Eva Olid Takes Charge: New Era Begins for United Women This Weekend

Barely a day after walking through the doors at Carrington, Eva Olid is already preparing to lead Manchester United Women out for the first time. The Spaniard will take charge of her first match in the dugout this weekend, and for supporters it marks the moment a fresh chapter truly gets under way.

United confirmed Olid as United’s new head coach on a two-year deal, with the club announcing she will oversee the side this weekend. She succeeds Marc Skinner, who left by mutual consent after five years in charge. Why this matters now is simple: it is the first real look at how Olid wants her United to play, and the first clue to the identity she will stamp on a squad packed with international talent.

Who is Eva Olid?

Olid arrives with a reputation for meticulous preparation and a modern, front-foot approach. ESPN have detailed the thinking behind the switch from Skinner to Olid, framing it as United’s bid to push on in the Women’s Super League after a period of steady progress. Her first days at Carrington have already been documented from inside the building, offering an early glimpse of how she intends to work.

The squad Eva Olid inherits

The new boss does not want for quality. Captain Maya Le Tissier anchors a group featuring England’s Ella Toone and Jess Park, forwards Elisabeth Terland and Lea Schüller, the vastly experienced Fridolina Rolfö and goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce. It is a squad built to challenge at the top of the WSL, and one Olid will be eager to mould in her own image from Leigh Sports Village outwards.

This weekend, then, is about first impressions. Results in these early outings will not define the season, but they will offer the first evidence of what the Eva Olid era looks like. After the upheaval of a managerial change, United’s women finally have a chance to let the football do the talking — and their supporters cannot wait to see it.