Worse than the Glazers?
A Tale of Woe at Old Trafford
Just 10 months since the petroleum billionaire promised to “put the Manchester back into United”, he is presiding over a shambles – of his own making. And the fans are angry. Last weekend, he outdid Andre Onana as the biggest clown in town. The goalkeeper’s inexplicable failure to stop a shot straight at him cost United defeat to Nottingham Forest. But it wasn’t even the biggest talking point.
Sacking a Man He Praised
He was sacking a man Ratcliffe had described in glowing terms a year ago. “Dan Ashworth is a 10 out of 10 director,” he said of the 53-year-old for whom he paid a transfer fee of £2m and waited five months for him to complete his gardening leave at Newcastle. He was out after just five more months. Perhaps that’s what Ratcliffe had meant by a “root and branch” review.
The Hierarchy in Chaos
The fee is chickenfeed but the sense of chaos at the top is overwhelming. No one knows the heinous crime Ashworth is supposed to have committed, but then no one really knew his exact role in the first place. Sporting director was his title but there is already a Football Director – Jason Wilcox – plus David Brailsford who is Ratcliffe’s right hand man. Brailsford isn’t a football man, made his name in cycling with the success of his philosophy of marginal gains. Just what he does at United, no one is sure of this either – but what is going on is more than marginal.
Creating a Sense of Dread
During games, the impression of the hierarchy gazing down from upon high is one of a Stalin-era Soviet politburo. Or, simply, too many cooks. Ratcliffe has shown a Stalin-era ruthlessness in sacking 250 staff while millions of pounds are wasted on players. He’s also raised ticket prices and giving no concessions to the young, elderly or infirm. Oh, and he’s made the women’s team feel as if they’re an unwanted distraction. And now he’s cancelled the Christmas party.
A Plea to Remember the Past
There would have been an even more unforgivable gaffe but for Alex Ferguson. The brain-dead regime was all set to deprive the Busby family of their seats until Fergie reminded them of who Matt Busby was. Creating the Busby Babes and rebuilding the club after the Munich air crash to finally win the European Cup earned him a statue at the ground. Busby will still be immortal long after the oil runs out. Mere legends are also losing their seats including Norman Whiteside and David Gill, the former CEO. Whiteside’s wife called the club “a disgrace.” Morale at Old Trafford is said to be way lower than United’s league position.
The Fans Are Unhappy
Those who thought that the pendulum might be about to make its long swing back to the red half of Manchester must think again. With City’s woes taking their toll on Pep Guardiola and a bright young manager in Ruben Amorim arriving, there was fleeting optimism a month ago. We’ll have a better idea after the Manchester derby at 00.30am Monday. All this only weeks after Erik ten Hag was finally put out of his misery as manager.
A Better Manager, but Still No Guarantee
Penny-pinching over seats contrasts with millions wasted. The Dutchman’s £12m compensation had been preceded by a transfer spend of £200m. Amorim and his assistants have also come at a price (circa £10m) and have yet to deliver the new manager bounce. In mitigation, the Portuguese is stuck with Ten Hag’s duds and will have little money for replacements. He has at least put a smile on the players’ faces, but will need time to get them to play the way he wants. United sit 13th in the table with a Champions League place – and its crucial funding – looking a distant prospect.
Catastrophic Decision-Making
The more you look at it – and United fans do with horror – the more catastrophic the decision to give Ten Hag a new contract becomes. If the Glazers had made it, “clueless Yans” would have been the cry. But it was Ratcliffe who was swayed by the feelgood factor of beating City to win the FA Cup in the Wembley sunshine. As delirious as United celebrations were, wiser heads recognised it had been a weakened City who were not really at it that day.
Conclusion
As it stands, United sit 13th in the table with a Champions League place – and its crucial funding – looking a distant prospect. The more you look at it – and United fans do with horror – the more catastrophic the decision to give Ten Hag a new contract becomes. With City’s woes taking their toll on Pep Guardiola and a bright young manager in Ruben Amorim arriving, there was fleeting optimism a month ago. We’ll have a better idea after the Manchester derby at 00.30am Monday. For now, the views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
FAQs
* Why is the author unhappy with Ratcliffe’s leadership at Manchester United?
The author is unhappy with Ratcliffe’s leadership at Manchester United due to his decisions to sack Dan Ashworth, raise ticket prices, cancel the Christmas party, and make the women’s team feel like an unwanted distraction.
* What has Ratcliffe done to anger fans?
Ratcliffe has angered fans by making expensive signings, sacking players, and not communicating effectively with the team.