The Red Devils have not yet recovered from Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure in 2013 but remain one of the world’s most discussed teams. The sale of a 25% stake in the club to the INEOS holding last year could start a new chapter in the Red Devils’ history. But how will Jim Ratcliffe and his squad take the Premier League’s most titled club back to the top?
What do we know about INEOS?
The chemical giant INEOS is one of the largest companies in its industry and has been investing in sports for many years. Jim Ratcliffe’s company owns shares in Nice, Lausanne, and RC Abidjan football clubs, the INEOS Grenadiers cycling squad, the Mercedes Formula 1 team, the INEOS Britannia sailing team, and sponsors the New Zealand rugby squad.
One of the key roles in the INEOS is occupied by sporting director Dave Brailsford, the iconic former coach of the British cycling team and the INEOS Grenadiers’ ex-boss. Jim Ratcliffe’s other trump card is the PSG and Juventus former executive director, Jean-Claude Blanc, who has been heading the company’s sports direction since 2022.
INEOS’s ambitious projects have varying degrees of success, but the company’s sincere passion for sports inspires optimism among Mancunian fans.
New philosophy and first personnel decisions
Jim Ratcliffe’s company not only acquired a quarter of Manchester United’s shares but also gained full control of the club’s sporting operations. The INEOS started right off the bat and, first of all, lured Manchester City commercial director Omar Berrada to the club. It is believed that Berrada initiated the transfer of Erling Haaland and was also behind the Citizens’ Football Academy’s rapid progress, which significantly reduced the club’s expenses.
Berrada will take over in the summer, but in the meantime, the INEOS continues to build a new hierarchy for the club. Jean-Claude Blanc will be the main link between Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family, who remain a majority shareholder. Omar Berrada will be one step lower, and he will report to the sports director, who interacts with the coach and the team. It is expected that Dan Ashworth from Newcastle, one of the architects of the Magpies’ success in the 2022/2023 season, will fill the position. Where is Dave Brailsford in this chain? He has no official position in the club, and he is Ratcliffe’s personal representative with very broad powers.
Potential head of the scouting department, Paul Mitchell, could also become an important part of the new Manchester United. The functionary successfully worked in Southampton, Tottenham, RB Leipzig, and Monaco. Mitchell brought Son Heung-min, Sadio Mane, Dayot Upamecano, and many other players into big football.
“We want football and results on the pitch to once again be at the heart of everything we work for,” Manchester United management said, and given the early decisions, this seems to be true.
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How to return Manchester United to the top?
The red part of Manchester should not hope for the team’s quick return to the fight for the Premier League and the Champions League Cup, but solving several pressing problems will significantly strengthen the club’s position. United’s Achilles heel has been a chaotic transfer policy and lowering club standards, but Omar Berrada’s arrival promises to turn the tide. With him, City parted with players without sentiments, regardless of their status. It is confirmed by the transfers of João Cancelo, one of the best flank defenders in the Premier League, and academy diamond Cole Palmer, who did not work well with Guardiola and negatively affected the atmosphere in the club. Crisis management at Old Trafford has been very poor in recent years. Scandals with Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho, and Marcus Rashford have destabilized the team and divided it into factions, but it seems the new management intends to adopt Alex Ferguson’s old rule – “club comes first”. United is ready to rely on signing young stars rather than established players, and Ratcliffe has already allocated £235 million for this purpose.
The new management needs to decide on a coach for the next season. Jim Ratcliffe is rumored to consider Erik ten Hag, a qualified specialist, but poor results could leave the Dutchman with no support. The INEOS team is confident that Manchester United has been changing managers too often over the past decade and is prepared to conservatively wait for results with ten Hag or his successor for several years.
Also, the boss of the international holding decided to reduce the bloated staff and fire incompetent specialists. The team often suffered due to an overcrowded infirmary, and players regularly suffered injuries immediately after recovery, so parting with the head of the physical therapy and rehabilitation department seemed logical.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s scandalous interview with Piers Morgan was painful for Manchester United but recalled an old problem – Old Trafford and the club’s base’s depressing state. Investment in infrastructure was one of Jim Ratcliffe’s commitments before purchasing the club and will be an important component of a systemic solution to the crisis.
He started fulfilling his promises without delay. Ratcliffe created a special committee that will oversee the regeneration of Old Trafford and the surrounding area, extending an invitation to Gary Neville, who had previously been a vocal critic of the club’s infrastructure issues, to be part of it.
Manchester United is ready for a total restructuring and new triumphs. If you believe in the Mancunians’ quick revival, follow the matches of your favorite team, make predictions on the professional sports betting site 1xBet and win together with your idols!
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