Jim Ratcliffe proving he is entirely different to Glazers with shift and impact
Sir Jim Ratcliffe's presence at Old Trafford already is giving hope to those who have heard the billionaire speak. Shortly after striking a deal for 25 percent of Manchester United, the CEO of Ineos wasted no time talking and meeting with those who help the club function.
Addressing an audience of employees in an Old Trafford lounge Thursday, the 71-year-old explained, in no uncertain terms, that he only cares about the success of the club, not making a profit, sources told The Athletic. His address was seen as straight and honest, which some employees claim to have not seen for years.
Additionally, Ratcliffe's presence and appearance on the grounds is in stark contrast to United owner Joel Glazer, who has not spoken directly to staff en masse since 2005. Ratcliffe's presence and his message to those who spoke with him are said to have invigorated workers and breathed new life into them.
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The 71-year-old billionaire grew up a fan of the club and has been closely monitoring United's situation. Ratcliffe, Sir Dave Brailsford, Ineos' director of sport, Jean-Claude Blanc, and Rob Nevin all pledged to be present while working at United, which is in sharp contrast to the Glazer's style of operation, with the American primarily working out of Washington DC and Florida.
He repeatedly stated that he was not looking to recoup the $1.3billion (£1.02b) he spent for his stake in the club. Rather, he will measure United's success by what they do on the pitch. For the club to get back to where Ratcliffe and the rest of the supporters want it to be. However, improvements have to be made to the facilities, which former United star Cristiano Ronaldo noted before his exit from the club.
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe's demeanor already has been different from the Glazers' style of ownership (Photo by BERTRAND GUAY/AFP via Getty Images)"I was surprised, in a bad way, let's say in that way because I saw everything was the same," Ronaldo told Piers Morgan in November 2022. "At United, the progress was zero, in my opinion. To compare with Real Madrid and even Juventus, that they follow the rest of the world, so the technology, especially in terms of training, nutrition and conditions of, eat properly and to recover better than before - surprised me.
"Manchester right now to compare with that club, I think it's behind in my opinion, which is something that surprised me. A club with this dimension should be the top of the tree in my opinion and they are not, unfortunately."
In the same vein, Ratcliffe is committing an additional £245m to improve the pitch quality and the club's facilities, knowing that is what ultimately will help them get back to the top of the Premier League, as evidenced by the letter he sent out on Christmas Eve.
"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," his statement read.
With Ratcliffe fully committed to bringing United back to its former glory, it appears the club have gotten the energy boost it has been looking for. It remains to be seen how quickly United gets back to previous glory however.
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