Aston Villa Women will don their Castore home kit for their WSL opener against Man Utd on Sunday, despite ongoing problems with the manufacturer. This decision comes in spite of recent reports that both the men's and women's teams have expressed concerns regarding the kit's quality, with complaints about shirts retaining sweat and causing discomfort.
Several newspaper reports on Friday indicated that the club is considering terminating their contract with Castore, which was recently signed in 2022.
The kit, designed by Castore, was worn by Unai Emery's men's team during their 2-1 loss to Everton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday. They are scheduled to wear it once more on Saturday when they face Brighton in the Premier League. Additionally, Carla Ward's Women's team will also be sporting the same kit on the following day.
Ward's players faced fewer significant issues compared to the men as they donned their uniforms in five out of their six pre-season friendly matches. They were offered the option to wear either their home or away uniform when hosting Man Utd this weekend.
According to Ward, "We share similar concerns with the men's team. These concerns were identified at the start of the pre-season by the men's team and supported by the women's team."
However, in my opinion, it is now up to the club and Castore to handle the situation. My main priority is the upcoming weekend and ensuring that the players remain focused on that.
I must mention that the club has been truly outstanding in recent days. They have actively maintained constant communication, enquiring about ways to assist the players and improve their morale.
"There's a genuine care from the football club. The players feel that, we feel that, and our focus is now solely on Manchester United."
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