Sir Jim Ratcliffe must reveal Man Utd plan once he gets grubby with the Glazers
Sir Jim Ratcliffe was the most palatable option of two sh*t sandwiches. Only the setting of a clear path to a Glazer-less future for Manchester United will make getting into bed with the current owners easier to stomach…
When in comes to clarity, Manchester United fans have been feeding off scraps since the godforsaken process to buy or invest in the club began 11 months ago. Finally, for the first time since last November, this weekend gave them – and the rest of us – a clearer idea of what the future ownership of the Red Devils might look like.
Sheikh Jassim is said to have grown tired of being kept on a lead by the Glazer family and, on Saturday night, his minions made it known that the Qatari royal was withdrawing his offer to take full control of United. After talks over the last week, during which his silly numbers got even sillier, the Sheikh’s party pulled out of the race for the Red Devils. You can’t lose if you’re not running.
What put this Sheikh – a real one, apparently, not AI-generated – with the wealth and resources to make paupers of multi-millionaires, on the back foot? Sir Jim Ratcliffe is offering the Glazers more money. Or rather, more per share. And the INEOS owner is initially willing to take only a quarter of the pie, leaving the rest in the Glazers’ trough.
Sheikhs aren’t generally renowned as reasonable losers, and their blue-ticked X disciples definitely aren’t. But, when it comes to buying Manchester United, the game is seemingly up. So we can expect plenty in the coming days and weeks over how the consequence stinks.
They might be right about that – but not for the reasons they think. Many United fans will have received the news on Saturday evening with huge relief; the prospect of the club falling into Qatari state hands – for that was the reality of what was being proposed by the Sheikh – was even worse than having the Glazers’ sweaty, grubby mitts all over the decaying Theatre of Dreams.
Seemingly, the choice for many Stretford Enders came down to one of two turds: ownership by a repressive state, or Brexit Jim and the Floridian leeches. The former had been sprinkled in more glitter but the stink was more putrid.
Finally, with a modicum of clarity – unless the United board votes to reject Ratcliffe’s offer, then we are all back to where we began 427 years 11 months ago – the necessary questions can be put to the right people.
And there are many. Just for starters, the Manchester United Supporters Trust has 11; Gary Neville has even more.
Read more: 16 questions: Neville wants answers from Man Utd owners as he outlines six ‘non-negotiables’
Ratcliffe must be forthcoming and honest as soon as his name is above a quarter of the door. Which, after almost two decades of Glazer rule, is probably off its hinges with a big c*ck graffitied across it.
That is just one of many major concerns: what does Ratcliffe have in mind for the Old Trafford wreck and Carrington? United’s infrastructure is tired, outdated and in need of more than the £1.25billion investment it took to get Ratcliffe in the building.
The team is in a similarly sorry state. Word is that Ratcliffe is overpaying for his slice so he can assume sporting control of the club. Which, at least, should prompt an uptick in the giving of a toss over the fortunes of the football team. The Glazers realised long ago that United was a licence to print money even if the team was sh*t. And the team duly obliged.
The biggest question, though, is what Ratcliffe has in mind for the Glazers themselves, and to what end a phased takeover might have been agreed. How long must United be burdened by Joel, Avram and their crew of c***s?
Ratcliffe, surely, would not sign off on such a deal without watertight agreements over how and when he can increase his shareholding to the point of majority ownership. How frank can he be around this issue?
But simple openness and honesty – traits not commonly associated with multi-billionaires – would be the easiest early win Ratcliffe and his INEOS crew could secure, especially in the face of much scepticism around his willingness to get into bed with the Glazers. He may have to cosy up to them, but the conscious uncoupling process should begin right away. Immediately in his forthrightness towards the fans and his ambition for his investment. Then, in the long run, by giving the Glazers what they might want to f*** off for good.
