Revolution or another false dawn? What INEOS will bring to Manchester United
Christmas came early for Manchester United fans last December when the club revealed on Christmas Eve that INEOS had finalised a 25% stake in the club. The deal came as no surprise after it was all but confirmed by the media weeks earlier and in reality, it was just a case of when the club would finally announce it.
But despite a lengthy and often tiresome sale process which ended with the Glazers (inevitably one might say) staying in majority control of the club; INEOS' 25% stake is the biggest development at Manchester United since the Glazers purchased the club in 2005.
What is vital first and foremost is that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sir David Brailsford conduct a thorough investigation into what has gone wrong and what needs to change at the club. I am talking about the hierarchy, the scouting network, the players, the manager (Erik ten Hag has a huge job from now to the end of the season to save his job) and the facilities all need to be assessed and changes must be made from what they discover.
Some decisions can and should be made sooner than others. The resignation of CEO Richard Arnold followed by reports that Omar Berrada is leaving his role at Manchester City to replace Arnold, is a statement of intent.
It sends a message that INEOS means business and they are only interested in bringing in the best in class. However, it was expected that they would bring in a football-orientated CEO after the failings of businessmen under the Glazers.
It was imperative to get fans on board early on.
Recent reports suggest Newcastle United's Dan Ashworth will likely become the new Director of Football, which would be another major coup. And as impressive as both Ashworth and Berrda's appointments would be, they are just the start in what will be a long and bumpy journey to restoring the club's fortunes.
Who is David Brailsford, the man behind INEOS' sporting success?
One man who is going to play a fundamental part in this new era at Old Trafford is Sir David Brailsford. He is best known for being the general manager of cycling team INEOS Grenadiers (formerly Team Sky). Brailsford grew a reputation for being the architect of Team GB's cycling success at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. He also joined Team Sky in 2010 and won six Tour De France titles.
Team Sky would become Team INEOS in 2019 and since then Ratcliffe and Brailsford have been working together. In recent years INEOS' sports projects have expanded to different sports including Formula 1, sailing, rugby union and interestingly, football.
One of the first projects Ratcliffe and Brailsford would work on was the purchase of French club OGC Nice, who are in Ligue 1. A bold move entering the unforgiving world of elite football but also a sign of INEOS' ambitions.
And until this season, Brailsford and INEOS were being criticised in the media for thinking they could replicate their success from other sports to football.
For example, in 2022, respected French football journalist Julien Laurens said on BBC Radio 5 Live: "I think Brailsford is making a lot of mistakes at Nice that is very much counterproductive to what the project is and what it should be.
"He reminds me a little bit of Sir Clive Woodward when England won the Rugby World Cup. He thought he could go into any sport, including football, and be successful and it just doesn’t happen like that.”
In the four seasons since INEOS purchased the club, Nice have finished 5th twice and 9th twice. Whilst that might not seem terrible, they had finished in the top four twice in the previous three seasons before IENOS' arrival.
Brailsford has reportedly been living in a caravan outside of Nice's training ground in the hope of taking a hands-on approach to improving the situation.
And this season under new manager Francesco Farioli, the tide appears to have finally turned for Brailsford and INEOS.
OGC Nice currently sit second in Ligue 1 just six points off PSG (who have dominated French football for the past decade) at the midway point of the 2023/24 season.
Brailsford's philosophy is built upon 'marginal gains' which went from being his motto to his brand identity as he became a household name in British sport.
It was and still is a big gamble venturing into football, thinking his idea which is based around each person improving their performance by 1% would work in a sport where multi-millionaire footballers ultimately determine success. But it is a testament to the man and IENOS that despite all the scepticism, they have persevered and are now reaping the rewards.
The mountain of Manchester United - can they reach the top or is this challenge too steep?
The test at Manchester United is in a whole different dimension to the one in France and with the mess the club is in on and off the pitch, Brailsford and Ratcliffe are going to need to make the same bold and ambitious decisions that got them this far.
Amongst a long list of necessary changes, the wage bill needs to be brought down significantly to bring in new players or the new owners will risk getting on the wrong side of Financial Fair Play (FFP).
Players who have outlived two or three managers and are inconsistent or not at the standard required need selling, as do ageing players on high wages. The transfer strategy for incomings and outgoings needs to be completely revolutionised.
Then, once the football side is being run like an elite club should be, in the subsequent years INEOS and incoming CEO Berrada can look to renovate Old Trafford and Carrington.
Manchester United needs to be torn down from top to bottom and rebuilt from scratch.
Old Trafford is falling apart, rival clubs are leaving them in the dust and another season is heading towards mediocrity. The walls are closing in and time is of the essence if INEOS are going to restore greatness to a football club rich in history.