Sir Jim Ratcliffe's behaviour during his interview with Gary Neville could be cause for concern for Manchester United head coach, Ruben Amorim. Body language expert Judi James has analysed Ratcliffe's demeanour during the conversation and believes that the United co-owner does not seem fully convinced by Amorim's capabilities or sure that the team has made progress since he took over from Erik ten Hag last November - despite the INEOS chief's claims to the contrary.
During the tense chat, Ratcliffe painted a dire picture, claiming the club would have "gone bust by Christmas" without his controversial cost reduction methods. He also expressed doubts about the current squad's ability to compete at the highest level and argued that major changes are needed before United will be able to re-establish themselves as a genuinely top side. However, body language guru James suggested that while Ratcliffe spoke with conviction about financial matters, he was less confident about on-pitch issues.
According to her observations, there were noticeable inconsistencies in how he talked about Amorim, including a particularly telling remark implying that appointing him might not have been his choice. "When Ratcliffe is asked about players, his delivery is less specific and clear," she told the MEN.
"His hands mime his claims of 'progress' under Ruben with a dramatic upward sweep one minute, but the next he is far less assured, saying 'I think we've made progress' and using a far more subdued hand gesture. He says 'I really like Ruben' before making a long list of excuses for him.
"When asked who appointed Ruben he does a long pause and repeats the question in what is usually a sign of stalling for time. This style of subject sees his hands performing weaving or knitting rituals in the air to suggest the confusing complexities of the problems involved."
Amorim's tenure at Old Trafford has been disappointing so far, with only 10 wins from his first 26 games. Consequently, United find themselves in a precarious 14th position in the Premier League and facing their worst end to a domestic season in over five years.
Yet, if one were to take Ratcliffe's verbal expressions at face value rather than his non-verbal cues, it seems Amorim's position is safe, for now at least. "I think Ruben is an outstanding young manager. I really do," the 70-year-old told Neville.
"He's an excellent manager and I think he will be [United manager] for a long time. You are beginning to see a glimpse of what Ruben can produce. Ruben is doing a super job... He is, as most great coaches are, an emotional character. Ruben is not perfect but I am a great supporter of Ruben."
Ratcliffe's acquisition of a minority stake in United was finalised in February 2024, and he now holds 28.94 per cent ownership of the club, while the Glazer family retains the majority share. Judi noted Ratcliffe's apparent discomfort when speaking about the American owners, who have been at the helm since 2005.
"[The] most dramatic body language feature is his apparent utter discomfort when the Glazer family are mentioned," she observed. "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 clichés like 'Human beings don't like change' which is not only a cliché but also untrue. Humans love change when they feel they have some form of control of agreement over it."
Despite these observations, she acknowledged Ratcliffe's "charisma" and genuine affection for his boyhood club. "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," Judi said.