Graeme Souness has lambasted Manchester United’s minority stakeholders, INEOS, for their decision to terminate Sir Alex Ferguson’s contract as the club’s global ambassador.
The British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe made the contentious decision to cut costs, sparking outrage among United fans and former players.
Souness, a Liverpool legend, expressed his dismay in his Daily Mail column: “I must say I am struggling to think of any action that the geniuses running Manchester United could have taken to turn more people against them than terminating Sir Alex Ferguson’s contract as a club ambassador. I’m trying to compute how they could have come up with an idea like that, at a time when so many fans’ goodwill is ebbing away. This decision will have turned a great many more against them.”
“The finger of blame will now not just be pointed at manager Erik ten Hag. INEOS are in charge of a club sitting 14th in the Premier League, having had their worst start to a league season in 35 years. So they’ve sat down in a room and said to each other: ‘Right. What can we do to lose the little goodwill that’s remaining to us? I tell you what — let’s sack the greatest ambassador we have and restrict his access to certain parts of Old Trafford.’”
Ferguson, who led United to unprecedented success during his 26-year tenure, will see his ambassadorial role end after the 2024-25 season.
Souness added: “This is the man who led United through the greatest period they have ever known. His 26 years at Old Trafford brought success surpassing any other period in the club’s history. He is, without a shadow of a doubt, the greatest employee that club has ever had. United insist he is still welcome at Old Trafford. But surely you want someone like him around the place as much as possible? Surely you want the world to know that you are treating the pillar of your club with the respect that his endeavours have warranted? Apparently not. I know you get nothing for looking back in football. Nothing lasts forever. But this is not any old manager we are talking about. You only have to go to Old Trafford on a match day and see the banners to be reminded of the trophies he has won, what he has achieved and the standing he is held in. Talk about the ultimate standard-bearer.
“What a disgrace. Where on earth is the respect? I have to tell these owners that they have embarrassed themselves. The sum of money he was getting may have been considerable, but is his role really one that the bean counters needed to be looking at for their cost savings?”
Manchester United, currently 14th in the Premier League, face Brentford on Saturday, with manager Erik ten Hag under mounting pressure.
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