Scholes labels Ratcliffe claim ‘bizarre’ as Man Utd legend explains Ten Hag ‘worry’
Paul Scholes is baffled by the “bizarre” proposed splitting of responsibility at Manchester United between Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazers.
Ratcliffe is set to be announced as a minority shareholder of United this week having reportedly bought 25 per cent of the club for £1.4bn.
It’s been claimed that Ratcliffe will take over all football operations as part of the deal – with CEO Richard Arnold’s exit already confirmed – with the Glazers set to take a backseat.
But Scholes isn’t convinced the Glazers will be so willing to leave the football side to Ratcliffe if the INEOS owner is making decisions they don’t agree with.
Asked what Ratcliffe needs to do when he takes over the reins, Scholes told Webby & O’Neill: “Well everyone talks about recruitment and recruitment is very difficult.
“It’s a difficult thing to get right, every signing you make is a risk. It’s clear that we’ve signed good players, but a lot of them don’t seem to ever work. So I think that will be the first thing he does.
“They’re talking about a director of football as well, or a sporting director whatever you want to call it, with some experience, that will be something he will want to get in place straight away.
“I just find it difficult to believe that he’s going to be left to his own devices only owning 25 per cent of the football club.
“How are the Glazers not going to want a say at the top table when it comes to football decisions?
“Obviously you can draw up contracts, of course you can, but if stuff is then happening that they don’t like, you’re telling me they’re not going to come to the table and have something to say about it? I’m sure they will.
“I just find it bizarre. It’s obviously a stepping stone to him [Ratcliffe] taking over the club permanently, but how long that is going to be we don’t know. And how much time has he got to try and get things right?”
On how that uncertainty could impact under-pressure manager Erik ten Hag, Scholes added: “I don’t know. That’s Jim Ratcliffe’s decision I would have thought on the football side of it.
“Sometimes you do worry for managers when new owners come into it. I think it’s a worry [that Ten Hag might leave]. I think he should stay, I really like him.
“A brilliant first year with what he had to cope with. Yes, OK, he’s had a lot of injuries [this season] and the team hasn’t gone on from what we expected. But how many times can we keep sacking managers in the second or third year?
“At some point we have to stay with them and I think this is the right manager to stay with. I think he’s ruthless, I think he knows what he wants. He’s not quite got it yet, but I think he eventually will do.”
READ MORE: Ten Hag working silent miracles and Arsenal at 9) in ranking of current Premier League injury crises
