INEOS' Managerial Masterstroke: Jim Ratcliffe's Success at Nice Sparks Interest for Man United
Poor performances on the pitch, protests against maligned owners and a creaky Old Trafford in desperate need of repairs – there's really not much to cheer about at Manchester United these days but Sir Jim Ratcliffe's impending arrival is offering fans plenty of promise and hope.
The British billionaire is waiting to seal a £1.3billion move for a 25 per cent stake in the Red Devils, which is expected to be announced in the coming days.
His arrival will be a very-much welcomed sight by supporters, given that he will be making a raft of chances off the pitch when he takes over footballing operations at Old Trafford.
His recent work at high-flying Nice will inspire hope and promise for many Man United fans
That is largely in part to their brilliant young manager Francesco Farioli, who is still very much an unknown quality in the world of coaching.
At 34 years of age, Farioli is one of the youngest coaches in Europe with his appointment looking like a masterstroke from Ratcliffe and his team.
Under Farioli, Nice have only conceded four goals in Ligue 1 this term, have recorded back-to-back victories against Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco (who sandwich them in first and third respectively) and are yet to trail in their 12 Ligue 1 games so far.
It's an extremely impressive start for Farioli, who has only managed two Turkish Super League clubs before his appointment at Nice earlier this summer.
And finding this relatively unknown manager wasn't pot-luck, either.
Using data and statistics, plus a five-hour interview according to the Telegraph, Ratcliffe and his team went with Farioli and while it's still early in the season, the choice is looking like one of the best decisions made by the British billionaire.
'They made an analysis with data and from the filter appeared some of the names, and I was one of the names. If I'm not wrong, it was in January or if not before,' Farioli told the Telegraph.
'At the end of the season, when they changed coach, I had my first interview with the sporting director Florent Ghisolfi and Dave [Brailsford, director of sport at Ineos].
'It was quite a long interview, like five hours or something. It was a really good introduction and the day after, I had an interview with Jean-Claude Blanc [chief executive of Ineos Sport].
'I had one more meeting with Florent, the CEO and the president of Nice. A lot of meetings and a lot of hours, but I felt very happy because they gave me the opportunity to express myself. They were very, very prepared about everything and they were really aware of who they had in front of them.'
And Farioli gave the British billionaire a glowing review, following his appointment as Nice boss.
'I met Jim Ratcliffe a few days after [taking the job] because he was very busy,' Farioli continued.
'But from his side, the first time we met, the feeling he transferred to me, it was really like the feeling of somebody that was really aware of many things. I felt already known before knowing him. It was a really warm welcome.'
United fans will be comforted knowing that both Sir Dave Brailsford and Jean-Claude Blanc, who will follow Ratcliffe to Old Trafford, played key roles in Farioli's appointment - showing there is a structure to how success can be achieved.
A new approach and direction at Old Trafford is what fans have been crying out for for years
Now that's not to say this will directly translate to a club with the stature of Manchester United.
Problems on and off the pitch have engulfed the Red Devils in recent years and it will take time for Ratcliffe to make his mark on the club and ultimately turn their fortunes around.
By taking control of the reins at Old Trafford, Ratcliffe can help build out a new hierarchy to give Erik ten Hag and his players the greatest chance of success.
With a clear sense of direction, a plan to back it up and a little bit of luck, we could see United return to challenging for titles sooner rather than later.
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