Man Utd takeover: Five realistic hopes in first five years of Ratcliffe investment

It’s not quite a new era at Manchester United with the Glazers giving up only partial control. But it is still reasonable for Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s investment, when it arrives, to spark fresh hope among fans. Here are five things the more realistic might expect in five years…

1) The Glazers gone
This has to be the top priority. Ratcliffe still wants full control and it seems the Glazers will be weaned from United’s teat over time. The new investor is almost certain to have a timeline in mind, and we have to assume on paper too, and the outline of that ought to be made known to supporters sick of Joel, Avram and their siblings syphoning off the club’s money.

If Ratcliffe is to assume control of all football matters, does it really matter? Yes, obviously. United has rotted from the top down and the Glazers’ apathy radiates through every facet of the club. They will still have the final say on budgets and ambition, even if Ratcliffe and his staff are making the calls on hiring, firing and signing. With them still in overall control, the culture can never be properly overhauled. Which leads us to the next point…

2) An overhaul of the club’s culture
Gary Neville had it right when he criticised the Glazers for breeding a culture of ‘greed, ill-discipline, indecision and uncertainty’. It is contagious and has spread across Old Trafford.

For almost 20 years, Manchester United has been a commercial enterprise, existing to profit from advertising, broadcasting and merchandising to ‘1.1billion fans and followers’, all the while masquerading as a sports team. Ratcliffe and INEOS simply must redress the balance in priorities. Of course, one cannot fully thrive without the other but the commercial has to sit in the shadow of the sporting project.

Any organisation’s culture comes from the people within it – and five years is plenty of time to get the best people in the key roles. There is already plenty of speculation over who Ratcliffe might bring to Old Trafford from his past or his other interests. But it almost doesn’t matter if, in five years’ time, the Glazers still have minions like Richard Arnold protecting their interests over the club’s.

Under the Glazers’ ownership and Arnold’s leadership – and before him, Ed Woodward – United have eroded their reputation on the pitch and their public image overall. Neville called for ‘leadership that is statesmanlike on major issues that enables a fairer, more inclusive and diverse game, leadership that builds a positive and diverse game’. That shouldn’t be so hard but on the Glazers’ watch, it is seemingly impossible.

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3) A forward-thinking front office
The Glazers have stubbornly resisted moving with the times when it comes to staffing the football department. They almost had to be forced to appoint a director of football and when they did, it was an internal appointment.

Along with Arnold, John Murtough is likely to have most to lose by Ratcliffe claiming control of the sporting operation. Murtough is arguably more vulnerable and, in the Glazers’ eyes, more dispensable.

United apparently feel that improvements behind the scenes have moved at a fast pace in the last year or two but those are yet to bear fruit on the pitch. Ratcliffe and his people will no doubt conduct their own audit and once complete, it seems unfathomable that they would decide to retain the status quo.

Around Ten Hag, or any other coach, United have to get back to appointing leaders of their field rather than those resistant to rocking the boat.

4) A remodelled squad that competes for honours, not self-interest
As important as the boardroom, backroom and front office undoubtedly are, at any football club, the players are the most important people. And there is no question United have failed to build technically and mentally-competent squads in recent years.

Again, the leadership is key here and for too long, too many among those paid huge sums to play for Manchester United have taken the piss. For those fleeting moments when they seem to be on the right track, all is well. But the moment things get tough, self-interest prevails once more.

We have seen it in the way the many managers since Sir Alex Ferguson have almost all been scapegoated by the squad and some are seemingly already trying it on with Erik ten Hag. These players and those who follow them must feel part of project worth buying into. Beyond that, though, it’s time to fit in or f*** off.

Ten Hag is trying, God bless him. But without the unanimous backing of those above him, those under him will continue to take liberties. Not all of them, it must be said, but still too many to form a squad cohesive enough to compete.

How much can change in five years? That’s almost a lifetime in football – half of the post-Fergie era and that for United fans has felt an eternity. Contrary to the blue ticks on Twitter, a winning squad cannot be built overnight with unlimited funds from an AI-generated Sheikh. He wanted to buy Mbappe? Did he, aye?

United have tried signing superstars and look where it has got them. More than cash, it takes more nous to build a winning squad, as well as time and patience. But five years is long enough for United to re-establish their elite credentials – as long as the first two or three points here aren’t ignored.

5) New Old Trafford
Old Trafford, one of the most renowned sporting arenas in the world, has become a relic and a symbol of the Glazers’ disinterest. It still looks impressive on TV, when the rain isn’t coming through the roof, but the stadium is tired, worn and no longer fit-for-purpose for a club who ought to have the ambitions United should.

While United have stood still, their rivals have moved on. Around the Premier League and Europe there are countless examples of how a five-star stadia should look, feel and function. None of them come cheap and therein lies the issue. The Glazers don’t want to spend the billion or two to upgrade the facilities.

They do not even want to make a decision on how might be the best way to do that. Refurb or rebuild is the question. Both are complex and costly. But Ratcliffe cannot, and surely will not, ignore the problem as the Glazers have.

The first issue to be addressed is how any upgrade would be funded. Then United can consider which path to take. Could United be playing in a new, state-of-the-art home in five years? Almost certainly not. But they could be a long way down the road as long as Ratcliffe’s investment prompts some decisiveness and clarity.

It isn’t just the stadium; the training ground needs work too. Again, other clubs’ projects have shamed United’s Carrington base, which is still an impressive facility but far from world-leading. Upgrades are undoubtedly required. But Old Trafford must be the priority when it comes to infrastructure.

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