CASEY STONEY’S decision to quit Manchester United at the end of the season came as a shock to me.
She has done an incredible job during her three seasons with the club, leading them to promotion into the WSL from the Championship and then consecutive fourth-place finishes.
But she deemed it a “personal failure” when the Red Devils missed out by a point on a spot in Europe for the first time in the club’s history this term.
Stoney, 39, has done a remarkable job considering Man Utd only reformed their women’s side in 2018 after a 13-year hiatus.
She had just ten days to create a whole squad and recruit her backroom staff when she took over.
The former England and Arsenal icon resigned from the top job following frustration over a lack of resources and the budget for the women’s side.
Time and time again we saw her fighting for more in the battle for women’s football to be treated fairly.
Stoney was also left gutted when her side’s first ever game at Old Trafford was not broadcast on television or even the club’s own MUTV channel.
She said: “We’ve missed a massive opportunity. We’re so short-sighted in the women’s game.”
I said this before but I feel like in the women’s game you’re always expected to feel grateful for everything.
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I’ve felt it at times, that you should just be grateful because everyone’s going out of their way to go above and beyond for you.
Everyone is hailing the women’s top flight for how far it has come, which it has.
But there are still leaps and bounds to be made and often Stoney was a lone voice in the fight for change.
She called out the cancellation of the Women’s FA Cup while the men played on amid the coronavirus crisis.
And she also spoke out about the closure of girls’ academies while the boys continued to train.
I’m proud that she stood up for the darker side of women’s football that still needs to be worked on.
Stoney has now been linked with USA women’s team San Diego.
She bids farewell to the United dugout as her side take on Leicester City in the FA Cup fifth round tomorrow in her final game in charge.
And I know my old team-mate has got a HUGE future ahead.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
