Manchester United manager Marc Skinner has said that United "feels like one club again" and that new sporting director Dan Ashworth and CEO Omar Berrada have a "burning ambition" for the women's team despite ongoing concerns that they are an afterthought within the club.
Despite winning the FA Cup, the team's first major trophy since winning promotion to the Women's Super League (WSL) in 2019, fans were disappointed when majority owner Jim Ratcliffe admitted to Bloomberg that plans for the women's team were to be confirmed, and that focus had been on the men's team.
Ratcliffe told British outlet The Times: "The men's team make £800 million, the women's team cost £10m."
The club appointed Berrada from Manchester City and Ashworth from Newcastle to oversee operations ahead of the 2024/25 season. Skinner did not speak about Ratcliffe but insisted that the pair of executives are committed to the women's team.
"When Dan [Ashworth] first came in, I met him in the dinner hall with all the other members of the staff from men's first team and we spoke for an hour," Skinner said. "Nobody interrupted him in our conversation. When you've had a year of that relationship, it's hard to stop that. They all say hello and relationships are built by seeing each other more often. I hope that continues.
"Dan Ashworth and Omar Berrada have been fantastic and have both come in with real energy to speak to the group," he continued. "I cannot tell you how personable and authentic those conversations were. They genuinely love women's football and have a real burning ambition for it to be in the forefront of their direction. That will only improve."
Skinner admitted that there had been a newfound confluence with the men's team and the management after the women's team was moved into temporary buildings at the Carrington training ground.
In another concern that the women's team were not a priority for the club, the men's team were moved into the women's facilities which they share with the academy teams while the men's buildings underwent a £50m renovation.
Rather than moving the team to an alternative site -- a move that was explored, the club said -- the women's team spent time at England's St. George's Park training ground and will spend the remainder of the season in temporary buildings.
However, Skinner was adamant that it was not a downgrade and that United now feels like one club.
"What is reported on the outside honestly could not be further from the truth. Everyone in our club has moved. They have all moved to incorporate the growth of Carrington," he said.
"We went to St. George's Park which was a brilliant experience as we got to gel together. But our training pitches that we will have every day are better than St. George's Park. Ours are newer. You would eat your breakfast off our pitches -- they are incredible.
"[People say] 'We're training in barracks,' we're not training in barracks. We are training in a facility that has been built on site for our players. It has all been branded up today and the girls will move into it tomorrow.
"I didn't know what it would be like at first but knowing we're not downgrading any facilities -- we've actually had an upgrade -- and we would be seeing all of the teams, it feels like one club again. That's a really strong movement I think we needed and we've got it now."
He also revealed that he has a better relationship with Ruud van Nisterooy and Erik ten Hag thanks to the change to Carrington.
"The best thing that could have happened was the changing of the facilities because now we are constantly walking past each other and speaking," he said.
Skinner also shared that Bruno Fernandes stopped him in the car park before a preseason game, and insisted on attending the game to support the team.
"We played Blackburn in a preseason friendly and in the car park, Bruno Fernandes walks past. They trained right in front of us while we ate, so we got to see them as well. He came back, asked if we had a game then he came to watch the second half after he had showered and got changed. He spoke to all the players," Skinner said.
"We have a better relationship now because we're all crossing over. It wouldn't have sounded ideal in the way it came across at first but I have to give credit for the way the club have put it all together. We liaise more with the men's first team staff because we can see each other. I know when the facilities are finished, we will only benefit from it. I can promise you that."
Despite the historic FA Cup win, United had a disappointing season, finishing fifth, their lowest finish since entering the WSL. The team had finished second the season before, earning their first Champions League qualification.
The team also lost key players in Mary Earps, captain Katie Zelem and forward Lucía García over the summer, though they have strengthened with the signing former Brighton striker Elisabeth Terland, Tottenham winger Celin Bizet and Sweden defender Anna Sandberg.
Skinner, who signed a one-year contract extension before the end of last season, said the aim ahead of the new season is to get back into Champions League contention and felt that criticism of his team neglected that they won silverware.
"Yeah, it is, but don't dismiss the FA Cup win," he said. "We are the first team to do it in however long. We fell short in the league, yes, we did, but please don't make that the most important part.
"We won a trophy for Manchester United. On the way we beat Chelsea and then we demolished Tottenham in the final.
"Making a negative story probably feels good for everyone outside. They say: 'Manchester United needs to do better.' We want to do better. We want to win the league, that's our aim but we also come up against some fantastic teams. We want to win trophies. We want to try to get into the Champions League, but it's not a given.
"If you drop the ball at any point -- like we did too many times last season in the league -- it affects what you're going to do. We have balance again. We've got a different vibe and a different energy."