You might not think so, given how Manchester United have performed of late, but the atmosphere behind the scenes appears to be one of posivitiy.
During his final few weeks as a coach in Erik ten Hag’s set-up, Benni McCarthy highlighted the feel-good factor Ineos brought to Carrington once Sir Jim Ratcliffe finally completed that minority takeover of his beloved Red Devils.
Legendary defender Rio Ferdinand ‘could sense there was a different feeling around the place’ when he visited the Manchester United training ground in September too. Even Cristiano Ronaldo feels positive about United’s future.
And, having made a trip of his own to his old stomping ground, Wayne Rooney is the latest to point out that, while Man United’s performances on the pitch leave a lot to be desired, this is no longer a club stuck in a vice-like grip of toxicity and never-ending despair.
With Ratcliffe, Dan Ashworth, Omar Berrada and co working around the clock to put Man United back on the right track, the mediocrity and the rust of the Glazer era is being swept away day by day.
A Premier League title challenge is, obviously, a long way off.
But, as Ratcliffe and Berrada have been keen to point out, this is a long-term project. After so many years of underperformance in every area of the club, Ineos are rebuilding the foundations rather than simply applying a lick of paint to an already sparkling mansion.
Wayne Rooney happy with Ineos changes at Manchester United
“It depends what happens over the next year or two,” Rooney said when asked if Man United can challenge for the title in the coming seasons. “I think, in Jim Ratcliffe and Dan Ashworth, they have got a good group of people in there.
“I believe, and I think, slowly but surely there are changes happening at that football club.
“I was there last week seeing the changes happening at the training ground. You are seeing small changes which eventually will help the football club.
“You hope they get it right. They have brought some good men in to help.”
Back in June, Man United announced plans to invest £50 million in their once state-of-the-art training ground.
There is also the ambition to build a ‘world-class’, potentially 100,000-seater Old Trafford replacement – a ‘New Trafford’, if you will – to challenge some of the finest arenas in the game today.
And if Ten Hag pays with his job over the coming days or weeks, the Dutchman will become the latest key figure replaced by an ownership group who have already made a series of best-in-class appointments.
Rooney explains how Jason Wilcox and Erik ten Hag must work together
Jason Wilcox, one of those new hires, arrived as the club’s technical director in April. The former Southampton and Manchester City chief is now working closely in conjunction with Ten Hag and Man United’s recruitment team.
And Rooney, who enjoys a good relationship with Plymouth director Neil Dewnsip at Home Park, explains exactly how a manager – director partnership tends to work behind the scenes.
“I think it is relationships and communication,” Rooney says when naming the two factors which make a coach and director partnership click. “We have one at Argyle.
“We look a lot at data. What we don’t [have is a director telling us] there’s that player, you are taking this player.
“I get a list of players who brought to me from the data, and I look alongside the recruitment team. Then, we go from there and try and sign the players we identify.
“A lot is about communication and relationships because its the coaches that have to go out and coach these players. The manager, head coach has to have an input.
“Otherwise, it becomes a bit of a stand-off.”
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