Sir Jim Ratcliffe was grilled in a recent interview with Gary Neville
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s “authentic love” for Manchester United shone through during his controversial interview with Gary Neville, claims a body language analyst.
United’s billionaire co-owner Ratcliffe sat down with club legend Neville this week, with the 72-year-old being grilled on a wide range of subjects. They included addressing the club’s woeful form and naming and shaming five Red Devils stars, saying “some are not good enough and some are probably overpaid”.
The INEOS chief also spoke about the club’s financial difficulties and his controversial cost-cutting measures, which left Neville aghast. And he admitted to making mistakes in backing Erik ten Hag and hiring sporting director Dan Ashworth last year - both of whom have now left the club.
But amid all of the alarming points raised in the candid interview, it is claimed that Ratcliffe’s heart is in the right place when it comes to his passion for the Old Trafford club. That’s according to Judi James, one of the country’s leading analysts on body language.
She said of the self-confessed boyhood United fan’s interview: “The most positive feature is Ratcliffe's authentic love of the team. When asked why he is putting himself through all the recent pain and criticism his demeanour changes to one of a childhood fan. His eyes look almost tearful and his speech speeds as his energy is restored.”
James mentioned two other key body language features, saying: “The second feature is Ratcliffe's clear strength and thinking style. His lack of sustained eye contact and his verbal clarity define a brain that is inspired by logic, facts and figures. During the middle section of this interview, he takes command of the narrative to explain the financial situation in detail so forensic that it almost becomes boring.
“But the third and most dramatic body language feature is his apparent utter discomfort when the Glazer family are mentioned. Ratcliffe squirms in his seat here before folding his arms in a barrier ritual. He rubs his nose and sniffs and rubs his neck in a gesture of anxiety.
“He scratches his mouth, sighs and rubs his chin and appears to perform some verbal swerves at this point, throwing out workplace cliches like 'Human beings don't like change', which is not only a cliche but also untrue. Humans love change when they feel they have some form of control of agreement over it.”
Gary Neville interviews Sir Jim Ratcliffe
Ratcliffe's passion was clear to see, according to expert Judi James
The Glazers are the long-time and hugely unpopular owners of the club. After Ratcliffe bought a 27.7% stake in United worth £1.25bn in February 2024, the Glazers handed the British business mogul control of the club’s football operations.
A day after his interview with Neville was released, United have announced their plans to build a 100,000-seater stadium to replace Old Trafford. The estimated cost is £2bn and it's not expected to be completed until at least 2030.
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