Sir Jim Ratcliffe believes Manchester United’s culture is not geared to achieving success, according to a damning assessment following his £1.3 billion investment.
The Ineos billionaire saw his purchase of a 27.7 percent stake in the Old Trafford club confirmed on Tuesday, but gave a scathing assessment of the setup he wants to transform.
Ratcliffe, 71, is planning big changes off the pitch with the aim of a return to winning ways, with United having failed to challenge for the Premier League title since 2013.
“We have to look at the organization of the club, because it is not good at the moment,” Ratcliffe told the Belgian newspaper. The time.
‘Take the head coach (Erik ten Hag), for example: he must report directly to the CEO. That is no longer possible in a modern football organization.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has delivered a scathing assessment of the organization he inherited at Manchester United after his £1.3 billion buyout of a 27.7 per cent stake was confirmed
Ratcliffe does not believe United have the right culture to achieve success at the moment, but plans to make ‘world-class’ arrangements behind the scenes to facilitate that
Ratcliffe (left) believes that manager Erik ten Hag (middle) should not report directly to the CEO and calls the structure ‘outdated’
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‘We must ensure that the right people end up in the right positions. Every person in management must be world class.
‘And then it’s important to create a positive, supportive, friendly and high-quality environment. That culture was previously missing.
‘Only in such an environment can you get the best out of athletes. If successful, the results will follow automatically.
“That’s the plan and I believe in it.”
Ratcliffe and Ineos have already made it clear that major structural changes will take place behind the scenes.
Omar Berrada will take over as CEO after being poached from rivals Manchester City, while talks are underway to bring in Newcastle United’s Dan Ashworth as sporting director.
Newcastle confirmed this week that Ashworth has been placed on gardening leave while the two clubs negotiate compensation payments.
United have also been linked with Southampton’s director of football Jason Wilcox, also formerly of Man City, who is expected to work with Ashworth in overseeing recruitment.
Ineos sporting director Sir Dave Brailsford and their CEO Jean-Claude Blanc will hold positions on United’s board.
Ratcliffe pictured Tuesday at the European Industry Summit in Antwerp, Belgium
Manchester United’s new structural hierarchy under co-owners Joel Glazer and Ratcliffe
Omar Berrada has been brought in from Manchester City to take on the role of CEO
Manchester United would have to spend £20 million to land Dan Ashworth from Newcastle
The buy-in of Ineos from the Glazer family, the unpopular American majority shareholders in United, brought with it control of the football operations.
United have gone backwards since legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 after a 26-year period of sustained success.
Since then, they have failed to keep up with Chelsea, City and Liverpool in the Premier League. Since Ferguson’s departure, they have won just one FA Cup, two League Cups and one Europa League.
In the same interview, Ratcliffe said he would still investigate Ferguson’s views: ‘I talk to Sir Alex every now and then. He still has a very interesting view on the matter. And I always listen to that.’
Ratcliffe has also wasted no time in outlining plans to turn Old Trafford into the ‘Wembley of the North’ by building a new stadium next to the existing one with a capacity of up to 90,000.
A report in The Times said on Wednesday that former United defender Gary Neville has been invited onto a special committee that will help oversee the wider project to oversee the regeneration of the area around Old Trafford.
Gary Neville has reportedly been invited to be part of a special committee overseeing the regeneration of the Old Trafford area
The condition of the stadium and the surrounding area of Old Trafford has been the subject of criticism in recent months
Neville is the owner of Hotel Football and University Academy 92, both near the iconic stadium, and has reportedly had a number of meetings with chief operating officer Collette Roach.
The Times also reports that the ex-England right-back is keen to spend time on a project that will benefit the area around the club near the Manchester Ship Canal.
However, it is believed he would have no interest in a role that conflicts with his pundit duties at Sky Sports.
The Manchester United Supporters Trust has praised Ratcliffe and his INEOS group for their ‘impressive start’ to life at the club, crediting them with ‘moving quickly on recruitment and fan engagement’.
MUST went on to say that Ratcliffe and his INEOS group ‘appear to be looking seriously and ambitiously at the future of Old Trafford.’ That’s why they wish ‘Sir Jim and his team the best of luck’.
MUST released the following statement on Wednesday morning: ‘The news that the deal for Ratcliffe to purchase an initial 25 percent stake in the Club has now been completed will be welcomed by our fans around the world.
‘Even before today, Sir Jim and his team have made an impressive start in their new role at United, having made rapid progress in recruitment and fan engagement. They are also clearly looking seriously and ambitiously at the future of Old Trafford.
‘After the difficulties of the last decade, United fans are realistic about the journey back to the top and we know it won’t happen overnight.
But Sir Jim has declared his mission to return United to the pinnacle of English and European football and we fervently hope that we can look back on today as a turning point in that journey.
‘The fans’ priority now is that the necessary recruitment continues, both on and off the pitch, and that the promised investments in both football and the stadium are delivered. And all this must be achieved in a new spirit of partnership between the club and the fans. We wish Sir Jim and his team every success.”