Man Utd files: Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s outburst goes down like lead balloon among ‘bemused’ staff and starlets’ parents
MANCHESTER UNITED academy staff and parents of the next generation of hopefuls have been left “bemused” by Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s latest outburst which saw him claim standards at the club’s famous academy had “really slipped”.
The billionaire minority owner hit out at United’s conveyor belt of talent in a recent podcast, claiming it had fallen behind that of rivals like Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal.
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe has slammed Manchester United’s academyCredit: PA
He told The Times’ The Business podcast: “The academy has really slipped at Manchester United.
“You need the academy to be producing talent all the time.
“It helps you financially. That’s not a light switch. You don’t solve the academy problem overnight. It takes time. We just recruited a new academy director.”
But his comments have gone down like a lead balloon at Carrington among coaching staff and parents of young players.
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And they come just weeks after the results of a parental poll were shared at a player parents evening.
Parents and carers were told that 80 per cent of them had said they were satisfied with their child’s journey at the club.
One told The Sun: “Sir Jim’s comments don’t represent what parents think of the club. All it has done is unsettle some of the boys and their parents.
“He might even find that what he’s said means some families start to wonder if their child’s future would be best served at another club.
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“His comments aren’t helpful and are confusing as most are happy at United. They have access to great pitches, the changing rooms are fantastic.
“They have opened a new parents’ lounge, and the boys can use the state-of-the-art facilities that the first team use for gym and rehab.
“It’s quite the contrast from Sir Jim’s comments.
“The majority of the parents have said that Sir Jim seems to have his own agenda, which does not align with what is really happening.
“The coaches try to be upbeat and put a brave face on, but you can tell that Sir Jim’s comments have hurt them. They don’t understand what he’s talking about.”
The club recently appointed Stephen Torpey as head of United’s academy after Nick Cox left for a new role as Everton’s technical director.
Kobbie Mainoo and Marcus Rashford are just two of the academy graduates in recent yearsCredit: Getty
During his nine-year tenure, 35 players made their senior debuts for United, including the likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford and Scott McTominay.
United academy graduates played 25 per cent of first-team minutes between 2019 and 2024 – only second to Bayern Munich in the top five leagues – and United ranked second in the Premier League for minutes given to teenagers last season.
Torpey previously worked with United’s director of football Jason Wilcox at Manchester City.
The Sun has previously told how last year Sir Jim’s Ineos regime told some coaching staff they faced redundancy on the first day back of last season, leaving some staff and children in tears.
SOU CHEF
United’s new nutritionist, Filipe Sousa, was on the pitch to help oversee their warm-up along with other coaching staff members at Anfield on Sunday.
Portuguese Sousa previously worked with Diogo Dalot, widely considered to be one of the fittest and most durable players at United, before he officially joined the club in the summer.
Even though Ruben Amorim has been at United for less than 12 months, the club already have a strong Portuguese flavour.
Former Braga team manager Acacio Valentim also arrived at United in the summer after coaches Carlos Fernandes, Emmanuel Ferro, Adelio Candido, Jorge Vital, Paulo Berreira and analyst Eduardo Rosalino followed Amorim to Manchester from Sporting Lisbon.
Dalot is a member of the six-man leadership group and Bruno Fernandes is, of course, club captain.
SHAW ABOUT YOU
Luke Shaw and Matheus Cunha have formed a friendshipCredit: Getty
One to file under the unlikely dressing room friendships at United: Luke Shaw and Matheus Cunha.
Shaw and Cunha have hit it off since the Brazilian joined United in the summer and they provided one of the most jubilant celebratory pictures from United’s victory at Liverpool on Sunday.
Shaw is close with Mason Mount and the players’ families share a hospitality box at Old Trafford.
Shaw was also tight with Memphis Depay when he arrived at United in 2015.
RED MIST
Harry Maguire scored a vital winning goal against LiverpoolCredit: Getty
Ticketing issues dominated the latest United fans’ forum two weeks ago and there was more mither for some away-dayers at Anfield on Sunday.
One fan discovered that the QR code for his ticket had already been scanned at the turnstiles, so he was denied entry.
The fan and a handful of United-supporting friends watched the game in a nearby pub, where they managed to go unnoticed until Harry Maguire made it 2-1 in the 84th minute.
They then got chased out, with some Scousers more than willing to literally put the boot in.
The supporter has contacted the United ticket office and escalated his complaint.
GUNNAR GO
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in the running for the Rangers gigCredit: Getty
Rangers reputedly considered Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during their frenzied search for a new manager.
The Ibrox club turned to former Sheffield Wednesday coach Danny Rohl, having sounded out ex-Gers Kevin Muscat and Steven Gerrard.
Solskjaer was also briefly in the running, which will come as little surprise as the beleaguered Rangers chief executive, Patrick Stewart, was on the United board during Solskjaer’s three-year managerial stint.
Stewart spent 16 years at Old Trafford and took over as interim chief executive at United after Richard Arnold left in 2023. Stewart soon moved on to make way for Omar Berrada.
After Stewart hired Martin in the summer, he labelled the former Southampton manager a “cultural architect”.
Coincidentally, Solskjaer used the exact same phrase during his time at United.
Martin lasted 123 days at Rangers.
SEAT FILLERS
United are set to host three evening kick-offsCredit: Getty
The visit of Brighton is United’s only home game within a seven-week period, with their other two fixtures before the November internationals away at Nottingham Forest and Tottenham.
The fixture quirk has been compounded by the schedule.
United have got three midweek evening home matches in the run up to Christmas: Everton, West Ham and Bournemouth.
Rather predictably, that has seen the Everton and West Ham games go on general sale, with plenty of availability for hospitality in the south stand, the first and second tiers of the north stand, both quadrants and the second tier of the east stand.
The cheapest available ticket is £68.
BEST IN SHOW
George Best has been honoured in an art exhibitionCredit: Getty
A new George Best art exhibition has opened at Hotel Football, a throw-in away from Old Trafford, to mark the 20th anniversary of the United legend’s death.
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George Best: 20 Years of Immortal Legacy features 40 contemporary pieces by artist Aidan Phelan, in collaboration with Best’s son, Calum.
The collection will also tour London and Belfast, Best’s hometown.
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