Tag Archives: jim ratcliffe

Dizzy Heights

Even in this (putting it mildly) testing season, we’re still fortunate enough to experience days that many other football clubs would dine out on for decades. Another trip to San Sebastián was guaranteed to provide some respite from our domestic travails, only tempered by the suspicion it might turn out to be the final European trip for a good while. A couple of days of wine and pinchos bookending a moderately important game of football would be a more than satisfactory way to bow out if this was to be our last hurrah.

As it was, any fears were unfounded as the team came away with a credible draw – lucky perhaps to have encountered a Sociedad side who looked even more toothless than United. The tie was then settled at OT a week later where for the first time, we got a glimpse of what Amorim ball might look like in the future. I remarked to a mate as we walked out of the ground how weird it was to see the entire crowd smiling and happy. We’ve been so bad at home for so long that such occasions now feel like rarities.

Assuming relegation is successfully avoided, the entire season now rests on the Europa League and I can’t help believing that we’re gonna win it now. I know this flies in the face of common sense, but it just strikes me as a very United way of concluding what has been the worst campaign in decades. We’ll beat Lyon in a couple of weeks and then providing we get at least a draw in Bilbao we’ll do them at OT, no problem. Then it’ll be back to Bilbao for the final where we’ll face perennial bottlers, Spurs. I’m telling you, it’s happening.

The slight upturn in form that preceded the international break signalled the moment for the club to finally send ST renewal emails. A general 5% increase is probably lower than most were expecting given the rumours that had suggested a hike of 20% or more. Nevertheless, the pattern is now set for year on year rises until we’re paying the kind of prices billionaire Sir Jim probably sees as fair and reasonable. Freezing prices for under-16s was a blatant attempt to manipulate the narrative but the continued erosion of the OAP discount signals exactly what the club’s long term intentions are.

It wouldn’t surprise me if the rumours suggesting hefty price increases were started with the intention of making a 5% rise more palatable. Credit to the FAB for engaging with the club and arguing vociferously against any rises at all – but they’re ultimately fighting a losing battle when the club’s entire operating strategy is based on generating as much revenue as possible from any source they can think of. Long-term ST holders are an inconvenience blocking the club’s ability to welcome further hoards of free-spending day trippers. It’s the same story at virtually all PL clubs now.

Obviously, we’re being manipulated in the same way we have been for years. The laughable explanation that the rises are necessary due the club’s financial woes could almost be described as gaslighting. So we’re supposed to believe that we’re in this mess because we’ve not been paying enough at the turnstiles? Do me a favour. The club is financially screwed because the Glazers saddled it with unsustainable debts that have grown exponentially despite a cumulative income of around £8.5 billion since 2005. They’ve pocketed £166M in dividend payments whilst employing utter buffoons to oversee what’s basically been a managed decline over the last couple of decades.

Prior the price rise reveal we were treated to our first look at ‘New Trafford’, with the proposed plans for the new stadium being thrust into the media spotlight. Some would describe the design choice as ‘bold’, others might use the word ‘ridiculous’. It just left me shaking my head as it looks even more deranged than anticipated. I mean, of course they’ve come up with a concept featuring 3 massive towers visible from Liverpool. I mean, what billion pound in debt already-business wouldn’t think of that as an entirely sensible proposal? Honestly, what a club.

Tellingly, once again there was zero information provided on how the club intends to fund this monstrosity. Which, as you may recall, was the most glaring omission from the plans presented at the OT Regeneration public meetings held back in December. With the continued absence of such crucial detail, speculation is only going to intensify as to exactly what their plan entails. JP O’Neill, the esteemed former editor of Red Issue published a Substack piece that provided some insight on a potential worst-case scenario.

Given their reluctance to entertain the prospect of renovating the existing ground, it’s looking increasingly possible that any new stadium could ultimately be owned by a 3rd party entertainment behemoth with the club merely holding a long term lease. Meanwhile, all current assets will be demolished with the land sold off to property developers – which would explain precisely why Gary Neville has been involved from the start. In short, a potential sale and leaseback that would mean another insane payday for the Glazers and leave the club as tenants in the shiny new OT megadome.

It’s a vomit inducing prospect, but a very real one. Although nothing is confirmed, I don’t see how else this project becomes viable without such a doomsday scenario being presented as a fait accompli. The e-reds won’t mind in the slightest as most don’t have the attention span to understand the implications of the club surrendering their core assets and signing off on a rental home. That would be quite some legacy for an alleged ‘life-long red’ to leave behind. If this is just scaremongering and doesn’t reflect Ratcliffe and the Glazers’ intentions, then let’s hear some denials.

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There’s Nothing Like This

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I’m writing during the middle of the winter break and honestly, its arrival came as a relief given it signalled a fortnight without having to suffer watching United play football. It’s debatable whether this last 6 months has been the nadir of the post-Ferguson era, but it’s certainly up there with the regrettable Moyes experiment and the 2nd season under Van Gaal. It’s been tortuous at times, and the forward trajectory and resultant optimism of a year ago has disappeared completely.

There are numerous mitigating factors of course, but it doesn’t alter the fact that United remain in a complete mess. Sometimes, like after the Villa home game, you look at them and think “they’re definitely behind him” and you manage to convince yourself there’ll be a concerted effort to carry that level of determination into the next game. Then 4 days later it’s Forest away and they simply don’t turn up. It’s so predictable and the same thing has been happening for years on repeat.

Now that the transition to being INEOS-led is finally underway we can hopefully look forward to having some serious people in charge again. Poaching one of the main heads at City could be seen as a coup of sorts, but such is my complete lack of faith the immediate thought was “I bet he’s a plant” – either that or he’ll be in prison in 6 months’ time if they’re found guilty of these 115 charges. I’m being facetious of course, but it would be classic modern day United if the incumbent CEO ended up in court defending the actions of his previous employer.

Given that splashing the cash on big money transfers is no longer an option, (such activity being one of the root causes of our current predicament), there’s little we can do except pray the changes Ratcliffe, Brailsford & Co put into practice have an immediate positive effect on the current staff. Despite haemorrhaging millions on players, the overall quality of the squad is still questionable. Senior pros aren’t performing or have a terrible attitude (more on Rashford in a bit), the few quality players we have are too old or injury prone, those possessing the right work-ethic aren’t good enough and the jury’s still out on a handful of recent arrivals.

I’ll be convinced by Omar Berrada if we manage to go a few months without hearing rumours of Wan Bissaka’s terms being extended or that United are considering handing Scott McTominay a new deal. When is the penny going to drop that keeping mediocre players under contract doesn’t suddenly pique the interest of potential buyers? We’ve been doing this for a decade now and I don’t recall the tactic working once. Mediocre is probably harsh as this pair are good players, they just aren’t good enough if we’re expecting to compete at the top level any time soon.

Dalot is another one who United consider a major asset despite his performances suggesting the exact opposite is the case. By all accounts he’s a good professional and he clearly tries his hardest, but are you kidding me? I’m left dumbfounded by the narrative that he’s developed over the last couple of years. He was a liability when he was shipped off to Milan on loan 4 years ago and he remains a liability now. The fact he’s found the net as opposed to Row Z on a couple of occasions recently is more a statistical anomaly than evidence of marked improvement. It’s embarrassing that the club’s social media promotes such nonsense, it’s like they’re trying to gaslight us.

The club’s financial position is so perilous that we don’t appear to be in the position to bring in our annual comedy loan signing this month. Despite losing Martial to injury and shipping that rat Sancho back to Dortmund, unless something dramatic happens at the death it looks like we’re relying on Hojlund and Rashford alone to provide goals for the rest of the season. If one or both get injured what’s the plan then? Recalling Hugill from Burton Albion would be an option (I can’t believe I’ve just typed those words) but whatever way you look at it, we’re desperately short of options.

Although he’ll always have an army of defenders on social media, I think most normal United fans have lost it with Rashford after his “performances” over the last few months. Watching an alleged senior pro and lifelong red strop around the pitch scowling whilst turning in a series of utterly abysmal displays has done me in. I’m not sure how he had the gall to make that yapping gesture after scoring against Spurs the other week. Like a number of his peers, it’s uncertain if he’s got a clue what’s going on with his life anymore.

How he’s turned from an excited young teenager absolutely buzzing to have scored on his PL debut to the brooding, entitled bellend we witness today encapsulates everything detestable about a growing number of modern footballers. The manner in which players so lauded and highly remunerated lose all perspective and basically start taking the piss out of their own public speaks volumes about their true character. In Rashford’s case it’s all the more embarrassing given the cringeworthy “humble kid with a heart of gold” schtick that’s pumped out by his PR team.

In the meantime, the player is out clubbing in “the biggest dive in Belfast” according to another contributor to the mag, before phoning in sick and missing training the next morning. Despite the club briefing journalists that “everything is fine” and the video footage was from a previous night (it wasn’t), the optics are pretty terrible here – just as they were following his comment on Instagram reacting to Sancho’s arrival at Dortmund. They can try and play down his antics all they like, but he’s been phoning it in all season and something is clearly not right with him.

The club is facing a bit of a conundrum now because whilst Rashford appears to have decided he doesn’t fancy Ten Hag, he remains one of their biggest commercial assets and is one of the few players who’d command a large fee if they were to leave. If United decide to dispense with the manager at the end of the season (which is entirely possible irrespective of Rashford’s feelings on the subject), I’m sure he’d feel placated and everything will settle. If Ten Hag is given another season, then it’s looking increasingly likely that the club will decide to cash in this summer. Fingers crossed they go with Option B.

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Pretty Vacant

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After a summer of discontent featuring a squad re-build progressing at a glacial pace, it was important that United got off to a good start this season. If ten Hag was disappointed after the opening day Brighton defeat, he must have felt almost suicidal when the half time whistle blew at Brentford. I’ve been going a long time now and I can’t recall seeing anything quite as bad as that opening 45 minutes. The mood was downbeat in the pub beforehand but I don’t think anyone anticipated the absolute horror show we were about to witness. I walked out at HT as did many others.

Of course, it never helps when your goalie starts throwing the ball in his own net. Everyone has their own take on De Gea but the consensus amongst people whose opinion I value is that he should have been binned off a long time ago. Whether Henderson was a good enough replacement is debatable, but in my opinion he should have been given a 6 month run in the team once he’d regained fitness last season. We all know De Gea has numerous weaknesses, but crucially it’s no longer enough to merit his place simply “because he’s a good shot stopper”. Christ, all Premier League keepers are good shot stoppers, aren’t they?

It’s far too early to be questioning the new manager’s methods, but watching De Gea’s feeble attempts at playing out from the back as opposed to launching a goal kick upfield was excruciating. When a keeper isn’t comfortable with the ball at his feet, he’s unlikely to develop this facet to his game at 31 years old. Brentford had clearly done their homework and exploited this in the most brutal manner imaginable. It might sound harsh and there’s no doubt De Gea has been a tremendous servant to the club over the last decade, but he needs replacing if we’re going to progress. It was a deeply embarrassing day all round.

As pretty much all pre-season optimism had dissipated at this point, several highly vocal, self-reverential nutcases on twitter had a plan. Pausing momentarily from working themselves into a frenzy about players they’d never heard of 3 days previously, the idea of #emptyoldtrafford was born. Apparently if this hashtag was RT’ed enough times, Old Trafford would be deserted for the forthcoming Liverpool game and the Glazer’s resolve would miraculously crumble. The legions outside would carry Jim Ratcliffe into the stadium where he would by interviewed pitchside by Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville, presumably.

With 70,000 match-goers lined up outside OT, one could only assume that the twitter lads planned to stand outside their bedrooms in solidarity. The only certainty was that the campaign was doomed to failure from the moment it was conceived and that internet gobshites posing as United fans vastly overestimate the influence they have over actual United fans. Instead, a real-life protest organised by real-life supporters attracted huge numbers and widespread media attention all by itself. Who would have thought such a thing possible?

The twitter reds constantly bang on about division and toxicity amongst the “fanbase” but what they fail to grasp is that despite the numbers they attract, their influence on people in and around the club is negligible. They might consider themselves knowledgeable, but ultimately their experiences amount to little more than arguing on the internet about their favourite tv show. These individuals are never going to effect change because they possess zero credibility amongst match-goers. United supporters’ feelings are probably more aligned now than they have been at any time since the Glazers took over. At this point you’d struggle to find anyone with something positive to say about the club’s owners.

To be clear, I don’t think the idea of emptying the ground at some point should be disregarded entirely. The idea has the potential to be a highly effective protest but you’re not going to achieve this with only 5 days notice and nobody of any substance on board. Get MUST, the fanzines, TRA and The 1958 behind it and with proper publicity the idea might have a decent chance. As unpalatable as it might sound to those of a ‘burn it all down now’ disposition, Liverpool at home so early in the season was never a realistic prospect for orchestrating a mass boycott.

The fervour of the pre-match protest led to one of the best atmospheres OT has seen in a long time. The place was rocking during the first half and the team responded with a performance that was a vast improvement on the dire effort shown the previous weekend. For the first time in months we saw evidence of the basics in place. Every player looked focused, committed and willing to put in a full shift for 90 minutes. We know they’re some distance from challenging for the top prizes but if the players can maintain a level of effort somewhere above bare minimum, I expect our fortunes might improve quickly.

As is customary following the Liverpool game, there was another debate about the ‘murderers’ chant and whether or not it’s a reference to Hillsborough. It’s getting really tiresome now. Firstly, there’s no doubt the antipathy between the two sets of supporters gives the fixture an edge that nobody wants to lose. However, the ‘murderers’ insult is aired more frequently and vociferously now than it ever was previously. People point to Liverpool fans singing about Munich in the past as some sort of justification but honestly, it’s straw clutching in the extreme. It’s 2022 and we should be doing better.

I’m not suggesting that reparations need to be made and we should start handing out garlands of flowers to each other, I just find it very sad. In the past I’ve caught myself trying to explain the nuances to people as if the song actually being a reference to Heysel validates it somehow, but in truth it doesn’t. The tit-for-tat nonsense needs to stop. There can still be a rivalry and a mutual loathing without celebrating tragedies that have befallen the respective clubs. In simple terms, singing ‘murderers’ doesn’t reflect well on United fans and it makes us look and sound like dickheads.

After such a positive performance and result against Liverpool, Southampton away suddenly felt like a big game. United have been abject for months but we seem to be particularly awful at early kick offs, not to mention the fact we hadn’t seen back-to-back league wins since February. A scruffy 1-0 win was more than acceptable despite the fact that all composure went out of the window after taking the lead. The last half hour was desperate at times and we seemed determined to give the ball away at every opportunity. It’s far too early to say whether a recovery is underway but I’m taking solace from the fact the players at least look slightly interested again. That will do for now.

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