Sir Jim Ratcliffe's latest decision saw Dan Ashworth sacked after just 159 days
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By CHRIS WHEELER
Published: 21:00 EST, 9 December 2024 | Updated: 21:00 EST, 9 December 2024
In the first year of Ineos, Sir Jim Ratcliffe gave to me…
Yes, Christmas Eve will mark the anniversary of Ratcliffe's £1.3billion minority takeover of Manchester United.
It was greeted with hope and expectation by fans who had grown disillusioned after two decades of Glazer ownership, and disappointment by those who would have preferred a complete buyout by Sheik Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar.
Still, anyone but the Glazers felt like an improvement, and even more so when the American owners handed over day-to-day running of the club to Ratcliffe.
Ineos would claim with some justification that they have made tough decisions on the Glazers' behalf and done their dirty work to turn around a company that has lost £300million in the last three years.
But some of the decisions have been deeply unpopular, pulling at the very fabric of the club. As 12 months of Ineos draws to a close at United, Mail Sport reflects on Ratcliffe's revolution.
Christmas Eve will mark the anniversary of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s (left) £1.3billion minority takeover of Manchester United
Ratcliffe's most recent call saw Dan Ashworth depart after just 159 in his position
Axeing Dan Ashworth
Of all the cuts Ratcliffe has made, Ashworth felt the deepest because here was a top sporting director brought in by the new co-owners to oversee recruitment being ruthlessly sacked after just 159 days.
Yes, Ratcliffe has acted decisively but it hints strongly at discord in the brains trust put together to run the club and casts doubt over Ineos' judgment.
Staff have been rocked by the news of Ashworth's departure, which comes at a time when morale is at its lowest ebb.
Ten Hag U-turn
One of the reasons for sacking Ashworth was his role in the decision to keep manager Erik ten Hag in the summer.
Ineos, having appeared indecisive and rather cruel by interviewing a number of candidates for Ten Hag's job before United won the FA Cup final in May, then looked inept when they gave the Dutchman a new contract in July and axed him less than four months later.
As well as leaving United searching for a manager mid-season, it cost the club more in compensation because Ten Hag had signed a new deal until 2026.
Staff at Old Trafford are said to be rocked by the departure of Ashworth (right)
One of the reasons for sacking Ashworth was his role in the decision to keep Erik ten Hag
Back-room reshuffle
Despite keeping Ten Hag, United dispensed with the services of his coaches - Mitchell van der Gaag, Benni McCarthy and Richard Hartis - in the summer.
Ruud van Nistelrooy, Rene Hake and Jelle ten Rouwelaar were brought in, but had the shortest of stays as Ruben Amorim arrived from Sporting Lisbon with his own backroom team last month.
The change of coaching staff cost United £21.4million; a total of £10.4m for Ten Hag and his three coaches, and £11m to prise Amorim away from Sporting.
At a time of ever-tightening profit and sustainability rule margins and savage job cuts, it was money United could ill afford to pay out.
Another £200m shelled out
The other consequence of keeping Ten Hag was that Ashworth's one and only transfer window saw another £200m spent on new signings for the Dutchman.
It included Leny Yoro, who was recruited for £59m from Lille even though a metatarsal problem showed up during his medical. He suffered a fracture in pre-season and spent four months out.
Noussair Mazraoui has been one of the better signings, but it emerged he had a heart condition after arriving from Bayern Munich with another of Ten Hag's former Ajax players, Matthijs de Ligt.
Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee were the other additions to a United side lying 13th in the Premier League after the club's worst start since 1986.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe (right) and his Ineos group became minority shareholders and took over the running of the football operation at Man United from the Glazer (left: Avram Glazer) family
Ashworth’s one and only transfer window saw another £200m spent on new signings
Staff jobs cull
Nothing has sent morale plunging at United quite like Ratcliffe's decision to axe nearly a quarter of the club's 1,100 workforce to save between £35-45m each year. Many long-serving employees have gone, with those left behind having to work harder on the same pay.
Staff at risk were not allowed to go on the pre-season tour of the US, and some only found out a few days before they were due to fly. Those who went thought they were safe but, even then, a handful discovered on the trip that their jobs were in jeopardy, too.
Old Trafford setback
One of the more exciting aspects of Ratcliffe's tenure has been his plan to turn Old Trafford into a 100,000-seat 'Wembley of the North'. However, financing the £2bn-plus project is a huge challenge and Ratcliffe quickly realised taxpayers wouldn't accept a club as big as United being given Levelling Up money by the Government to help foot the stadium bill.
The future of Old Trafford now hangs in the balance, with a redevelopment of the existing ground still a possibility.
Ratcliffe has plans to turn Old Trafford into a 100,000-seat ‘Wembley of the North’
Ticket price rise
Ratcliffe has outraged fans in recent days by increasing the ticket price for members to £66 and getting rid of concessions for kids and pensioners. It has led to demonstrations outside Old Trafford and the first signs of anti-Ratcliffe dissent inside the stadium.
'You can't be popular all the time,' he said in an interview at the weekend amid concerns it will lead to a rise in season-ticket prices next year.
Sacking Fergie
Not even Sir Alex Ferguson is safe from the cost cuts, after the legendary United boss was informed by Ratcliffe over lunch in October that he would lose his £2.1m-a-year contract as a club ambassador at the end of the season. 'I will throw all the Manchester United executives into a big sack of s***,' was Eric Cantona's response.
Senior boardroom figures Martin Edwards, David Gill and Mike Edelson were also told they would no longer be allowed to visit the dressing room after games, as they had done for years.
Disabled fans' budget cut
It emerged last month Ratcliffe is even considering halving the annual £40,000 budget given to the Manchester United Disabled Supporters' Association.
United argue they have to borrow the money after their latest financial results showed the club had eaten into £232.3m of their revolving credit facility by the end of September, compared to £35.6m in June.
But one MUDSA insider said: 'The optics would be horrific - it feels like the club has lost touch with its soul.'
Not even Sir Alex Ferguson is safe from the cost cuts and lost his contract as club ambassador
Zero tolerance
Ratcliffe doesn't mince his words when the mood takes him, and at times his uncompromising approach has done little to lift the mood among staff.
In May, he imposed a ban on working from home, saying: 'If you don't like it, please seek alternative employment.'
After an unannounced visit to Carrington, he fired off an email warning that untidiness would not be tolerated and describing the state of the IT department as a 'disgrace' - even though sources claimed it was actually an MUTV studio.
Women's team snub
Ratcliffe's determination to plough resources and money into the first team has only added to the perception that he is not particularly interested in United's women.
Instead of watching them lift the FA Cup for the first time at Wembley in May, he chose to watch the men in action against Arsenal at Old Trafford.
'There's only so much that you can do, and our focus has been on the men,' he said in a fanzine interview at the weekend.
There is a perception that Ratcliffe is not particular interested in Man United's women
Perks withdrawn
When the men's team reached the Cup final later that month, Ratcliffe broke with tradition by telling staff they would have to pay for their own transport, food and hotel accommodation.
More senior employees had already lost their corporate credit cards and chauffeur-driven cars, and matchday staff at Old Trafford had their complimentary lunchboxes withdrawn in another blow to morale.
Oh, and the United Christmas party is off…
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