by Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has added to uncertainty over Erik ten Hag’s future by saying any decision regarding the manager is “out of my hands”.
Speaking in Barcelona, following Ineos Britannia, the sailing team he funds, winning the Louis Vuitton Cup to reach the America’s Cup next week, Ratcliffe was asked about his other sporting interests.
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Ratcliffe was evasive when asked by the BBC about Ten Hag, the manager whose United side escaped with a 3-3 Europa League draw against Porto on Thursday only after Harry Maguire’s late header . “I don’t want to answer that question,” said the billionaire, who bought 27.7% of the club last December. “I like Erik, I think he’s a very good coach but at the end of the day it’s not my decision.”
When Ratcliffe’s Ineos team bought United, the deal included handing sporting control over to the Glazer family. At Barcelona, Ratcliffe said he had delegated that control to CEO Omar Berrarda and sporting director Dan Ashworth, once their commitments to previous employers Manchester City and Newcastle respectively had ended.
“It is the management team that runs Manchester United that has to decide how best to run the team in many respects,” Ratcliffe said. “But the team that runs Manchester United has only been together since June or July. They weren’t there in January, February, March or April – Omar, Dan – they only arrived in July.
Ten Hag was handed a one-year extension in May, following United’s FA Cup final victory over City. This victory at Wembley did little to improve United’s fortunes in the Premier League. After seven matches, United sit 13th in the table and have only beaten Southampton and League One Barnsley in the Carabao Cup since August 16. On Thursday in Porto, United held a two-goal lead, only to concede twice in seven minutes before Maguire saved a team reduced to 10 players by the indiscipline of captain Bruno Fernandes.
Ratcliffe said of his designated decision-makers: “They’re only there… it’s almost measured in weeks – they haven’t been there long, so they have to take stock and make wise decisions.” Our goal is very clear: we want to get Manchester United back to where they should be, and that’s obviously not there yet. It’s very clear.
In Portugal, Ten Hag remained typically provocative. “This team is confident that they will not give up,” he said. “So they have a whole positive mentality and a strong mentality. But in other regions, they need to step up their efforts.
On questions of its future, Ten Hag remained unmoved: “There are certainly other areas in which we will improve. And then we’ll see where we end up at the end of the season. I don’t think about these questions because it’s not a topic. We are in the same boat. The ownership, the leadership, the team, the staff.
