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Jim Ratcliffe Backs Amorim, Outlines Three-Year Plan for Manchester United Revival
October 9, 2025 – Manchester United minority owner Jim Ratcliffe has publicly reaffirmed his commitment to head coach Ruben Amorim, granting him a three-year window to demonstrably improve the club’s fortunes. This decisive stance signals a departure from the “knee-jerk” reactions that Ratcliffe believes have plagued United’s management in the past.
The Portuguese manager, approaching his first anniversary at Old Trafford (appointed November 1, 2024), has faced consistent scrutiny. Despite a ample investment and high expectations, results haven’t materialized as hoped. Last season saw a disappointing 15th-place finish in the Premier League – the club’s lowest as 1974 – and early exits from cup competitions, including a shock defeat to League Two side Grimsby in the Carabao Cup.
however, Ratcliffe, who assumed control of football operations at United through his company Ineos in February 2024, remains patient. He views Amorim as a “good guy” deserving of time to implement his vision.
“He has not had the best of seasons,” Ratcliffe acknowledged in a recent interview on The Business podcast. “Ruben needs to demonstrate he is a great coach over three years. That’s where I would be.”
A Long-Term Vision, Not Instant Gratification
Ratcliffe is critical of the media’s demand for immediate success. He believes sustainable improvement requires a more measured approach.
“The press, sometiems I don’t understand,” he stated. “Thay want overnight success. You can’t run a club like Manchester united on knee-jerk reactions to some journalist who goes off on one every week.”
This commitment to a long-term strategy extends to the club’s ownership structure. While the Glazer family remains in overall charge, Ratcliffe insists they are supportive of his leadership. He emphasized the geographical and practical advantages of Ineos’s hands-on approach.
“It’s not going to happen” that the Glazers would force him to sack Amorim, Ratcliffe asserted. “They’re the other side of the pond… a long way away to try and manage a football club as big and complex as Manchester United. We’re here with feet on the ground.”
He even offered a surprisingly positive assessment of the Glazers,describing them as “really nice people” and “really passionate about the club.”
Restructuring for Sustainable Success
Ratcliffe’s first year has focused heavily on financial restructuring.This involved difficult decisions, including the elimination of approximately 450 jobs and the removal of staff perks like subsidized lunches. These measures drew criticism, but Ratcliffe defends them as necessary.
“The costs were just too high,” he explained. “there was a level of mediocrity and it had become bloated.”
He frames these cuts not as austerity, but as a foundation for future investment in the squad.
“the biggest correlation… between results and any external factor – is profitability,” Ratcliffe stated. “The more cash you have got, the better squad you can build.”
Here’s a breakdown of Ratcliffe’s key priorities:
* Financial Stability: Prioritizing profitability to unlock greater investment in players.
* Operational Efficiency: Streamlining the club’s structure and reducing unnecessary costs.
* Long-Term Planning: Providing Amorim with a clear timeframe to build a winning team.
* Strategic Ownership: Leveraging Ineos’s local presence and expertise in football management.
Despite reporting record revenues of £666.5m last season, United also posted a £33m loss. ratcliffe believes these numbers will improve as the restructuring takes effect and the club returns to the Champions League.
“Manchester United will become the most profitable football club in the world, in my view,” he confidently predicted.”And from that will stem, I hope, a long-term, sustainable, high-level of football.”
Ratcliffe’s vision for Manchester United is clear: a financially robust, strategically managed club capable of consistently competing at the highest level. While challenges remain, his commitment to Amorim and his long-term plan offer a glimmer of hope for a club desperate to return to its former glory.
Image Caption: Jim Ratcliffe:
