Alex Scott Responds To Megan Rapinoe Criticism Of Manchester United

Alex Scott has praised Manchester United Women for their progression, after Megan Rapinoe criticised the club for not investing in the team.

United Women were only formed in their current guise in 2018, having previously been disbanded in 2005, and started in the Championship.

The side were soon promoted and spent their first season in the Women's Super League last season and this season they lead the way from champions Chelsea, although the Blues still have a game in hand over them.

World Cup winner Rapinoe recently criticised the side for not investing in women early enough, saying, "I think women's football in England is the same as in America - it is so far behind because of what we've had to overcome in the lack of investment.

"It's 2020. How long has the Premier League been around? And we're only just seeing a club like Manchester United put effort and pounds towards a women's team? Frankly, it's disgraceful."

Tobin Heath celebrates scoring for United. Image: PA Images

Scott, who will present Sports Personality of the Year for the first time on Sunday night, believes that the progression Casey Stoney's side have made in the past two years is something to be celebrated.

Speaking exclusively to SPORTbible, the former England international said, "When you think of what Casey Stoney's doing compared to like two years ago, Manchester United women never even had a team. So I think you have to start somewhere and you see the progression of that team.

"I think sometimes, yeah we want more and we want that progression and we want it to happen over night, but realistically that's not gonna happen. I know Casey has a plan for that team and I know they are moving in the right direction.

"As long as they keep going in that direction, you never want it to take a backward step and I don't think it has. For them to sign two American World Cup winners in Tobin Heath and Christen Press just shows the caliber of that team and the players they can attract, so they have to be doing something right."

United aren't the only side to have brought World Cup winners in and Lucy Bronze has also returned to the WSL this season, along with Alex Greenwood, having both played for European superpower Lyon.

Scott thinks that is another sign of the progression, "There's so many positives; Lucy Bronze coming back, then you think Manchester City have also got two World Cup winners, Alex Morgan, I don't think I'd have ever seen Alex Morgan in England in the WSL, so it just shows how rapid the league has excelled and is one of the best in the world."

The 36-year-old has done brilliant work as a pundit, and was recently named as the seventh most popular football pundit in England, but is now getting more chances at presenting.

This year she's already worked on Children in Need and has often featured on the One Show and on Sunday she'll be doing SPOTY.

She revealed that it's the presenting job that she actually always wanted. "My goal was always to be a presenter, always. I never had my mind set on being a pundit. It's just when I started doing work placements, I did them at Sky, Arsenal, the FA, they kind of saw how I was breaking down the game and the conversation I was having and they said, 'Actually Alex you were good at detailing games, would you mind doing it?,' but my goal was always to progress into the presenting chair."

And the former Arsenal player is certainly excited about the chance to present SPOTY alongside one of her presenting heroes, "Oh my goodness, I'm kind of still pinching myself. When I first saw the photo of all of us together in the line up, just for me, I've gone to the awards, I've grown up watching it, I've been a part of it with the Lionesses when we've been nominated for team of the year so to then be presenting it and working with people I've looked up to with Gabby Logan, who has kind of been that mentor for me, it's going to be a super proud moment and one I'm still pinching myself about."

BBC Sports Personality of the Year is on BBC One on Sunday 20^th December from 8pm