Sir Jim Ratcliffe is determined to ensure Manchester United become a ‘world-class’ organisation across the board while highlighting a change in Erik ten Hag’s role at the Premier League giants.
With his long-awaited takeover finally ratified by both the Premier League and the Football Association, expect the Ineos chief to now step up his transformation of a football club who were in danger of drifting ever further into mediocrity under Glazer ownership.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has certainly made quite the start. Omar Berrada and Jean-Claude Blanc, the former confirmed as CEO and the latter joining a new-look board, should give Manchester United the sort of top-level, ‘best-in-class’ expertise they have been sorely missing since the Sir Alex Ferguson – David Gill partnership.
Dan Ashworth, seen as arguably the best technical director in the business, would be a continuation of that early trend.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe shares Manchester United plans
“We have to look at the organisation of the club,” Ratcliffe tells De Tijd, the United-supporting, Failsworth-born billionaire barely wasting any opportunity to tell anyone who will listen just how desperate he is to restore the Red Devils to the pinnacle of English and European football.
“Because (the structure) is not good at the moment. Take the head coach, for example. He must report directly to the CEO. That is no longer possible in a modern football organisation.”
It appears that Ten Hag, then, will not report into former Man City and Barcelona chief Berrada going forward. Instead, it is likely to be Ashworth who acts as something of a middle-man between the dressing room and the boardroom.
“We have to ensure that the right people end up in the right positions,” adds Ratcliffe, who is supported by his long-serving right-hand man and the master negotiator that is Sir Dave Brailsford.
“Every person in management must be world-class. And then it is important to create a positive, supportive, friendly and high-quality environment. That culture was missing before.
“Only in such an environment can you get the best out of sportsmen. If successful, the results will follow automatically. That’s the plan, and I believe in it.”
‘Must be world-class’
According to The Athletic, Brailsford has held talks with another behind-the-scenes figure with a proven track record at the very top level. Former Liverpool chief Julian Ward could be handed a key role in the recruitment department.
Southampton director Jason Wilcox, who played a role in the emergence of Phil Foden, Romeo Lavia, Cole Palmer, Brahim Diaz and one Jadon Sancho at Man City, is also under consideration.
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