‘Nightmare’ Ratcliffe frustrates Man Utd candidate in stunning ‘cycling’ delay during interview process

A candidate to replace Erik ten Hag in 2024 was baffled by the interview process put in place by Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, according to reports.

The Red Devils made the decision to sack Ruben Amorim on Monday with the Portuguese head coach falling out with Jason Wilcox over formations and plans for the January transfer window.

Earlier this week, former CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs revealed the reasons that Man Utd made the decision to end Amorim’s time at Old Trafford.

Jacobs wrote on X : ‘More on Ruben Amorim’s sacking. #MUFC believe there haven’t been enough signs of evolution or progress. Denials of power struggles or ultimatums, but understand there was a breakdown between Amorim and Jason Wilcox.

‘Manchester United back the squad to achieve their objectives this season, including getting European football. Manchester United insiders insist Amorim was aligned in adding three forwards over a midfielder last summer, especially knowing they are versatile.

‘And whoever replaces Amorim will still be a head coach not a manager. No coach will ever sit above the leadership team, or be given a recruitment veto like Erik ten Hag, as Manchester United’s model is collaborative.’

Man Utd supporters had hoped that INEOS and Ratcliffe could lead the club in a new direction after years of disappointment under the Glazers in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

However, things have been just as bad, and perhaps a little worse, with Man Utd finishing 15th in the Premier League last season and missing out on European football altogether.

And Miguel Delaney of The Independent insists that in Ratcliffe ‘everyone knows the only voice that matters is the one that knows the least about football’, pointing towards the billionaire’s decisions ‘making all of this worse’ rather than better.

Delaney added: ‘One coach interviewed in 2024 got frustrated as he found there were four different stages of the process, each involving more officials, all being cast as “decision makers”. The candidate had never experienced anything like it. The interview questions were meanwhile described as “formulaic”.

‘When it came to meeting the actual decision-maker in Ratcliffe – and when it looked like an offer might come – it is claimed that was delayed for three days because the billionaire was “off cycling”. Some of this might have been exaggerated for comic effect, but the point stands.’

Speaking to people who have worked with Ratcliffe, Delaney got several similar accounts of the British billionaire:

“Meddles with everything.”

“A nightmare to work with.”

“That specific billionaire arrogance where they think being successful in one field means they’re experts on everything else.”

“It’s micromanagement. These types can never relinquish control.”