Sir Jim Ratcliffe says he would NOT have ‘tolerated’ former Man United chief Ed Woodward who ‘didn’t have the credentials’ in scathing criticism

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has risked the wrath of Manchester United fans by defending the club’s unpopular owners.

British billionaire Ratcliffe became a minority shareholder in United in February 2024 and his INEOS group is currently in charge of sporting operations at Old Trafford. 

The Glazer family have been United’s majority owners since 2005 when they bought the club via a leveraged takeover.

United supporters have staged multiple protests against the Glazers in recent years, including one ahead of last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal.

The most recent protest came after United recorded their worst season in Premier League history in the 2023-24 campaign. Barring a spectacular and immediate upturn in form, this season is set to be even worse.

However, rather than criticising the Glazers for the club’s struggles, Ratcliffe has instead taken aim at the figures they previously entrusted to run United, reserving particular criticism for former chief executive Ed Woodward.

Ed Woodward, pictured at a game in 2019, served as United’s CEO between 2012 and 2022

Ratcliffe (top right) was at Old Trafford last Sunday when Man United drew 1-1 with Arsenal

In a scathing assessment of the club’s leadership under the Glazers, Ratcliffe insisted that he would not have ‘tolerated’ Woodward’s tenure and suggested the former banker did not have the credentials to oversee a football institution of United’s stature.

Speaking to The Times, Ratcliffe said: ‘The way I look at it is that you had two management teams at Manchester United for the past 12 years who did a poor job because the owners weren’t like, say, Steve Parish (Crystal Palace) and Daniel Levy (Tottenham Hotspur), they weren’t really into the details. Those two know what’s going on. They’re there every day and the management at their clubs are on a short leash.

‘The management of Manchester United have been given a huge amount of rope. The owners just managed the club and left the football side alone and they’ve made a lot of very poor decisions over 12 years, stupid things. They made a complete cock-up of it, shocking really. They couldn’t see where they were headed.

‘I wouldn’t have tolerated Ed Woodward, or Richard Arnold. Richard was a rugby man, he didn’t even understand football. Ed didn’t have the credentials to manage the club. He was a merchant banker, an accountant. He wasn’t the chief executive.’

Woodward served as United’s chief executive from 2012 to 2022, overseeing the start of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, a period defined by managerial instability, questionable recruitment, and a sharp decline in on-field success.

Meanwhile, Arnold was part of the back-room furniture at Old Trafford for 16 years from 2008 to 2023, including a two-year spell as CEO.

Despite the ire directed at the Glazers by a large proportion of supporters, Ratcliffe believes the American family are ‘decent people’ with valuable commercial expertise.

‘To be fair to the Glazers, they’re really good on the commercial side,’ Ratcliffe added. 

‘The people who advise me say the fans don’t want to hear it. So I’ve got to be cautious. I get a lot of criticism if I support the Glazers, but the fact is they’re really decent people.’

Last Sunday’s game took place after thousands of United fans protested against the Glazers

But Ratcliffe has defended Joel Glazer (right), pictured alongside Avram Glazer (left) in 2015

Though he did not complete his point, Ratcliffe appeared to be suggesting that the Glazers had been too patient with former CEOs Woodward and Arnold.

Ratcliffe also acknowledged the pressure he now faces as the visible face of the club’s leadership, admitting that he has become a top target for fan frustration in the absence of the Glazers, who rarely visit Old Trafford.

Earlier this week, Ratcliffe unveiled ambitious plans for a new 100,000-capacity arena to replace Old Trafford, aiming to create ‘the world’s greatest football stadium.’

The proposed venue would be built next to the existing ground and form the centrepiece of a wider regeneration project in the area.