Marc Skinner's time at United has been widely discussed, especially as his contract approaches its end in the summer. I find myself focusing more on the tangible aspects of his tenure rather than labeling it successful.

A notable issue has been his approach to team building. Many players brought in since the 2021/22 winter window have departed within two years. This trend points to a lack of clear profiling or a strategic approach to recruitment The majority of these new signings haven't been given proper gametime, and a significant portion of this failure can be attributed to the manager's decisions.

Take, for example, the case of Lisa Naalsund, who was brought in during the 2022/23 winter transfer window for a then-club record fee of £160,000. Despite her significant acquisition cost, she has only clocked 135 minutes of gametime in the league. Both eye test and data place her among United's top midfielders, on par with Toone. This underutilization of a player, signed by Marc himself, raises questions. While it's important to acknowledge her injury in her first season, which undoubtedly impacted her integration and adjustment to the new league and team, her involvement in the current season has been minimal. Out of 10 league games, she has played in just 5, averaging a mere 25.4 minutes per game. For a player of Naalsund's caliber, this is arguably inadequate, especially when you consider that she was signed by the manager himself for a record fee, that too in the winter window.

This is merely one instance among many. It wouldn't be far-fetched to say that United's management under Marc Skinner could fill the pages of an entire book, given the extent of mismanagement over the past two and a half years. From an honest and impartial perspective, his period at the helm will likely be regarded as unsuccessful as under him, United have failed to show any evidence of sustainable progress.

With the team United currently have, they should be achieving much more. It truly feels like an era of lost potential of a highly talented side.