The first priority for Manchester United’s new owners must be to win back disaffected fans of the club, according to Red Devils legend Rio Ferdinand.
Two bidders for United have been confirmed publicly, petrochemicals billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani, son of the former Qatari prime minister, while i understands there are “one or two” other bids in the offing.
Neither of the named potential owners comes without controversy, but United fans have become used to arguments with the top brass after 18 debt-laiden years of Glazer family stewardship, and Ferdinand believes that whoever is successful will need to reverse that first and foremost.
“It makes me sad to see the disconnect between the fans and owners of the club,” Ferdinand told i.
More from Football
Inside Stonewall FC, where the world's biggest LGBT+ club is challenging stereotypes23 February, 2023
'I broke down in tears': How Newcastle fan Sean Longstaff went from a 'bad place' to Wembley23 February, 2023
Mahrez wasted and Haaland neutralised as Man City draw with Leipzig - ratings and analysis22 February, 2023“The fans love the club, but there’s a disconnect in terms of the way that they feel about the club because of the way the ownership has gone in their in their eyes as fans.
“I always say that you have to allow fans to voice their opinions if they’re not happy or if they’re happy.
“It was the same when the Glazers were in charge when I was there – there were sections of fans that were disgruntled and unhappy, and they’re well within their rights to feel that way and voice those opinions.”
Sheikh Jassim has already promised that his offer will see United’s £200m debt burden wiped off from the outset while Ratcliffe, who grew up in Manchester, is said to have shunned the leveraged buyout option that the Glazers controversially deployed back in 2005 when they purchased the club.
But actions, Ferdinand says, speak louder than words.
“The people that come in, they could tell us everything we want to hear at the beginning but the proof will be in the pudding on how they run the club when they come in this place,” he added.
“I think the fans feel they want a new fresh start.”
Any prospective buyer could do worse than approaching Ferdinand, whose 455 appearances, six league titles and a Champions League triumph place him in the very highest regard at Old Trafford, for advice on how best to get the Stretford End onside.
The former defender though claims he is “too busy” to spend any time consulting at United but is often seen providing his opinion on them from the TV studio; he still has two years to run on his contract with BT Sport, which will become TNT Sports in a summer rebrand.
But what advice would he give in a United boardroom, if asked?
“You want to see doers. You want to see the people that are at the front and you want to know who these people are, what they’re doing and [that they] have a clear plan of action, and then watch it play out,” Ferdinand said.
“And I think that’s the important thing. I think transparency is always key.
“Having that connection and building that connection between the fan base and the club again, I think is a good start.”
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/JBTyq58
Post a Comment