Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s comments about Manchester United don’t bode well for Erik ten Hag | OneFootball

Sir Jim Ratcliffe ran the London marathon yesterday and then attended Manchester United’s nervy penalty shootout victory over Coventry City.

His presence in the stands didn’t change much, as United followed the usual script of collapsing after conceding.

Sir Jim talked to BBC Sport live after the marathon which was before the Coventry disaster of a performance.

With the benefit of hindsight of the game now finished, his comments don’t bode well for Erik ten Hag and his men.

Firstly, he talked about the changes in executive structure which have been delayed due to the “gardening leave” their incumbent clubs insist on.

He said: “One of the biggest problems in football is getting these new guys to come into the team but they’re all on gardening leave, so it takes you 6, 12 or even 18 months before they come in. It’s a real issue in football. To make a change you need to bring new people in.”

The last sentence reads ominously for Ten Hag who has so far managed to survive the axe due to a variety of mitigating factors, injuries being the primary one.

Comparing the marathon to the task of turning United around, Sir Jim acknowledged that while fans want a quick turnaround, the size of the task means patience is needed.

However, he was confident in his ability to do so eventually.

He also reiterated his plans for stadium development, stressing his ambition to build the Wembley of the North, something which, according to him, Manchester’s history deserves.

He said: “I think that would be fantastic for the north of England. That whole area of southern Manchester, it’s where the Industrial Revolution began and that’s why they built Old Trafford because the workers would finish their shifts and walk to the ground.

“So it was where industry and manufacturing began, so it is a really important area but it is run down. So to regenerate that area and build a Wembley of the north, I think would be a marvellous project.”

Finally, in a statement that will come as music to the ears of United fans and really hammers home how dearly he holds this project to his heart, he accepted the reality but sent a warning shot to United’s FA Cup final opponents.

He said: “We’d definitely be the underdogs [if we reached the FA Cup final against Man City], unfortunately, not for long though.”

That final part is as clear a sign of ambition that United fans have received from their owners. The reality is that the club is far away from it now.

As Ratcliffe said, he might need to “bring new people in” and on the evidence of United’s recent performances, a head coach might be needed too.

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