Manager Jim Ratcliffe has come under fire for his “very lackluster” FA Cup decisions, with reports saying Manchester United staff are “furious”.
Goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobe Mainu gave the Red Devils the victory. A shock 2-1 win over Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on SaturdayCriticised manager Erik ten Hag won his second title in two seasons as United manager.
Ratcliffe denies FA Cup privileges for Man U staff
All United staff received complimentary tickets to matches from Ratcliffe and Ineos, but unlike in previous seasons – such as the 2023 final – staff were not given any additional perks as reward for their hard work throughout the season.
In previous years, travel to and from Wembley, pre-match preparation, post-match lunch and hotel accommodation in London were all provided free of charge, but that will not be the case this year as Ratcliffe looks to cut costs at United.
“The task ahead remains tough over the coming weeks but I know everyone at the club is totally focused on delivering the performances and results expected of Manchester United and finding a way to win in whatever role,” the leaked email purportedly from Ratcliffe said.
“To thank you for your continued support this season, we will be organising a colleague trip to Wembley for the final on May 25th. The trip will be a little different this year – we will still offer free tickets to the match, but you will have to cover the cost of coach travel and lunch will not be provided.”
“We understand this is a different tour to previous ones but we all know that we need to spend club funds effectively with a focus on performance and results.”
“We hope this year’s trip strikes a balance between giving you the opportunity to go to Wembley and support our players, whilst also allowing us to invest as much as we can in the club over the coming months to achieve our goal of returning Manchester United to the pinnacle of English, European and world football.”
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“Very boring” behavior
United staff were reportedly “furious” that Ratcliffe had denied them the perks of the FA Cup final, with football finance expert Kieran Maguire saying it was a “very petty” move given what else the club was spending its money on.
Maguire said: “I think it’s a very disrespectful thing to do to the staff. As someone who’s lived in Manchester for 40 years, I have friends who have worked at Old Trafford in various roles and I know how dedicated they are. It’s everyone’s hard work that gets us to Wembley.”
“No doubt the Glazers will fly in at great expense to the club, but Ratcliffe and co are desperate to save pennies.
“They have players on £300,000 a week, so United’s financial difficulties are not the fault of the club’s staff who have worked so hard for the last 30 years.”
“So I think it affects morale and the whole point of being a club is to stay together.”
