Marc Skinner: Man Utd boss says ‘you can’t please everybody’

Marc Skinner accepts he is “not going to please everybody” in the Manchester United fanbase after a mixed reaction to the announcement of his new contract.

Manager Skinner, 42, recently signed a two-year extension until June 2027, with the option of an extra 12 months.

United sit third in the Women’s Super League with the best defensive record in the division.

They have also reached the Women’s FA Cup semi-finals, where they play local rivals Manchester City on Sunday.

Asked if he has silenced his critics this season, Skinner told BBC Sport: “I don’t ever think of it that way. I genuinely respect everybody and their opinion.”

But knowing some supporters would like to see him replaced is an uncomfortable truth.

“It’s not nice to hear, of course not,” Skinner said. “I am human. My energy is always to my team and for the fans, it’s not to try and prove people wrong.”

Skinner is the longest-serving current manager in the WSL, having taken charge in 2021.

After guiding United to a fourth-place finish in his first campaign, they then finished second in the WSL to secure a place in the Champions League for the first time.

Skinner then led the team to their first major honour by winning the FA Cup last year.

He feels his team are on an upward trajectory and wants to drive them on, regardless of whether his work is rated by some sections of the fanbase.

“I respect them, I respect their points of view, but I am still going to do my job to the best of my ability and try to make people better every day,” Skinner said.

“They want their team to win and if I can deliver that for them, it doesn’t matter if they like what I do or not.

“I’ve been really proud of what the team are doing this year and I want to make sure for the fans and for the whole club that I am the figurehead that pushes us towards continued success and builds a team that can be solid for many years to come.”