‘Jim Ratcliffe is ruining football’ – Man United chief slaughtered by fellow executive
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been told to stop his cost-cutting measures at Manchester United as they are ruining football tradition.
Ratcliffe took control of the Red Devils back in December 2023, ending the controversial reign of the Glazer family.
However since his arrival, the INEOS CEO has made a number of heavily criticised financial decisions, including sanctioning the redundancies of hundreds of Man United staff.
Now it has been revealed that United are set to abandon the tradition of gift-giving that usually takes place when two sides meet for a pre-season friendly, in order to save money.
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 that these gestures should not be extinguished from football.
‘Man United are eradicating part of football history’
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness insisted that although the gift-giving may seem peripheral and inconsequential, it is still part of the football tradition.
At pre-season games, club directors usually exchange a piece of memorabilia to commemorate the occasion.
Wyness added that for smaller teams, a gift showing that they had played Man United could be one of their most prized possessions.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “I don’t think you necessarily benefit from the gifts because it was more a mutual exchange and so it was something that you did really behind the scenes as a gesture.
“It was part of football tradition and I’m a big traditionalist in many ways and the Everton trophy cabinet as we know has not been full of trophies but it’s certainly full of some great memorabilia of games that we played in the past.
“It is part of tradition and part of history of football that you remember certain games you played, even though they’re pre-season friendlies. I think you can scale it down, but still recognise those things.
“It was more at director level that things would be exchanged, and it used to be just the engraved piece of silverware or piece of pottery or something to commemorate the game.
“I don’t think we should lose those touches completely. I think there’s something about it that needs to be kept. And although it may seem very peripheral, it’s just a very nice gesture. If we start to lose those sorts of gestures, then everything becomes like business again. I don’t want it to be extinguished forever.
“I know for some of these smaller clubs, it would be one of their biggest most prized possessions, to show that they played Man United in a game, so it’s important. I hope it doesn’t become another Jim Ratcliffe cost-cutting measure that completely eradicates what is a good part of football tradition and history.”
Man United eye former Villa midfielder
Meanwhile, Football Insider has revealed that Man United have registered their interest in signing Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz this summer.
Everton are also keen on the 27-year-old, who has four years remaining on his current contract but could leave Italy with a return to the Premier League a possibility.
Juventus are keen to offload Luiz this summer and are considering their options, but would prefer to accept permanent offers rather than letting him leave on a short-term basis.
Man United are willing to negotiate a loan-to-buy deal with the Italian club, placing them firmly ahead of Everton in the race to reach an agreement.
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