OGC Nice captain Dante’s previous critique of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s control over the Ligue 1 club has resurfaced, coinciding with Ratcliffe’s impending acquisition of a 25% share in Manchester United.
INEOS, Ratcliffe’s company, is poised to secure a substantial portion of Man Utd, obtaining a quarter of the club’s shares at $33 per share. The announcement of this minority takeover is expected shortly.
Despite the enthusiasm among Manchester United fans about diminishing the influence of the criticized Glazer family at Old Trafford, Dante’s statements from a L’Equipe interview have resurfaced. These remarks may temper expectations concerning Ratcliffe’s ownership, given that Dante, the current captain of OGC Nice, has been part of the club owned by Ratcliffe since the latter’s purchase in 2019.
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When discussing Ratcliffe’s ownership, Dante was eager to critique the management of the Nice “project” under INEOS, expressing concern about the significant number of player transfers that have impeded the club’s progress in recent years.
“I believe it’s essential to be straightforward in our communication,” he stated. “To sustain a project, perhaps it’s necessary to speak less about objectives and instead work quietly to foster a competitive environment. The expectations become greater, leading to frustration later on.
“Recall the numerous player movements at the close of the last summer transfer window? Six departed, and six arrived. It’s challenging under these conditions. Essentially, we should avoid repeating the same mistakes.
“If someone seeks my opinion, the sooner we organize ourselves, the more beneficial it will be. To aim higher, we must proactively plan and instill the values of the organization.”
“When the coach [Lucien Favre] arrived, we said in two years that we would always be in the Champions League. It doesn’t work like that. Ligue 1 is very difficult. We lost ten players, ten arrived. The teams in the semi-finals of big competitions play together for three, four years. We changed everything last summer.
“There is a lack of coherence somewhere. I am sorry to say that.”