Gary Neville didn’t hold back to Sir Jim Ratcliffe. (Image: THE OVERLAP)
part-owner was “really not happy” with after being pressed about cost cuts at Old Trafford, according to a body language expert. On Monday, Neville welcomed Sir Jim onto to discuss a range of topics after his first year as part-owner, including his unpopular decisions at the helm.
The 72-year-old has implemented a series of ruthless budgeting measures to ease United’s losses and set the club on the path to becoming profitable again. He has overseen up to 450 redundancies and axed ambassadorial contracts, including Sir Alex Ferguson’s £2million-a-year agreement, as part of the process. On top of the mass job cuts, other measures, including removing staff perks, such as free lunches, have reportedly slumped morale across the workforce to an all-time low.
Neville, a business owner in his own right, didn’t let the brutal management go unanswered during the hard-hitting interview.
He said: “£40,000 was taken away from the Association of Former Players – that’s not the players who played under Sir Alex Ferguson, they’re players from the 1960s and 70s.
“I look at that, and I have a little bit of knowledge of the club, and I just think it’s £40,000 from players who were giving a lot back to the local community, big supporters of United.
‘Why not look at that £40,000 and put Harry Maguire and Bruno [Fernandes] in a dinner?
“Sell 1,000 tickets for £40 each, raise the money through a dinner, maybe do a raffle and give the ex-players their money, and do it in a way whereby it’s not looking like a cruel decision, which it is? Why would that not be looked at?”
Gary Neville suggested to auction a dinner with Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire. (Image: Getty)
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The United icon stated that he was “alarmed” after Sir Jim claimed that “nobody had suggested” the alternative method to raise cash.
Darren Stanton, a body language expert, has since analysed the one-on-one and believes that the INEOS kingpin wasn’t happy with that line of questioning.
“We see a great expression when he’s asked about the cuts to staff and the ex-player fund because he flashes a gesture of disgust, literally like there’s a bad smell in the room suddenly,” Stanton told OLBG.
“Neville then asks why he cannot reinstate that benefit by using and Harry Maguire to make an appearance, sell tickets and generate the money needed.
“Ratcliffe is basically not happy, really not happy about being asked about this particular topic, and that emotion leaks out.
“When he’s talking about balancing the books, it’s something that he feels very deeply about with regards to free lunches and whatnot. He makes a gesture with his hand.
“He spreads his hand out, and he puts it over his heart. That’s another thing that he’s not done before, so it is a flag that perhaps this is something that he’s been truly honest and authentic about.
“He’s clearly very meticulous about the books being balanced, and when he’s asked a question about United as a club having a soul, I think he truly believes that, when he puts his hand on his heart, he is being genuine in what he says here.”