Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs believes that the ‘number one’ challenge for Sir Jim Ratcliffe must be to change the ‘culture’ of the Premier League giants.
The jury remains out, of course, but Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co certainly seem intent on making a good early impression.
During a meeting with the Manchester United Supporters Trust this week – the INEOS chief making more of an effort to engage with fans than the Glazer family have in nearly 20 years – Ratcliffe pulled no punches, while making it crystalline clear that his first priority is not to make a quick and considerable buck but to take European football’s great underachievers back to the very top of the game.
It’s not all buzzwords and vibes either. There is a plan in place, too. One involving substantial and structural change at all levels.
Manchester United already adapting under Ratcliffe
Ratcliffe has already added Sir Dave Brailsford and Jean-Claude Blanc (rated as one of the game’s sharpest minds) to the Old Trafford board. Plenty of focus is also being placed on bringing in an elite director of football, with Newcastle’s Dan Ashworth seemingly the leading candidate.
But while an off-the-field overhaul is most certainly welcome, Man United icon Ryan Giggs insists that there are lessons to be learned on it too. Particularly when it comes to identifying and bringing in players willing to shed blood, sweat and tears for the badge, personal pride and accountability going out the window as the wages rose at Old Trafford in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
“Like everyone else, it’s frustrating and has been for the last six or seven years,” Giggs tells The Telegraph. “Nobody knows the answer and you have to start again.
“It starts from the top. We’re just so inconsistent and you just never know what you get.
“That is the number one thing we have to change. The culture of the club. To get players in who want to play for United and will do anything to win a game for United. That is something in the medium-term, we have to get those players in.”
An English-based rebuild at Old Trafford
According to reports, Ratcliffe is keen to construct a United side built upon a foundation of England’s best homegrown talent. Jarrad Branthwaite, Hayden Hackney, Marc Guehi and Michael Olise are reported targets.
Interestingly, all four made their names in the EFL.
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