Ben Foster has dramatically changed his tune on Manchester United’s ownership.
It’s been 20 years since Ben Foster joined Manchester United from Stoke City.
The former England international spent five years at Old Trafford and was loaned out to Watford, Birmingham City and West Brom.
Foster made 12 appearances for United’s first team before eventually joining West Brom on a permanent transfer. He announced his retirement after a short spell in the National League with Wrexham, where he’d previously enjoyed a loan spell as a youngster.
Nowadays, Foster can often be seen on YouTube, giving his take on many football-related matters and reminiscing about his playing career.
Foster speaks regularly about his former clubs, especially United, and he appears to be more willing to tackle important issues than he was as a player.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Avram Glazer
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Ben Foster slams Manchester United owners
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, through his company Ineos, acquired a minority stake (27.7%) in United before taking full control of football operations.
The Glazers remain majority owners and United fans have continued protests against the club’s ownership.
More United News
Those loyal United fans will protest again when the new Premier League season kicks off against Arsenal at Old Trafford on August 17.
On the latest episode of Fozcast, a podcast with Ben Foster, a discussion takes place on the worst owners in the Premier League.
Foster, along with two guests, discusses a range of owners with multiple comparisons.
The former United goalkeeper aimed at the owners for the snowballing effect they have had at Old Trafford, with many clubs now considered to be miles ahead of the Red Devils.
“I’ve got a lot of friends who are Man United fans,” Foster said. “A lot of friends.
“I still, when I talk to them about it, can not believe Man United are in the position that they are in.
“Comparing them to some of the teams around them, who were languishing miles behind Man United, only just 10-12 years ago… languishing. And they’ve managed to turn their fortunes so that they are now miles ahead.
“Man United are so far off it with the feeling of the fans towards the players and the football club, and the ownership. The amount of wages that they’re paying…
“I think the ownership has been so bad. So, so bad because at the end of the day, it has to go back to them. Somebody in the ownership model has had to have said, ‘Yeah, I agree with that, let’s green light that, sign that player and give them that wages.’
“Once they’ve started doing that, it’s snowballed to the position they are now, where they’re expecting a massive overhaul of players this summer… I bet you they won’t because they are not going to be able to get rid of hardly any of them [players].”
Fans are unhappy with Ratcliffe as well as the Glazers, especially with ticket prices increasing.
Foster previously slammed fans for anti-Glazer protests
Ironically, it seems Foster has changed his tune on the ownership situation at United.
After signing for West Brom in 2010, Foster criticised United supporters for anti-Glazer protests.
The green and gold campaign was underway as supporters wore flags showing the colours of Newton Heath in protest against the Glazer family.
However, Foster went on record saying fans should dedicate more time to supporting the club rather than “getting carried away” with the owners.
To make matters worse for Foster, he also defended the American owners by claiming the Glazers had always backed Sir Alex Ferguson in the transfer market.
“The fans are obviously passionate about the club but sometimes they need to focus on supporting the club a bit more than getting carried away with the technicalities of who’s in charge,” Foster said, as quoted by The Guardian.
“Personally I think the Glazers have always put money into Manchester United to buy players when needed. I don’t think they need to buy too many players there anyway. They have a lot of very good young players coming up through the ranks who could do as good a job as anyone else they could bring in.”
Foster went on to say the protests were distracting the players following a trophyless campaign.
“Yes, it’s a bit of a distraction when the fans are doing the chants at every game and things like that.
“It’s not something the players worry too much about, once you’re out on the pitch it’s blinkers on and you’re concentrating on playing football. I wouldn’t have thought it contributed too much to only winning the Carling Cup.”