Millie Turner explains impact of Casey Stoney & Marc Skinner on Man Utd career
Manchester United defender Millie Turner has praised the impact that managers Casey Stoney and Marc Skinner have both had on her career over the last few years.
Turner briefly spent time in United’s youth ranks, going on to play senior football for Everton and Bristol City, before being recruited when the club reformed a first-team squad in 2018.
She has been a key member of the team ever since, recently becoming the third of four players to reach 100 appearances for United. Turner has been back to her best in 2022/23, having overcome a career and even life threatening neck problem last year.
The 26-year-old worked under Stoney at United from 2018 until 2021, and Skinner since then. The influence of both is reflected in her career, with the former overseeing a transition from midfield into the centre of defence and the latter really honing in on building her individual strengths.
“I was a midfielder until I did come to United,” Turner explained to Sky Sports’ Inside the WSL.
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“Casey taught me a lot…everything that I know. I learnt the most about myself the first year at United. I didn’t want to be a centre-half at the time. But I always use to say to her, ‘Case, come on, let me play in midfield?’ – but she never had it.”
Playing in defence wasn’t brand new to Turner, who had played for Everton in an FA Cup final aged 17 and later captained Bristol City, and she described the transition as ‘quite easy’ as a result.
“But I had to learn a whole new position and pick up new roles. I was glad I had someone like Casey to teach me all that,” she explained.
On Skinner, the player added: “He doesn’t want to change anything that we have, he just wants to bring us close together as a group and he really tries to strengthen our individual strengths.
“The aggressiveness to win the ball back. We don’t take any prisoners, try and keep every team out of the game and give them no momentum. That’s really been big for us this season.”
A popular player with fans, Turner recently signed a new contract with United until 2025.
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