'This is where the trouble is' - Expert points the finger at Man United ringleaders

Former scout Bryan King blames Ratcliffe and the Glazers for Man United's decline, saying the ownership and recruitment structure are the real problems.

Bryan King, an experienced former scout at Aston Villa, Everton and Tottenham, has criticised the leadership at Manchester United, arguing that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family are responsible for the club's ongoing struggles.

Since INEOS took minority control in 2023, Man United have continued to decline. Michael Carrick is the second permanent manager appointed under Ratcliffe's tenure and faces a crucial three-game stretch against Chelsea, Roma and Aston Villa to keep his job.

King told Football Insider: "It's a shame really you can't sack the owners, the people in charge of recruitment, the other management staff and some of the players, because that's where the trouble is." He argued that while the Glazers and Ratcliffe may be successful businessmen, they lack understanding of how to run a football club and communicate with supporters. King also questioned Ratcliffe's claim that mass layoffs of over 30 per cent of staff were necessary to prevent the club running out of cash, asking to see the figures behind that statement. The Glazers have owned United since 2005, and the club has struggled to rebuild since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure in 2013.