The billionaire owner of a Premier League football club is known to be an elusive figure.
Still, a relaxed Sir Jim Ratcliffe seemed happy to chat as he stepped into the boardroom at Ineos' Knightsbridge headquarters in London for his first interview since joining the company. Becomes the largest single shareholder At Manchester United.
It was the culmination of a journey he had alluded to seven years ago when he first told me of his love for the club he had supported since he was a child.
On Wednesday I asked him what it was like securing the keys to Old Trafford. “It's a dream come true,” he replied. He then showed us his collection of sports memorabilia. Inside was a picture of United legend George Best proudly displayed.
Despite denying 'greenwashing', Ineos has long been accused of using various sports investments to improve its image amid criticism from campaigners over the petrochemical giant's environmental impact. has been criticized.
But once you're with Ratcliffe, you can't help but conclude that the thrill of challenge and love of adventure are a major part of his motivation.
Ratcliffe wanted to convey not only his love for the club, but also his ambition and determination to revive the club's fortunes. And while he was full of admiration for both Manchester City and Liverpool, he also claimed that both could be “knocked off their perches” within three years.
Rhetoric such as this – which echoes Sir Alex Ferguson's stated beliefs when he took over as manager in 1986 – would have resonated with many fans, but if United fail to deliver in the coming seasons Otherwise, it could backfire on Mr. Ferguson, 71.
But to be fair to Ratcliffe, he seemed to be speaking from the heart. He also warned that plans to turn the club into title contenders again required patience, describing this as the “biggest challenge”.
“Fans will praise Ratcliffe for answering difficult questions.”
Other areas were more difficult for Ratcliffe to navigate.
His praise for the Glazer family is likely to raise eyebrows among its supporters, who are furious with the Americans for the debt and decline that has defined their 19-year ownership.
Mr. Ratcliffe asked for time to prove that the power-sharing relationship works. And while he was careful not to directly criticize the Glazers and emphasized the need to “look forward, not backward,” he admitted to me that he understands the fans' anger. And he made it clear that the club's structure, recruiting and performance under the Glazers in recent years have not been good enough.
Ratcliffe is one of the richest businessmen in the world. Despite his down-to-earth demeanor, his sense of steel comes through when discussing Newcastle's pursuit of sporting director Dan Ashworth as part of Ineos' shake-up at Old Trafford. Ta.
But Ratcliffe's suggestion that Mason Greenwood may still have a future at Old Trafford will have caused debate and surprise in some quarters. The striker has been loaned to Spanish club Getafe after an internal investigation concluded he should play elsewhere.
This came after charges against him, including attempted rape and assault, were dropped. He denied all alleged crimes. However, his return risks repeating the backlash from both inside and outside the club that he faced last year when he initially considered returning to the club before making a U-turn.
Another big decision facing Ratcliffe now is what to do with the “tired” Old Trafford Stadium.
his preference is New “world class” stadium Many fans will have been disappointed by the lack of investment in the club's aging infrastructure. But his view that there needs to be “a discussion with the government” about the possibility of public funding for such projects as part of a wider regeneration of the surrounding area means the man is worth around 300 yen. It was quickly dismissed by those who believed it to be a billion pounds. Based in Monaco, he should receive no financial support from British taxpayers.
Ratcliffe doesn't seem like a guy who cares much about criticism. He's used to dealing with sticky problems while leading a vast business empire. He explained to me how he had attended a major chemical industry summit in Antwerp 24 hours earlier and voiced his concerns about carbon taxes and competitiveness to some of Europe's top politicians.
The next day he was here in London to discuss United's future, the manager and the stadium.
And by appearing in front of the media in such a way, he's already set himself apart from the Glazer family.
Many fans will admire his openness, accountability, and willingness to answer difficult questions. But in the end, the decision will be made on whether he can deliver on his promise to return United to the top of the table. That mission begins now.
So far, Ratcliffe has experienced mixed luck in other sporting activities, stating, “I don't mind people making mistakes, but you can't make the same mistake twice.” But the scrutiny brought on by his biggest investment to date will be on an entirely different level. It will be interesting to see how that plays out.
No support from Ten Hag, but key to Champions League
BBC Sport senior football correspondent Simon Stone:
Much of what Ratcliffe told the BBC resonated with Manchester United fans.
However, bold words are another thing. Execution is a completely different matter.
Firstly, concerns about the Premier League's financial regulations weigh heavily on all clubs. For a club like United, who have suffered heavy losses over the past two summers to fund Erik ten Hag's expansion into the squad, this poses an additional need for caution.
That's why Ratcliffe said qualifying for the Champions League meant so much. There are whispers at Old Trafford that United would benefit hugely if Manchester City and Liverpool win their respective European competitions. That's because it increases the chances of five England players taking part in next season's expanded 36-team competition. money.
As much as United wants to buy better players, new chief executive Omar Berada and sporting director-to-be Dan Ashworth need to make the club better at selling players. be.
Since Romelu Lukaku moved to Inter Milan in 2019, Inter Milan have sold Wales international Dan James for more than £20 million.
The painful reality is that Jude Bellingham would not have considered joining United last summer. The same was true for Erling Haaland the previous year. United made no attempt to sign Declan Rice before he joined Arsenal. When you start looking for a replacement for a player at that level, you end up choosing from a lower level.
Marcus Rashford's future has a huge impact on United's budget, especially as his transfer fee is pure profit under the current way homegrown players are valued under Financial Fair Play rules. This is particularly interesting because of this.
Football fortunes can change very quickly, but unless City, Liverpool and Arsenal all regress significantly, United need to close the gap gradually rather than doing it right away. Probably.
Five managers have been sacked by Ratcliffe's Ineos management since taking over Nice in 2019 – and Ratcliffe told BBC Sport that the owners had “made a mistake”, adding: “We don't want to repeat it. ” he said.
Mr Ratcliffe declined to speak directly about the future of The Hag, but it is known that Mr Ashworth prefers to take time to assess the situation before drawing any conclusions. But how much time?
Ratcliffe's target of qualifying for the Champions League suggests the Dutchman will be available until at least the end of the season, by which time he has one year left on his contract.
David Moyes and Louis van Gaal were both sacked after failing to secure a place at Europe's top table despite winning the FA Cup. In Van Gaal's case, this was despite winning the FA Cup. Jose Mourinho came on as the top four slipped away. So did Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
United now have new people making decisions, but given the economic realities of life at Old Trafford, it would be surprising if the same standards were not applied.
