Jim Ratcliffe believes multi-club ownership ‘often benefits smaller club’ | OneFootball

How OGC Nice will be impacted by their owner Jim Ratcliffe’s purchase of a minority stake in Manchester United is yet to be fully understood, but there could be a future where they become part of a multi-club model.

In a conversation with the BBC, the new minority owner of United briefly touched upon the topic of multi-club ownership. “We’ve had an early conversation with UEFA and it was more positive than I anticipated, it’s obviously an issue… if you go down the multi-club route… even the likes of UEFA are not entirely clear about their future view of multi-club ownership.”

However, despite these issues, Ratcliffe believes there are positives to be found in this model, “There are some very good aspects to multi-club ownership and the beneficiaries are often the smaller club rather than the bigger club. UEFA recognise that they don’t necessarily want to take the opportunity away from the smaller clubs.”

Despite Ratcliffe’s view, it remains a contested issue in France

Multi-club ownership has become a contentious issue in France due to the situations of ESTAC Troyes and RC Strasbourg Alsace. Both clubs have become part of a multi-club model wherein they would be considered the feeder club to the “bigger” side in Manchester City and Chelsea FC respectively.

In the case of Troyes, the impact of the City Football Group’s ownership has seen the club on the brink of successive relegations. Popular manager, Bruno Irles was replaced last season by Patrick Kisnorbo while the club were 13th in Ligue 1, in a failed attempt to implement CFG’s footballing identity. A situation worsened by the case of Savio (19), the record signing yet to play for Troyes.

In Strasbourg, results have been better, but the supporters have still felt alienated by the model they have unwittingly become a part of. The fans lament decisions that appear to be taken in London, and mourn the loss of the team’s unique cultural identity.

GFFN | Nick Hartland