INEOS CEO Sir Jim Ratcliffe has maintained a vocal stance on Manchester United’s misfortunes since the summer of 2019. “United have spent an immense amount since [Sir Alex] Ferguson left and been poor, to put it mildly. Shockingly poor, to be honest,” Ratcliffe stated, promoting his “moderately intelligent” approach. He has since become a minority investor in OGC Nice, a club he claimed to “have lost the plot.”
Ratcliffe’s approach to club ownership is being put to the test at Nice, where he is overseeing major changes.
The track record of the first few years at Nice is as follows:
Season | Position | Games | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goal difference | Points
2019/20 | 5th | 28 | 11 | 9 | 8 | +4 | 42
2020/21 | 9th | 38 | 15 | 7 | 16 | -8 | 52
2021/22 | 5th | 38 | 20 | 11 | 7 | +16 | 71
2022/23 | 9th | 38 | 15 | 10 | 13 | +10 | 55
Ratcliffe, who acquired Nice in the summer of 2019, waited two months to attend his first match as the club’s owner. The match ended in a 4-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, which began a difficult start for the team. Nice lost seven of the first ten games following the INEOS takeover. However, the team improved and finished fifth before COVID-19 struck, securing a Europa League qualification.
In terms of sporting performances and results, the club experienced uneven performances but did reach the Coupe de France final in 2022, their first major showpiece in 25 years, but suffered an embarrassing exit the following year.
Bob Ratcliffe, who was appointed CEO of Nice after the acquisition, had stated previously that the club would be playing Champions League football within “three to five years.”
Ratcliffe has significantly altered the club’s transfer strategy, outlaying £113m more than they’ve earned in the transfer market since taking over.
It was under his ownership that Nice made a significant investment of £45m, acquiring five players. However, the most important signing, Khephren Thuram, was made before the takeover.
During the first three years of Ratcliffe’s ownership, there had been a constant shuffle of sports directors and executives, leading to a lack of coherence.
The club has welcomed six managers within four years, and this has resulted in inconsistency in terms of playing style and player management.
Structurally, even though they did not have to undertake renovation, as with Old Trafford, Nice unveiled a modern £13.5m training complex in 2020.
Nice’s journey under Ratcliffe’s ownership has been marked by ups and downs, and his “moderately intelligent” approach may require significant fine-tuning as he continues to navigate the club’s trajectory.
