Sir Jim Ratcliffe breaks silence on Erik ten Hag as Man Utd chief refuses to back manager
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has refused to reassure Erik ten Hag that his job as Manchester United manager is safe amid a disastrous start to his third season in charge. During a public appearance in Barcelona, Ratcliffe praised the Dutchman's coaching abilities but nudged the responsibility over a decision on his future to others at Old Trafford.
The Ineos chief, who owns 28 per cent of United, will ultimately make the final call on Ten Hag, along with majority shareholders, the Glazer family.
But he has spent the first several months of his investment in the club forming a best-in-class team of executives to run the day-to-day football operations.
Related articles Under-pressure Erik ten Hag tells Man Utd stars 'step up vs Aston Villa' Rasmus Hojlund issues statement after deleted Instagram post sparks backlashNew chief executive Omar Berrada and sporting director Dan Ashworth, with support from technical director Jason Wilcox, are the figures assessing the project's direction.
All three are stationed at Carrington and hold regular meetings with Ten Hag and his staff. They will be the ones to recommend a change of leadership should United fail to improve.
function loadOvpScript(){let el=document.createElement('script');el.setAttribute('src','https://live.primis.tech/live/liveView.php?s=114291&vp_content=plembed3e7arguyxmsj&cbuster=%%CACHEBUSTER%%&playerApiId=v114291');document.getElementById('ovp-primis').appendChild(el)} window.top.addEventListener('primisPlayerInit',e=>{try{if(e.detail&&e.detail.playerApiId==="v114291"){if(window.document.getElementsByClassName('jwplayer')[0]){e.detail.float('disable')}}}catch(e){}});window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',()=>{setTimeout(()=>{if(typeof flagTcfLoaded!=='undefined'&&flagTcfLoaded===!0){loadOvpScript();ExpressApp.Log('[Load] OVP flagTcfLoaded',new Date())}else{document.addEventListener("tcfLoaded",()=>{loadOvpScript();ExpressApp.Log('[Load] OVP tcfLoaded',new Date())})}},1500)})Ratcliffe spoke to BBC Sport in Barcelona, where Ineos' sailing team have been participating in the 37th America's Cup.
When asked whether he had faith in Ten Hag, the 71-year-old responded: "I don't want to answer that question… I like Erik. I think he's a very good coach.
Erik ten Hag's position is under serious threat. (Image: Getty) Stay up-to-date with the latest Man Utd news Join us on WhatsAppOur community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
"But at the end of the day, it's not my call; it's the management team that's running Manchester United that has to decide how we best run the team in many different respects.
"But that team that's running Manchester United has only been together since June or July.
"They weren't there in January, February, March or April – Omar [Berrada], Dan Ashworth - they only arrived in July.
"They've only been there…you can count it in weeks almost - they've not been there a long time, so they need to take stock and make some sensible decisions.
SUBSCRIBE Invalid emailWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
Related articles Man Utd 'ridiculous' as former player takes aim after Porto collapse Sir Jim Ratcliffe told Man Utd 'mess' is his fault and he's already wasted £200m Benni McCarthy details Marcus Rashford's big problem after Man Utd star subbedEXCLUSIVE:
Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe tells me about under-pressure manager Erik ten Hag:
“I like Eric. I think he’s a very good coach but at the end of the day it’s not my call…[club chiefs] need to take stock and make some sensible decisions.”https://t.co/xlQ4JMBwU5 pic.twitter.com/nr79nAeNln
"Our objective is very clear - we want to take Manchester United back to where it should be, and it's not there yet, obviously - that's very clear."
Ineos backed Ten Hag with around £200million in the summer transfer window after a search for a potential replacement ended with him extending his contract until 2026.
But United have won just three of 10 matches this season - against Fulham, Southampton and Barnsley - which has evaporated the optimism among supporters spawned from May's FA Cup triumph.
Back-to-back 3-0 home league defeats against Liverpool and Tottenham have intensified the scrutiny. Another loss at Aston Villa on Sunday could force Ratcliffe's decision-makers into action.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe breaks silence on Erik ten Hag as Man Utd chief refuses to back manager
Sir Jim Ratcliffe breaks silence on Erik ten Hag as Man Utd chief refuses to back manager
Sir Jim Ratcliffe breaks silence on Erik ten Hag as Man Utd chief refuses to back manager
Sir Jim Ratcliffe breaks silence on Erik ten Hag as Man Utd chief refuses to back manager
Sir Jim Ratcliffe breaks silence on Erik ten Hag as Man Utd chief refuses to back manager
Play online games for free at games.easybranches.com
Guest Post Services www.easybranches.com/contribute