Revisiting Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Man Utd promises: Three years on, is anything ‘best in class’?

Sir Jim Ratcliffe lays the blame for the ongoing mess at Manchester United at the door of the Glazer family, who “made a complete cock-up” of running the club, according to Football365. The Glazers' leveraged takeover 21 years ago saddled Man Utd with £600m worth of debt, which has contributed to the club's problems on and off the field. Ratcliffe, who promised the “best in class” when he arrived in February 2024, has been criticized for his handling of the club, with many questioning his decision to appoint Jason Wilcox and Michael Carrick to key roles.

The Guardian reports that director of football Jason Wilcox is 'leading the review' of Michael Carrick's position as manager, and will consult with CEO Omar Berrada before giving a recommendation to Ratcliffe. Carrick's job has been under threat after a series of poor results, including a 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth and a 4-1 humiliation at the hands of Como in the Champions League.

In an interview with The Times in March 2025, Ratcliffe criticized the Glazers' management of the club, saying they “made a lot of very poor decisions” and “couldn’t see where they were headed.” He also expressed his dislike for the club's former management group, led by Ed Woodward, saying he “wouldn’t have tolerated Ed Woodward or [his successor] Richard Arnold.”

According to one former Premier League executive, Ratcliffe is pinning the current chaos on the Glazers, which is a common trait among owners who have not yet learned from their mistakes. The executive told ESPN that it takes about five years for owners to learn their lessons and take some responsibility, and that until then, they tend to blame what they inherited.

Manchester Evening News reports that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team have made Manchester United worse rather than better, while ESPN states that Ratcliffe chose to appoint rookies at Man United, and it has them facing a relegation fight. The fans continue to express their discontent with the ownership of the club, with a banner reading ‘We don’t want a new stadium, we want new owners’ being unfurled at a recent match.

The current state of the club is one of uncertainty, with Carrick's future as manager hanging in the balance and the team struggling to avoid relegation. Ratcliffe's ownership has not endeared him to the fans, who see him as a significant part of the problem. As one former Premier League executive noted, it may take time for Ratcliffe to learn from his mistakes and take responsibility for the club's current state.