Manchester United’s Chiefs Divided as Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Comments and Behaviour Reportedly Ruffle Feathers
A report has emerged that Manchester United’s chiefs are divided, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s frank speech and behaviour said to have got on the nerves of the Glazers. According to the Daily Mail, Ratcliffe and Ineos were handed control of Old Trafford’s football operations in December 2023, as their £1.3 billion takeover of 27.7 per cent of the club was confirmed.
Since then, Ratcliffe and Ineos have implemented a stringent cost-cutting and revenue-boosting regime, making around a third of staff redundant, slashing privileges for staff and ambassadors like Sir Alex Ferguson, and raising ticket prices. While Ratcliffe and Ineos have taken a lot of heat off the Glazers, the long-standing ownership family are still reported to have been irked by some of his actions.
In March, Ratcliffe made a comment that Manchester United could have gone bust by Christmas without his brutal cuts, which “has not sat easily” with the Americans, according to the Daily Mail. “The simple answer is the club runs out of money at Christmas if we don’t do those things,” he said of the job cuts and price hikes. “If you spend more than you earn eventually that’s the road to ruin.”
Ratcliffe’s methods have apparently irked the Glazers, with his frank speech about United’s finances and his habit of convening executive meetings in places convenient for him, such as Monaco, said to have ruffled feathers. Such locations make it more difficult for the Glazers to attend, and Ratcliffe’s insistence on holding meetings in places that suit him has caused discontent among the long-standing ownership family.
The Daily Mail reports that Ratcliffe has overseen an extremely public leadership of Manchester United, and his more candid approach – as well as direct manner of cost-cutting such as in morale-sapping redundancy rounds – contrasts heavily with the Glazers. In February, the club’s financial accounts for the final three months of 2024 revealed a profit of £3.1m for the quarter, although for the same period in 2023 that figure stood at £27.5m.
Ratcliffe’s leadership style and comments have caused tension between him and the Glazers, with the Americans reportedly feeling that he has overstepped his authority. As the Daily Mail notes, Ratcliffe’s comment that United would have run out of cash by the end of 2025 if drastic action was not taken has been particularly gallening for the Glazers. The Daily Mail quotes Ratcliffe as saying: “Manchester United had gone off the rails a long way. If you look at the numbers, they were fairly scary because they had lost control of where the ship was headed. And the costs had got out of control.”
In conclusion, the relationship between Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazers appears to be strained, with Ratcliffe’s comments and behaviour reportedly causing tension between the two parties. As the new leadership team at Manchester United, Ratcliffe and Ineos will need to navigate this complex dynamic in order to achieve their goals for the club.
The cost-cutting measures have been put in place to help get Manchester United back on track, and as per the Daily Mail, the club’s finances will continue to be closely monitored in the coming months.
Ratcliffe’s leadership and the impact it has on Manchester United’s future will continue to be a major talking point in the world of football. As reported by the Daily Mail, Ratcliffe’s vision for the club will be crucial in determining its success in the years to come.
The developments at Manchester United will be closely watched by fans and pundits alike, and it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold. One thing is certain, however: Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s comments and behaviour have set alarm bells ringing, and it will be interesting to see how this situation develops in the coming months.
The club’s future will be shaped by the decisions made by Ratcliffe and Ineos, and the Daily Mail will continue to provide updates on the situation as more information becomes available.
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