ManU has been accused of "undermining the progress of women's football by steadfastly refusing to launch a female team" of its own, according to Sam Cunningham of the London DAILY MAIL. With women's football around the world "on a high after the success of the recent World Cup," ManU has indicated it has "no plans to follow" Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool by establishing a women's side. This "apparent lack of interest from a club seen as trendsetters in so many other areas of the game" has left the club open to "accusations of indifference" at a time when "more and more girls and young women are showing interest in the sport." A spokesperson for campaign group Women in Sport said, "In the current climate, it is barely comprehensible that one of the world's most recognizable football teams still refuses to properly engage with women's football. ... We hope that the club and its directors will urgently reconsider their position on women's football and seize the opportunity to become part of women's football's development, rather than a barrier in its path." U.K. Sports Minister Tracey Crouch said, "It is incredibly disappointing that one of the biggest clubs in the world doesn't have a ladies' football team" (DAILY MAIL, 8/12).
