“He’ll need some time” - Roy Keane names 3 problems Sir Jim Ratcliffe must solve to take Manchester United back to the top
Manchester United legend Roy Keane has named the three problems that new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team need to fix at the club. The 71-year-old has bought a 25% stake, which has cost him £1.3bn, and was in attendance at Old Trafford during the club's recent 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur.
The transaction will see Ratcliffe take charge of football operations but Keane thinks any major changes will take time. While talking on Sky Sports after Manchester United's draw with Spurs, the former midfielder highlighted how improving the recruitment process is of paramount importance.
Keane said (via Metro):
"How long have you got?! No, it’s going to take time. We’re hoping there’ll be better decision-making at the top of the club, particularly in regards to recruitment which hasn’t been good enough, the fees they’ve been paying, the contracts they’ve been handing out."
He added:
"But he’ll need some time, he’s got good people around him and he’ll need to get a feel for everything before he can start to take Man United back to the very top."
Ratcliffe's investment comes at a time when Manchester United are at one of their lowest points since Sir Alex Ferguson left in 2013. The on-field results are not improving with the team languishing at the seventh spot on the league table. They were also knocked out of the group stages of the UEFA Champions League.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag on 2-2 Tottenham as Sir Jim Ratcliffe attends the game
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag gave his analysis of his side's 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, January 14. The Dutch tactician also touched upon what Sir Jim Ratcliffe would have learned from the game.
He told Sky Sports after the match (via The Guardian):
“He [Ratcliffe] will have seen a team fighting for each other and trying to get a win. He has seen two great goals on our side and also what he should have noticed is we should be more man when we have to defend corners."
Ten Hag:
“You have to grow up and be more physical, head the ball away. That shouldn’t happen. And the second [Spurs goal, from a break] was a typical one. We know the quick releases and then we allow them a diagonal pass and with one diagonal pass they break our whole team and that can’t happen.”
United took the lead twice in the game, once through Rasmus Hojlund and then through Marcus Rashford. However, they couldn't hold on to their lead on both occasions, conceding two 'soft goals' as per Ten Hag.
“I am quite disappointed. When you go ahead twice and then concede two soft goals it is a bit frustrating, but you have to take it as it is,” he added.
Richarlison scored Spurs' first goal of the night before Rodrigo Bentancur canceled Rashford's strike.