Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe admits appointing David Moyes after Sir Alex Ferguson was a poor decision.

Ferguson retired in 2013 after securing his 13th Premier League title, but Moyes, who arrived from Everton, lasted only 10 months before being sacked with United down in seventh place.

In an interview with The Times, Ratcliffe shared his views on past decisions made by former United leadership.

The discussion shifted to the period following Ferguson's retirement, with Ratcliffe expressing concerns about Moyes' lack of trophies and limited experience managing top-level players.

Ratcliffe, who purchased a stake in United last year, said that while he liked Moyes and considered him an excellent manager, he believed the transition from Ferguson to Moyes was not the direction he would have taken.

"Look, I like David Moyes, and I think he's a really good manager, but to go from Sir Alex Ferguson to Moyes is not where I would have gone.

"Moyes was taking over from Ferguson, who had won 13 Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues, and you're handing the job to someone who had never won anything and never managed top players," Ratcliffe said. "He probably didn’t have the authority to command that kind of dressing room."

The INEOS founder also criticised former CEO Ed Woodward’s tenure, suggesting that the standards during his tenure would not have been tolerated at top clubs like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, or Barcelona.

"The way I see it, United had two poor management teams over 12 years, and the owners weren’t hands-on like Steve Parish or Daniel Levy," Ratcliffe said. "Those guys know the details and keep their clubs on a short leash.

“I don’t believe in the view that ups and downs are just part of football,” Ratcliffe said. “Clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich don’t have those dips—they stay at the top. The problem here has been poor management and poor decision-making.”

Ratcliffe will be hoping his current manager can rise to the challenge as Ruben Amorim's side heads to Leicester for their upcoming league fixture.

A disappointing result could intensify the pressure on the young coach.

Earlier, reported that Sir Jim Ratcliffe criticised several United players, describing them as overpaid and underperforming.

He also commented on the club’s recent transfer activity, noting that players such as Antony, Casemiro, Onana, Hojlund, and Sancho were already part of the team before his arrival.

Source: TUKO.co.ke