‘Absolutely ridiculous’: Keith Wyness slams FA for threat to Sir Jim Ratcliffe in legal battle
The FA were correct not to charge Sir Jim Ratcliffe over his controversial comments and should never have got involved in the first place.
That is according to ex-Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, amid the controversy over Ratcliffe’s “colonised by immigrants” comments.
Ratcliffe avoided a charge by the FA after they investigated whether his comments brought the game into disrepute.
The FA have reminded Ratcliffe of his responsibilities when taking part in media interviews, whilst Man United have distanced themselves from their co-owners’ comments.
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FA had ‘no right to get involved’ in Sir Jim Ratcliffe controversy
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes it was “ridiculous” for the FA to write to Ratcliffe.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness thinks the FA would have found themselves with a big issue if they’d had charged Ratcliffe.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “Well, I thought it was absolutely ridiculous for the FA to even write to him or even mention that he could possibly bring the game into disrepute.
“To me, it was a case of free speech. And while, you know, I may not agree with what he said, I would always fight, as they say, to the end for him to have the right to say it.
“And I do think the FA have got absolutely no right to get involved in something like this in terms of an issue of free speech. And I think they realised pretty quickly from making that sort of statement that they might look at charging him, that he would be lawyered up pretty quickly.
“And I think this would be a landmark freedom of speech issue. But I don’t think the FA have got any right to get involved in these sorts of things, and they should stick to football.”
Man United star could return vs Crystal Palace
On the pitch, Man United’s fine form continued with a 1-0 win at Everton, further solidifying their position in the Premier League‘s top four.
Michael Carrick could be given a major boost with Lisandro Martinez in contention to face Crystal Palace next following a calf injury.
The 28-year-old missed the trip to Everton having started every game under Carrick, with the Red Devils unbeaten since his arrival.