Simon Jordan blasts Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s “strange and naive” verdict regarding Erik ten Hag’s future at Manchester United.

Simon Jordan has criticised Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s decision to retain Erik ten Hag as Manchester United’s manager.

After an end-of-season evaluation in the summer, the Dutchman was chosen by the INEOS chief. However, his position has been the subject of increased scrutiny as a result of the Red Devils’ subpar start to the campaign.

Ten Hag has faced criticism for his team’s failure to progress following their eighth-place finish last season, as they have lost two of their first three Premier League games. Their most recent loss was a 3-0 humiliation to their bitter rivals, Liverpool.

Simon Jordan is of the opinion that minority stakeholder Ratcliffe, who is responsible for the football operations at Old Trafford, is to blame for this situation. Ratcliffe was unable to secure an upgrade for their current leader during the summer.

The trio were reminded of Ratcliffe’s comments at The Times CEO summit in June, where he explained the decision to stand by ten Hag, while appearing on talkSPORT alongside Jim White and Graeme Souness.

The 71-year-old CEO of INEOS defended the manager’s credentials and maintained that the club’s years of underperformance were the result of a lack of a defined culture.

However, Jordan has since refuted this notion and has proposed that the United leadership has been unable to secure a coach who is compatible with their objectives.

He stated, “For whatever reason, they chose to remain near ten Hag.”

“I comprehend the rationale behind their desire to evaluate the confected outrage that arose during the summer regarding the length of time it took to review it.” He was not their appointment.

“Consequently, they would be compelled to review the appointment of another individual if he was not their appointment.”

Jordan continued by saying: “The bottom line is, if you look at Manchester United as a football club, as an operation, and you say to us in all seriousness, with a serious face, that you cannot find someone better in the world of football, then there’s something wrong with what you’re selling.”

The talkSPORT pundit subsequently suggested that certain members of United’s new board, such as cycling expert Sir Dave Brailsford, were poorly prepared to manage football operations at a club of their calibre.

Jordan pointed out: “With due respect to Dave Brailsford, this is the blind leading the deaf.”

He then shifted his focus to Ratcliffe, stating, “Ratcliffe is the best in his field.”

“However, when I listened to his interviews with Bloomberg during the summer, I was taken aback by some of the things he said. I am not making any comparisons between my football knowledge and that of others, but I was nonetheless surprised.”

“I perceived that certain statements he made were peculiar, naive, and uninformed, despite his considerable success and accomplishments in his field.”

In the interim, Jordan’s co-host Souness questioned Ratcliffe’s previous assertion that managers have been unsuccessful at Old Trafford because of a lack of influence over the situation since the departure of the legendary coach Sir Alex Ferguson.

Souness emphasised the quantity of players who were previously coached by ten Hag during his tenure, such as Antony, Lisandro Martinez, and Andre Onana.

He rebutted Jim Ratcliffe’s assertion that they have not had a general manager since Fergie.

“It is not solely about the manager.” What is the total number of Dutch athletes that he has signed? Players with whom he would be familiar due to his prior collaborations.

“Has the number reached double digits?” It cannot be located at a great distance.

“So that is not another individual within the organisation suggesting that we should sign this Dutch player who plays for Ajax or wherever.” He recognises them. They are his decisions.