Gary Lineker Slams Manchester United Co-Owner Jim Ratcliffe as 'Unpleasant Human Being'

Football commentator Gary Lineker has launched a strong critique of Manchester United's co-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, calling him an "unpleasant human being." Lineker expressed his views on The Rest is Football podcast, suggesting that the Glazer family, who own a majority stake in the club, have found someone "even worse than them" to take the blame.

Lineker's comments come amid growing fan frustration with the club's performance and decisions made under Ratcliffe's leadership since he acquired a minority stake and control of football operations in February 2024. "It’s a bit of a shambles of a football club the way it’s being run at the moment," Lineker stated. "So, well done to the Glazers on that one, deflecting everything away from them!"

Manchester United has seen significant managerial changes since Ratcliffe took charge. Erik ten Hag was sacked three months after receiving a new contract in October 2024, and his successor, Ruben Amorim, departed in January of this year after a 14-month tenure. Michael Carrick was appointed permanent manager in the summer, following an interim period where he secured 11 wins and three draws in 16 matches, guiding the club back to the Champions League. However, the subsequent transfer window was described as underwhelming.

The club has reportedly missed out on transfer targets Elliot Anderson and Matheus Fernandes. Heading into the international break, Manchester United is positioned 12th in the league standings with only five points from their first five games.

Further compounding the issues, academy prospect JJ Gabriel, known as 'Kid Messi', has reportedly requested to leave the club. His family believes United has fallen behind top European clubs and that he needs to "learn from the best" to develop his talent. A source close to the family indicated that United is "far away" from the standards set by clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and domestic rivals Arsenal and Manchester City.

Off the pitch, Ratcliffe has faced criticism for widespread staff redundancies, increased match ticket prices, and the relocation of season tickets to accommodate more hospitality seating. Plans are also underway to construct a new 100,000-seater stadium.

Fans have previously protested against the club's ownership, including during the Manchester derby defeat in September. Supporters' groups have also called for Ratcliffe's resignation following his recent remarks on immigration.

Lineker elaborated on the club's broader issues, noting, "You've got a ground that's falling apart, all sorts of complaints about various things." He added, "They're losing young teenagers, it looks like that (Gabriel leaving) is going to happen. The results, the inconsistency seems to be back." He concluded that while past managerial support has not yielded success, "there’s got to be something dripping down from the top."

Ratcliffe himself has previously stated that he could walk away from the club if subjected to excessive fan abuse, similar to what the Glazer family has experienced. The Glazers, who purchased the club in 2005 through a leveraged takeover, retain a majority stake and have largely retreated from public view. "I can put up with it for a while," Ratcliffe said in March. "I don't mind being unpopular because I get that nobody likes seeing Manchester United down where they are, and nobody likes the decisions we're having to make at the moment." He further commented, "If I draw a bit of the ire, I can put up with that. But I'm no different to the average person. It's not nice, particularly for friends and family. So, eventually, if it reached the extent that the Glazer family have been abused, then I'd have to say, look, enough's enough guys, somebody else do this. They can't really come to a match, the Glazers. They've retreated into the shadows a bit now, so I'm getting all the stick."