:33So, I don't know.
12:36I'm going to go away and find, like, I won't rest over the summer.
12:39I've got to find a way that we can close that different types of gap.
12:43But we do need investment as well.
12:44Of course we do.
12:45You know, I think the club know that.
12:47We're also going through a period as a club where, you know, things are changing and we're trying to get back in.
12:52And we understand where we're at as a club and what we need to do.
12:55So, we've got to find, I've got to find little snippets here and there that can make us better.
12:59But there's definitely some financial closure that we need as well.
13:03Mark, hearing your sort of explanation and rationale for having Ella Toon on the bench, wanting that impetus, that gravitas from the bench.
13:11And also, getting an understanding that you feel perhaps that you have made the absolute most of the resource you have at your disposal.
13:17What would be the number one priority for you when you have the eyes that you do in the Wembley Stadium, taking a look at where the differences might be between where Manchester United are right now and where you want to be competing with Chelsea in the future?
13:28That's a good question.
13:29I think we need, you know, obviously, I think in the forward line, we need variance.
13:36I think we need to have the ability to invade, not just defend.
13:40I think we're really good on transition.
13:42I think we create a lot of chances from defensive transition.
13:46But I think we need to invest in there.
13:47I think, you know, it might need to freshen up in parts of midfield.
13:52I'm really looking forward to Simia Wujo.
13:54She hasn't played as much, but she's not been ready for it this year mentally.
13:57She's coming to a first professional concert.
14:00So, I'm excited to see where she goes.
14:01Because we attack on all lines, we need to strengthen again, maybe in fullback areas, just to add that deal.
14:08We have Hannah coming back, of course, which would be great.
14:12I think we really missed Jade today.
14:15Jade Revere.
14:15I think we missed her massively because when they invaded their wingbacks, we would have been able to jump that a lot better.
14:20But for Itha, it's been fantastic this season.
14:22So, I think those are the areas that we need to look at.
14:26But I won't.
14:27What I'm going to do is I'm going to go away from this.
14:29And I'm going to look at specifically where I think players are up to, where maybe some might need to move on, some might need to stay, and who would grow.
14:39But I need a space.
14:40So, we haven't had a space to do that.
14:42I need a space now to do that.
14:44And that's where I'll kind of maximise my time.
14:47Does it help your cause as well that you can go to the ownership and people in influential decision-making positions and say,
14:52Look, I've got this club to an FA Cup final.
14:54We've got Champions League football now.
14:55Does it help your negotiation position?
14:57Do you know what, more importantly, I think if you watch it today, I think you see the difference, right?
15:01And I must stress, like, I love my team.
15:03And I love their energy and their honesty and their commitment.
15:06And we have a lot of young players.
15:08But, yeah, like, I think you see the difference.
15:11You know, just look at the changes in the substitutes.
15:13And I don't mean that against ours being negative, but it's a totally different experience.
15:19And I think we need that level of experience and quality in order to really make a difference.
15:26Mark, I just wanted to ask a bit about, you spoke at the start of the season about adaptability, sort of adapting in terms of tactical set-ups.
15:37I was wondering how you felt today, obviously, with Chelsea going to that back three.
15:41Did you feel the team adapted to that well?
15:43And also, how did or didn't kind of squad depth play a role in that?
15:47Do you think that would have helped more?
15:48Yeah, for sure.
15:51You know, we knew that they played a five against Liverpool last.
15:55So, we had it in the plan.
15:57We'd gone through it pre-match with the girls anyway.
15:59The reality is you've got to – we want to be an aggressive team, so you've got to be able to jump consistently.
16:06I don't know if that's Aoife's kind of greatest of traits, whereas Jade, it perfectly fits.
16:11So, I think that's an adaptation.
16:12Again, another one, Gabby and Anna are totally different kind of players, so we looked at whether it would be Anna or Gabby from the start.
16:21But, yeah, I think we – when we won the ball, I wanted us to be more brave with it, like, take people on a little bit more.
16:30But we changed shape three times in the game.
16:33We went three nines at the end.
16:35Like, we couldn't really have done much more tactically in order to make and try and adapt.
16:40And we went player-for-player press.
16:43And just with their quality, they're able to beat us play sometimes on that 1v1, and that's where they opened us up a little bit.
16:49Did you feel that that came down to kind of those individual qualities and moments rather than the team sort of struggling to adapt to those positional shifts?
16:57How did you think they coped with those kind of demands?
16:58Yeah, I think they were all right.
16:59Honestly, I thought they were all right.
17:00Like, they see them.
17:01They rotate.
17:02We could have jumped the centre-half in to one of their ten, Sandy or Agui Beaver, when they dropped in.
17:08We wanted to do that quick at half-time.
17:10We had a lot more balance with that.
17:12And, again, the game gets away on set pieces.
17:14So, when they score, it obviously gives them rhythm.
17:16And at the end, we go player-for-player.
17:18So, we set the ball back, and we create a mistake, and that goes in.
17:21But, again, you watch that.
17:22That shouldn't be a mistake.
17:23That should be a set to Anna who plays line.
17:25Those are the details.
17:27But I don't think Chelsea make those mistakes just because of their experience.
17:31Honestly, I asked Sonia.
17:32Sonia will not have to walk them through half the things that they would do themselves.
17:37She spoke about picking up Emma's legacy.
17:40Well, Emma's legacy probably is to build a robust team that can actually take the responsibility in those moments,
17:46because they're used to them.
17:47They've won a lot.
17:48So, that's what we don't have.
17:50And that's something, if I want to bridge a gap, that might be a way that we do it,
17:53is buying those kind of people that have been and won that and putting them into our team as well.
17:57But it was.
17:58There was some adaptation.
17:59We couldn't physically get to them today.
18:01I think they were better than us physically.
18:03And it's something that I've also still got to look at.
18:09Hi, Mark.
18:10So, looking a little bit more forward, we're talking about closing the gap and looking at this game maybe as a jumping point.
18:17So, where do you see yourself in 12 months' time?
18:19Do you see yourself back here?
18:21What do you want to see from the squad?
18:22Yeah, it's a good point.
18:23I think the reality is if we can qualify for the Champions League, then it's going to add more burden to the squad, right?
18:29Because you're going to be having higher profile games midweek and then potentially Chelsea on the weekend.
18:35So, yeah, we need to invest in the summer.
18:40Like, we need to get the right depth.
18:41If we don't, then you'll struggle.
18:43I think you've seen Manchester City this year when they get injuries because they're stretching to that point.
18:49They then dip off.
18:50And it kind of tends to be the curve, right?
18:52Arsenal the same the year before.
18:54Like, it tends to be curves and dips.
18:56So, I think Chelsea are probably the only team, although they're not yet where they want to be, which is the Champions League.
19:04They've invested in the squad enough for them to have that depth and be able to cover those midweek to weekend games.
19:10That will be the challenge for us, for sure.
19:13You know, I think we have the quality to qualify for Champions League.
19:16But being able to spread the squad thin over three games a week, that will be probably one of my biggest challenges.
19:22And just in terms of timing, I'm assuming everyone wants to go on holiday.
19:26You probably deserve a holiday.
19:28It's been a really long season.
19:29But when do those conversations begin for you?
19:31When do you want to start having that and moving forward this summer?
19:34Sorry, conversations regarding...
19:36Just conversations with the people, like, you know, Omar and the people out there.
19:39Oh, no, yeah, no, no, no.
19:40They've been going on for a while.
19:41Like, I'm not going to get to the end of the season and go, now I start to think.
19:45Like, no, no, we've been...
19:47I've been speaking with Matt Johnson around how we need to design this squad.
19:52We've been working on it.
19:54And sometimes maybe it's as simple as getting that depth of the team.
19:58It's got to be that.
19:59Like, today, I genuinely mean this.
20:01I don't want any one of my players to walk out without their head held high because of what they've done this season.
20:06But we still need to increase the quality if we want to challenge Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City on a consistent basis.
20:11And, you know, not just qualify for Champions League, but give it a go.
20:16So, I think, look, that's what it will boil down to.
20:21Anyone else?
20:28Hello, mate.
20:28Hi, Mark.
20:29Just on that, I spoke to Gareth Taylor earlier this season and said, like, their squad is quite thin, even without the injuries.
20:36And he was saying, well, Chelsea can build a big squad because they're in the Champions League every year.
20:40But do you think it has to be you have to build there to get there?
20:44You can't just build it.
20:45No.
20:45Yeah.
20:46Yeah.
20:46You have to build it before.
20:48You can't just get there and build it.
20:50The thing it does is it spotlights your team.
20:54It gives them probably a little bit more investment because they know it's a challenge of Champions League.
20:58So, you do get a little bit more, especially a club like us.
21:01We're not going to go out and spend multi-millions.
21:04Like, you look at Chelsea's winter window, right?
21:07It just tells you the difference, right?
21:08So, no, Amy, we can't wait.
21:12We've got to do it now.
21:13I'm trying to do that.
21:14Trust me.
21:15I have been on calls with numerous amounts of people, players, agents.
21:21And I feel that, you know, should we be able to get those moves?
21:26We have to move the needle before we get to that point.
21:29Otherwise, we'll fail.
21:30I have no doubt.
21:31Look, I'm honest.
21:32And if we don't do that squad depth as good, we'll be brilliant in a moment.
21:36One game might be the moment.
21:38But then it's got to be the depth because it's got to be that hunger.
21:40You know, what also does aim, which I've probably not spoken about, is when you have quality in each position and you have depth in there, it creates competition that no coach's words can motivate.
21:53Because it's that person stopping me progressing, not just the coach is telling me I can't do it.
21:59So, Chelsea have that.
22:02Chelsea will not be a happy dressing room when they're not playing, but they win.
22:05So, it keeps them quiet.
22:06And that's the reality of football.
22:08So, if we want to be successful, we have to go to that depth.
22:11But it's not going to be as easy as that for me.
22:14I've got to find diamonds that can also, you know, make us better as well.
22:21Thank you very much, everyone.
22:23Team, thank you for all your questions.
22:25I hope you have a fantastic summer.
22:27And I'll see you all next season.
22:29Thank you for your time.
22:33Thank you, guys.
22:33Thank you very much.
22:34Thank you, mate.
22:35Cheers, guys.
22:36Thank you, mate.
22:38Cheers, guys.
22:39Thank you very much.
22:40Can I come round?
22:41I can as well come round.
22:42Hello, mate.
22:44Thank you, mate.
22:46Thank you very much.
22:49Is there anyone else that wants a handshake?
22:55Because I can come round you all.
22:56I can come round you all.
22:57It's been a long season.
22:59You started something.
23:01There's so many.
23:02Thank you very much.
23:05I've got a voice in there.
23:08Thank you very much.
23:09Now, I'm going to try and test my picture.
23:12My picture of the room.
23:12I don't know.
23:14Definitely piece of the room.
23:16Thank you very much.
Comments