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Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s back to work policy costing Man Utd money as club forced to convert hospitality suites into offices
A myriad of cuts have come this season, including lunchboxes and the axing of a club legend
Sir Jim Ratcliffe's rigid "back to work" policy is costing Man Utd money as the club are paying to convert Old Trafford hospitalty suites into temporary offices and back again every week.
United's staff were all ordered back to the office on a permanent basis in June after Ratcliffe banned flexible working arrangements, but the club do not have enough desk space to accommodate all staff at Old Trafford.
SunSport has learned that United have responded to the problem by hiring an agency to convert hospitality areas into pop-up offices after every home game.
The conversion process is time-consuming and expensive however, with staff kicked out of their offices the day before the match and not allowed back until two days after the fixture has taken place.
During the period in which the offices are out of action United staff are permitted to work at home.
Back-to-back games at Old Trafford are particularly problematic and leave the temporary office space unusable for the best part of a week.
The temporary offices will be shut for eight days from next Tuesday for example, with United at home against Leicester in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday before welcoming Chelsea to Old Trafford in the Premier League the following Sunday.
In addition to moving and storing the office equipment extensive electrical safety checks are also required before staff are allowed back in.
While the ban on flexible working is understood to have come from Ratcliffe, United's senior leadership have embraced it on the grounds that office work promotes a greater sense of cohesion, team spirit and creativity.
While club sources conceded that creating temporary offices has led to additional costs they believe that is offset by the gains in having more staff on site.
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Ratcliffe appointed consultancy firm Interpath Advisory to undertake a root and branch review of United's cost base after completing his £1.25billion investment in the club last January, which led to the club implementing significant cost-cutting measures.
Around 250 members of staff were made redundant last summer, while anyone unwilling to return to the office permanently by June was let go.
The drive for savings has continued however, with Ratcliffe targetting both executive perks and money spent on poorly-paid match-day staff.
The use of private chauffeurs and company credit cards were among the first areas targeted last season, while senior staff were also dismayed at the removal of other perks ahead of the FA Cup final, such as a pre-match party and hotel accommodation in London.
Rank and file staff members were also hit as free coach travel was also axed for United's shock win over Manchester City at Wembley, while the ticket allocation was reduced.
The cuts have continued this season at Old Trafford, with packed lunchboxes provided to matchday staff removed and the number of programmes given to corporate fans cut in half.
The biggest saving however came in United's surprise decision to strip Sir Alex Ferguson of his ambassadorial duties, which will save the club around £2.1million-a-year.
United posted losses of £113.2m for the 2023/24 season last month, with their cost-cutting measures projected to save the club between £40m and £45m in total.
United declined to comment.
On the pitch, the Red Devils lost 2-1 at West Ham on Sunday.
They missed a host of chances in the first half before VAR controversially overruled the referee to award a late penalty to the Hammers, scored by Jarrod Bowen.
THE LONDON STADIUM was the venue for the latest defeat in a shocker of a season.
To be fair, it was a hugely controversial VAR call in the dying moments that handed West Ham a 2-1 win.
And the first half from the Red Devils was impressive.
Here's how SunSport's Jack Rosser rated the players...
Andre Onana – 6
Very loose with the ball at his feet early on but soon settled.
Manchester United conceded from West Ham’s first shot on target, though given Ings’ deflected strike there was little Onana could have done about it.
Diogo Dalot – 5
Delivered one of the most entertaining missed chances you will see all season – doing so well to clip the ball past Lukasz Fabianski before smashing the ball high and wide of an open goal.
Despite that, had little trouble from those in claret and blue attacking down his side until Summerville was introduced. The former Leeds man tested Dalot a number of times with his pace.
Redeemed himself a touch with the header back in ahead of Casemiro’s equaliser.
Matthijs de Ligt – 6
Hard done by in conceding the penalty for what looked a soft challenge on Hammers striker Ings.
Restricted West Ham well for the most part but United never looked entirely comfortable at the back and a more potent attack could have caused much more trouble.
Lisandro Martinez – 6
Struggled at times to deal with the strength and direct nature of Michail Antonio, who tested all across United’s back line well until he was replaced by Ings.
Noussair Mazraoui – 5
Struggled to keep a handle on both Bowen and former Manchester United man Aaron Wan-Bissaka for the most part and was thrown around by Michail Antonio at times.
Having looked soft at the back he also offered very little going forwards down the left.
Casemiro – 6
Started strongly dominating in the middle but struggled to wrestle that back when West Ham picked up.
Was denied a first half goal by Fabianski’s superb save but got one eventually as he refused to give up and made sure the ball.
Christian Eriksen – 5
Some flashes of creativity in the first half but could not help United keep control in the second after West Ham perked up.
Marcus Rashford – 4
Entirely absent throughout the hour he was on the pitch. Played down the right he was easily managed by Emerson Palmieri who had little of note to do before the winger went off.
Bruno Fernandes – 7
Caused huge problems for West Ham and created plenty of chances which his teammates put to waste.
Fernandes made a fine run to meet a Casemiro cross but headed over the bar and had to watch both Garnacho and Dalot pass up huge chances after his good work to set them up – especially the latter, a wonderful looped ball to cut out the entire West Ham defence.
Alejandro Garnacho – 5
The young winger should have had two goals inside the opening eight minutes. One chance was rattled against the bar before a poor finish sent the second wide of the far post.
He continued to cause trouble down the left but faded as the game went on and crucially gave the ball away in the build-up to Summerville’s goal.
Rasmus Hojlund – 5
Drew a couple of saves from Hammers keeper Fabianski but neither looked too difficult.
The Dane was rather comfortably dealt with by West Ham’s central defenders and never looked too much of a threat.
Substitutes
Amad Diallo – 6
Added some life and threat to a forward line which had offered little after the break and lifted a clever ball over to Dalot in the build-up to Casemiro’s goal.
Joshua Zirkzee – 5
Claimed an assist but did not know a lot about it and struggled to have an impact from there on.
Victor Lindelof – n/a
Unused subs: Altay Bayindir, Manuel Ugarte, Jonny Evans, Ethan Wheatley, Harry Amass, Jack Fletcher.
