Man Utd players 'not happy' after Sir Jim Ratcliffe claims UK 'colonised by immigrants'
According to reports, one senior United player said he had “no words” when reacting to Ratcliffe’s remarks, for which the 73-year-old later issued an apology on Thursday. A source close to another member of the squad told The Sun Ratcliffe “had a lot to answer for” following the controversy.United’s first-team squad includes a significant number of overseas players, while academy graduate and England international Kobbie Mainoo is of Ghanaian heritage. Defender Ayden Heaven also has Ghanaian family roots through his mother.Ratcliffe’s comments, made during an interview with Sky News, sparked widespread criticism after he said: “You can’t have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in. "The UK’s been colonised by immigrants.”Read more: Man Utd 'prides itself on diversity' after Ratcliffe's immigration commentsRead more: Who is under-fire Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe?
The remarks reportedly caused discomfort among some players, coming after previous comments last year in which Ratcliffe described certain members of the squad as “inherited.” At the time, he referenced players including Jadon Sancho, Antony, Casemiro, Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund as part of the squad he had taken over.In response to the backlash, the club released a statement on Thursday emphasising its commitment to inclusion and diversity, though the statement did not mention Ratcliffe directly or refer to his comments.It read: “Manchester United prides itself on being an inclusive and welcoming club.“Our diverse group of players, staff and global community of supporters, reflect the history and heritage of Manchester; a city that anyone can call home.“Since launching All Red All Equal in 2016, we have embedded equality, diversity and inclusion into everything we do. We remain deeply committed to the principles and spirit of that campaign.“They are reflected in our policies but also in our culture and are reinforced by our holding of the Premier League’s Advanced Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Standard.“Over the course of this season, we have participated in events and initiatives at our men’s and women’s games marking mental health, LGBTQ+ inclusion, No Room for Racism, violence against women and girls and homophobic chanting.“We have also celebrated our supporters’ clubs’ events, including our Disabled Supporters’ Association’s Christmas Party and our Jewish Supporters’ Club’s Chanukah event.“In the weeks and months ahead, we will be supporting further initiatives in these areas.“This all sits alongside the incredible work which the Manchester United Foundation undertakes in and around Manchester on a daily basis.“Manchester United reflects the unity and resilience of all the communities we are so privileged to represent.“We will continue to represent our people, our city and our fans with purpose and pride.”
The controversy has attracted attention beyond the club. The FA is said to have launched a probe into whether Ratcliffe’s comments could be considered as bringing the game into disrepute.Meanwhile, Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, criticised the remarks and also aimed criticism at United’s majority owners, the Glazer family. He said: “If any criticism is needed, it should be directed towards those who have offered little contribution to our life here and have instead spent years siphoning wealth out of one of our proudest institutions.”
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