Man Utd takeover

WHILE Dan Ashworth looks set to plot Manchester United’s return to glory, his son Zac is at the start of his own football journey.The Bolton left-back – on loan from West Brom – is lucky to have always been able to tap into one of English football’s brightest minds for help and advice.
Dan Ashworth with his son, Bolton defender Zac, watching Manchester United v Newcastle at Old Trafford in October 2018
Zac Ashworth has been on loan at Bolton Wanderers in League One this season
United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to poach Dan Ashworth, 52, from Newcastle to become sporting director.
And Zac knows exactly the attributes that have made his dad a success while also inspiring him and his two siblings – younger brother Finn and older sister Tegan – in their own careers.
The 21-year-old ace told SunSport: “My dad has been massive for me. He was never one of those who forced me to play football if I didn’t enjoy it. 
“I’ve a little brother, who is at Wolves, and we used to play football together but he didn’t push us to do anything we didn’t want to.
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“My sister for example is a psychologist so she chose her career and he’s made sure whatever we decided to do he’d be there for us.
“As I got older and football became more serious when I turned pro at West Brom, having my dad to talk to has become even more important.
“I speak to him every day and he’ll always ask, ‘How was training, what happened?’ He can’t come to as many games for obvious reasons but we speak a lot. 
“He’s a big part of my career. Any problems or questions, I can just pick up the phone to him. Dad is always there to help. He has the experience and knowledge.”
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It’s in the bad times when you’re injured or not in the team that his advice and help is important. He always finds a way to keep me level. Zac Ashworth, Bolton left-back
But while Dan Ashworth is a huge figure in his career, Zac says his mum Sian has been equally as influential and important.
He said: “My mum did all the hard yards. She’d always be the one taking me and my brother to and from training and games, having to stand on the touchline in the freezing cold.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants Government to help pay for £2BILLION Wembley of the North Man Utd stadium
“She played a huge part when dad was working and not at home.”
While Dan Ashworth oversaw the creation of the ‘England DNA’ model during his time as the FA’s technical director, his own genes are clearly evident among his three children.
England boss Gareth Southgate with Dan Ashworth while he was FA technical director
Dan Ashworth has been praised for his work at Newcastle United
One of the biggest qualities Zac and his siblings learned growing up in the Ashworth household was the value of hard work.
And that has helped the defender enormously – as he knows in football you cannot take anything for granted. 
It requires sacrifice and dedication to become a pro – but to stay there and achieve higher goals takes even more.
And Zac said: “They taught us you must work for everything you want. Nothing comes easy, nothing gets given to you on a plate. They’ve never given us handouts or what we wanted without working for it.
“They’re always there to help and support us. But everything I’ve got I’ve worked for myself and that’s the most important thing – staying grounded and not losing that edge to work hard.
“My mum was a teacher so even when I was a full-time scholar at West Brom, she was keen on me to do my A Levels as a back-up because no-one knows what’s going to happen. 
Dan Ashworth in conversation with the late Manchester United and England legend Sir Bobby Charlton at Wembley
“It’s such a tough sport to crack and stay at the top. She was keen on me having those second options if things didn’t work out so I did an A level in history and business.”
After playing local youth football, Zac joined the West Brom set-up aged about seven where his dad was technical director.
And he gradually progressed through the age groups until signing pro forms – and his dad was with him every step of the way.
Zac said: “When I was younger, it wasn’t quite as serious. He was very much, ‘You play football because you enjoy it.’
“Even though you’re fairly good at it as a kid, there’s never a thought of what you must do at 12, 13, 14 to become a pro. 
“You just enjoy playing with your mates. There’s none of that pressure and expectation that comes with it.
“But when you start playing first-team football, it’s new and different. 
“It’s in the bad times when you’re injured or not in the team that his advice and help is really important – but he always finds a way to keep me level. 
Zac Ashworth is loving his time at Bolton as they bid for promotion
Zac Ashworth has been taught the value of staying grounded by his parents
“If I do well, he keeps me grounded. He always says to me it’s never as good or bad as you think it is. 
“He has ingrained into me the need to keep that neutral head space and take one game at a time.”
Zac became a Baggies fan through being taken to games by his dad and idolised Chris Brunt and James Morrison.
So he fulfilled a boyhood dream by breaking into the first-team two years ago.
And, in an extraordinary twist of fate, he made his debut in the FA Cup at The Hawthorns against Brighton, where his dad then was technical director.
So Dan Ashworth was in the stands to proudly watch his boy come on as a 68th-minute sub – ironically replacing his ex-youth team-mate Taylor Gardner-Hickman.
Zac Ashworth scored a stunning volley against Carlisle in January
His Bergkamp-style volley won him the SkyBet League One goal of the month
Zac said: “It was a dream come true – not only to play for West Brom but to look up and see my dad sitting in the stands because he was working at Brighton.
“And my mum, who is a nervous watcher of games anyway, looked like she was about to cry!
“Sometimes these things are meant to be.”
Ashworth has made three starts and three sub appearances for the Baggies before going on loan to Burton for the second half of last season.
This campaign at Bolton has taken a bit of time for him to get going due to back-to-back injuries plaguing him at the start.
But he has been playing more games recently and won the SkyBet League One goal-of-the-month award this week for his audacious Bergkamp-style volley against Carlisle. 
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He laughed “I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched it back!”
You can bet his dad has too! More

MANCHESTER UNITED fans are growing tired of their ageing stadium and new investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to do something about it.The British billionaire is exploring the idea of building a brand new ground for the Red Devils next to where Old Trafford currently sits.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is exploring the idea of building a new home for Man UtdCredit: PA
The new stadium would be situated behind the Stretford End of Old Trafford
The new home for Man Utd would be built directly behind the Stretford End on a piece of land currently owned by the club.
It would be erected between the Birdgewater Canal and the railway lines that run past Old Trafford at the moment.
United own a stretch of land surrounding the stadium that is used for car parking and offices, but could be re-purposed for a new ground.
Old Trafford is now 114 years old and fans have been complaining of a leaking roof, rusting metal and the dated venue lagging decades behind that of United’s biggest rivals.
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And Racliffe has already vowed to pump in £237million for club infrastructure once his £1.3billion takeover is ratified by the Premier League – which is expected to be confirmed later this month.
The Ineos chief has enlisted the help of Stadium developers Populous to draft up some options to improve the club’s facilities.
Populous are behind some of the most impressive arena’s in the world including the brand new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the iconic Wembley arch and the eye-catching Las Vegas Sphere.
The firm have put forward the option of either renovating Old Trafford for around £800m or starting a fresh by building a brand new 90,000-seater stadium dubbed the “Wembley of the north”.
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The exciting option of a shiny new ground would cost considerably more though, with such a project likely to set the club back between £1.5bn and £2bn.
Populous CEO Chris Lee has urged Ratcliffe and Man Utd to opt for the idea of a new stadium rather than the redevelopment of the iconic Old Trafford.
Manchester United’s fall from glory since Sir Alex Ferguson
Fans too are keen for the club to get cracking on the new ground with many taking to social media to voice their opinions.
One wrote: “Brilliant idea. Get on with it. Been to Old Trafford loads of times.
“Great place but a new stadium can still embrace elements from the existing structure. The history can be honoured while embracing the future.”
While another added: “Genuinely so excited for a new stadium. I’m looking towards the future.”
Ratcliffe’s Ineos are said to be looking for outside investment should they choose to embark on the construction of a new stadium.
They could also try and lobby the UK Government to help fund the £2bn venue as part of the ‘Levelling Up’ pledges.
Although former sports minister Tracey Crouch argued against the idea of public cash being splashed on a new stadium for Man Utd.
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She told City AM: “Old Trafford may need upgrading to meet today’s standards, but funding should not come out of the taxpayer’s pocket to benefit the billionaires who own the club.
“Especially as other clubs like Bury have faced ruin, devastating the town around them, with no bailout from the public purse.”
Fans are growing tired of the 114-year-old Old Trafford
An artist’s impression of how a new stadium might look next to the existing Old Trafford More

SIR JIM RATCLIFFE is convinced he will have control of football operations at Manchester United ratified within weeks.The INEOS boss attended his first match at Old Trafford today since it was agreed that he would purchase 25 per cent of the club.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has arrived at Old Trafford for his first game since the announcement of his takeoverCredit: Rex
The British billionaire spoke to the press inside the groundCredit: Getty
That will include taking entire control of the footballing side of United.
Ahead of the game Ratcliffe walked around the corridors of Old Trafford meeting staff and media.
He could not answer many specific questions about his plans for the club with the Premier League still to grant his involvement which he believes is a matter of weeks away.
Sir Jim said: “Early to mid Feb. We hope they don’t find anything dodgy in our CV!
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“It’s the first match for me since we got here. It’s taken a few turns as you know but these things take some doing.
“I am very excited to be here but I can’t answer any questions really. “It’s a big match. We normally do well against Spurs.”
Sir Jim has been involved in elite sport with cycling, sailing and with Nice in Ligue 1.
He said this was undoubtedly the most exciting thing he has been involved in, having first set his eyes on United ‘two or three years ago’.
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“I have done a few exciting things but this caps it all there is no question about that,” he said.
He has already had meetings with manager Erik ten Hag but would not expand on what was said.
He said: “I have met Erik but inappropriate to say anything, until it is all formalised.
Sir Jim, born just outside of Manchester in Failsworth, is a lifelong United fan but said he has not been to Old Trafford for ‘two or three years’ for a game having first come 60 years ago.
He named Paul Scholes and Eric Cantona as his favourite players and going forward said he would be a more regular visitor.
He said: “I can’t come all the time because I have a few other things to manage. But I will come.”
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already met with Red Devils manager Erik ten HagCredit: Getty More

PLENTY of very shrewd and wealthy businessmen strode confidently into the ownership of Premier League clubs.Then blundered out again looking considerably less clever and less minted.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe completed his 25 per cent investment in Manchester United on Christmas EveCredit: PA
There’s something about football, and the English top flight in particular, which preys on the egos of these men and makes them do stupid things.
Farhad Moshiri did well in business before he invested in Everton. Likewise Tom Hicks and George Gillett before Liverpool. And the Venky’s family prior to arriving at Blackburn.
Even The Right Honourable The Lord Sugar of Clapton (I called him Sir Alan once and didn’t get away with it) struggled in charge of Tottenham.
Which brings us to Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who grew up in a council house in Failsworth, Greater Manchester and is now Britain’s second richest man.
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When Ian Dury sang There Ain’t Half Been Some Clever B*****ds, he was thinking of blokes like Ratcliffe.
But, already, the desire to own a Premier League club — and despite being a ‘lifelong Manchester United fan’, Ratcliffe did try to buy Chelsea in 2022 — seems to be blurring his judgment.
Ratcliffe hasn’t officially taken charge of United’s ‘football department’ yet and he may end up being a roaring success.But the prospects are not good.
It is difficult to imagine Ratcliffe buying a 25 per cent stake in any other business where the largest stakeholders were deeply unpopular failures, presiding over a toxic culture.
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Yet, while hoping for a complete takeover in the future, that is the deal the Ineos chief  has agreed with the Glazers at United.
And the very fact that we are talking about United having a ‘football department’ rather than being, you know, a ‘football club’ is a serious problem in itself.
Even Ratcliffe’s introductory open letter to fans played into this Glazer mindset of United as a business with a football team attached to it.
Ratcliffe wrote: “I believe we can bring sporting success on the pitch to complement the undoubted  commercial success that the club has enjoyed.”
This single sentence underlines everything that has gone wrong with United over the past decade — the idea that footballing success is some relatively trivial adjunct to the club’s sponsorship deals, merchandising sales and social-media numbers.
Challenging for the game’s biggest honours is of secondary importance and they’re not even pretending otherwise.
Then there’s Ratcliffe’s appointment of former British cycling chief Sir Dave Brailsford as his main man at United.
I know it can become tedious when ‘proper football men’ say you need ‘proper football men’ running football clubs but a strong knowledge of the inner workings of this most unconventional business is a definite plus point.
Brailsford has been involved at Ineos-owned French club Nice but his footballing experience is limited.
And despite enjoying great success in cycling, he is not well regarded by many of his most decorated lycra lads and lasses.
Sir Dave Brailsford watched Man Utd take on Nottingham Forest alongside Sir Alex Ferguson on SaturdayCredit: Getty
Some pretty questionable things happened under Brailsford’s watch at British Cycling and Team Sky — an alleged culture of bullying, a mysterious jiffy bag, a ‘win-at-all- costs’ mentality which had negative effects on those working under him.
Brailsford has always denied any wrongdoing and claims his successes were built on ‘marginal gains’ — the quite reasonable idea that an extra one per cent here and there  can make all the difference.
But do United need minimal sports-science tweaks?  Or do they need a complete overhaul of an expensive, bloated and imbalanced squad?And a new manager? And a complete refurb of the stadium?
Nine points adrift of the Champions League places and out of Europe, United will spend the second half of this season in a holding pattern, trying to learn  lessons for next season.
Just as they did two seasons ago under Ralf Rangnick.
Ratcliffe and Brailsford say they will ‘look, listen and learn’ during these early days.
When Brailsford looked at United against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, he will have seen a tactically inept side who couldn’t even hold out for a point after a late Marcus Rashford equaliser — a team which lacks intelligence and leadership as well as talent.
He will have seen Antony, an £85.5million monument to a shambolic recruitment process — and a player Erik ten Hag managed at Ajax, and recommended to United, despite his vast transfer fee.
The Dutchman’s fingerprints are all over so much that has gone wrong this season — Bruno  Fernandes as captain, Jadon Sancho frozen out, Rashford a shadow of his former self, Antony a disaster, Andre Onana a liability.
And when Brailsford listened at the City Ground, he’ll have heard ‘We want Glazers out!’ from the United faithful.
So why have two successful knights of the realm signed up for this half-baked scheme?
It’s because successful men often think themselves infallible and invincible.
But Premier League football frequently finds them out.
Pressure continues to mount on Erik ten HagCredit: Getty
ROY STILL SHARP
THE image of Roy Hodgson as a benign old gent, devoid of ego or spleen, still persists.
But after Crystal Palace defeated Brentford 3-1 to end an eight-game winless streak, Hodgson was asked whether rumours of his potential sacking had affected him. And his reply was instructive.
Hodgson seethed: “I tell you what I really think . . . I’m 76 years of age. I’ve been in management for 47 years. I’ve got a CBE for services to football.
“My answer to you is that it makes no difference to me at all.
“To suggest that it should is disrespectful.”
You don’t work in elite-level football for as long as Hodgson without vast self-belief and a sharp tongue. 
It’s hard not to be impressed by Roy Hodgson’s level of experienceCredit: Getty
EUR KIDDING?
THERE’S a myth, spread by killjoys, that qualifying for the Europa League or Conference League is bad news for a club’s domestic form.
The mongers of doom say: “Ooh you don’t want to be playing Thursday-Sunday.”
Try telling that to table-topping Liverpool, second-placed Aston Villa, sixth-placed West Ham or Brighton, who would go sixth if they beat the Irons tonight.
ELITE NEED BREAK
PLAYERS’ unions are up in arms that elite footballers will soon be asked to play up to 86 matches a year — thanks to the expansion of the Champions League, Europa League and Club World Cup.
The fixture list has reached breaking point, with no proper gaps for leading players.
And it won’t be long before they are allocated four or five weeks’ holiday to take like most other employees.
Team news updates may soon read as follows: Manchester City are without Kevin De Bruyne (hamstring), John Stones (ankle), Rodri (suspended) and Jack Grealish (annual leave).
SAUD AND CLEAR
JUST before Christmas, I noticed all three reports on the back page of this newspaper were filed from either Riyadh or Jeddah, due to the Club World Cup and the Anthony Joshua fight.
It’s a sign of things to come as the Saudis buy up the rights to everything.
But at least the staging of these major events in a nation which strictly prohibits alcohol is decent news for the battered livers of Fleet Street’s finest.
LITTLE BY LITTLER
OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN was 29 when she played Sandy in Grease, and Henry Winkler 28 when he was first The Fonz in Happy Days, despite both ­of their characters being high-school students.
But that’s nothing compared to those who run the darts at Ally Pally. They cast 38-year-old Luke Littler as a boy of 16.
Luke Littler has shocked the world of Darts by earning a spot in the World Championship semi-finals at just 16-years-oldCredit: Rex
COLE AS A CUCUMBER
IN the intense heat of a knockout tie at this summer’s Euros – especially if it comes to extra-time or a penalty shootout – Gareth Southgate will need cool heads.
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And I can’t remember ever seeing a more composed young English footballer than Cole Palmer.
The Chelsea man must go to Germany. More