'A Dream Come True': Eva Olid Reacts After Manchester United Confirm Her as New Women's Manager

Manchester United have appointed Eva Olid as their new women's manager on a two-year contract, with an option for a further 12 months, handing the former Hearts coach the task of reshaping the Women's Super League side just weeks before the new season.

'The opportunity to become head coach of Manchester United Women is a dream come true,' Olid said after her appointment was confirmed, praising the club's infrastructure and an academy that is 'already producing players capable of performing in a competitive first team'.

Olid arrives at Leigh Sports Village after a turbulent few months for United Women. Marc Skinner, who led the club to four major finals and delivered their first trophy in the 2023/24 campaign, left by mutual consent on Monday, barely a month before United open their WSL season away to London City Lionesses on 4 September. The appointment comes as Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS reset the strategy around the women's team, pivoting from high-profile signings towards academy development.

How Olid Turned Hearts Into Scottish Champions

The Spaniard joined Hearts in 2021 and spent five years in Edinburgh, developing her reputation from relative unknown to one of the most talked-about coaches in the British women's game. When she arrived, Hearts had finished 10th and avoided relegation only because of league reconstruction; by the end of last season they were Scottish Women's Premier League champions, two points clear of Rangers, and the division's top scorers with 85 goals.

Her preferred system, a 3-4-3 with the goalkeeper used almost as an outfield player in possession, contributed to Hearts' attacking numbers, with the side outscoring rivals Glasgow City, Celtic and Hibs by 20 or more goals last season. She also showed tactical flexibility, switching to a more defensive approach in April to secure a 1-0 win over long-time rivals Glasgow City that took Hearts top of the table, the same night she confirmed she would leave the club at the end of the campaign.

Former Hearts captain Georgia Hunter told BBC Sport she 'learnt so much' from Olid and described 'where she took the club to' as 'absolutely amazing,' while BBC Sport Scotland's Amy Canavan said many in the game believed Olid '100% deserves this chance.'

Why INEOS Are Betting on Youth Over Big Signings

Olid's arrival reflects a broader change in direction at United. When Ratcliffe and INEOS first arrived, the stated aim was to win the WSL by 2028; club insiders now describe a more patient, long-term focus on developing the women's academy rather than pursuing increasingly expensive transfers. Officials believe the approach offers more sustainable returns than costly signings in a market with rapidly rising wages and fees.

At Hearts, Olid promoted teenage twins Erin and Jess Husband into the first team at 15 and worked with Scotland youth internationals including Bayley Hutchison and Eilidh Shore, blending academy talent with selective signings. United's director of women's football, Matt Johnson, called her 'the perfect coach to lead us into an exciting new era,' adding that she 'shares our commitment to developing exciting homegrown and young players.'

The shift raises questions for senior first-team players with more immediate ambitions. Ella Toone, a club talisman and England international, is out of contract at the end of the season. She led United into the WSL's traditional elite, reached the Champions League quarter-finals and won silverware last campaign. Whether Olid can replicate her Hearts success at a bigger club, under greater scrutiny, remains to be seen.