04 January 2024 , 22:39
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been letting Manchester United's staff know exactly how he feels about the club's recent activity, holding meetings to address 'unacceptable' standards as he continues to give a sense of what he expects.
INEOS billionaire Ratcliffe, 71, has taken a 25 percent stake in the Premier League side worth an estimated £1.3billion. While the Glazer family will stay on as owners, Ratcliffe has reportedly been given full control over footballing matters.
Manager Erik ten Hag had a one-on-one meeting of his own with Ratcliffe, shedding some light on the experience during a press conference ahead of United's FA Cup third round game against Wigan Athletic. However, as laid out in fresh reports, the Dutchman was far from the only individual to meet with the new man.
According to The Mail, Ratcliffe and acolyte Sir Dave Brailsford have laid bare the message that recent results have not been acceptable for a club of United's stature. United finished third last season, losing nine of their 38 league games, but have already lost nine of 20 matches in the competition this season.
The struggles were also evident in Europe, with Ten Hag's men picking up just one win in six group games to suffer an early exit from the Champions League. Brailsford is said to have done most of the talking during the meetings with staff, while Ten Hag reportedly attended one of the meetings separate to his own one-to-one.
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The Athletic, meanwhile, reports that Ratcliffe told staff making money from his investment is not a priority. Instead, he is thought to be set on returning the club to its past glories after referencing his own status as a United fan throughout the bidding process.
The same publication has emphasised the contrast between Ratcliffe and long-time owner Joel Glazer. Glazer, whose family have owned Manchester United since 2005, is understood to have never directly spoken to all staff en masse in the same manner.
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been quickly getting to work at Manchester United (PA)"As a local boy and a lifelong supporter of the Club, I am very pleased that we have been able to agree a deal with the Manchester United Board that delegates us management responsibility of the football operations of the Club," Ratcliffe said in a statement shared on Christmas Eve. "Whilst the commercial success of the Club has ensured there have always been available funds to win trophies at the highest level, this potential has not been fully unlocked in recent times.
"We will bring the global knowledge, expertise and talent from the wider INEOS Sport group to help drive further improvement at the Club, while also providing funds intended to enable future investment into Old Trafford. We are here for the long term and recognise that a lot of challenges and hard work lie ahead, which we will approach with rigour, professionalism and passion.
"We are committed to working with everyone at the Club – the Board, staff, players and fans – to help drive the Club forward. Our shared ambition is clear: we all want to see Manchester United back where we belong, at the very top of English, European and world football."