Graeme Souness takes aim at "disgraceful" Man Utd owners for Sir Alex Ferguson sacking

Liverpool legend Graeme Souness has accused Sir Jim Ratcliffe of failing to understand how football works after cost-cutting decision to stop former manager's £2m ambassador role

Furious Graeme Souness has hit out at Manchester United’s decision to end Sir Alex Ferguson ’s £2.1m per year ambassadorial role, describing the “disgraceful” cut as proof that INEOS do not understand how football works.

Ferguson has held the lucrative role since retiring more than a decade ago but Sir Jim Ratcliffe has decided to end the deal as part of widespread cost-cutting measures that will also see 250 staff members made redundant.

The decision, which club sources have insisted Ferguson accepted amicably after meeting the INEOS founder, has been met with anger by several former United players including Eric Cantona and Rio Ferdinand.

But, writing in his Daily Mail column, Liverpool legend Souness has gone even further.

“I must say I am struggling to think of any action that the geniuses currently running Manchester United could have taken to turn more people against them than terminating Sir Alex Ferguson’s contract as a club ambassador and showing him the door,” he wrote.

“I’m trying to compute how they could have actually come up with an idea like that, at a time when so many supporters’ goodwill is ebbing away. This decision will have turned a great many more against them. The finger of blame will now not just be on Erik ten Hag.”

Souness went on to describe Ferguson, who managed United for 26 years, as “without a shadow of a doubt, the greatest employee that club has ever had” before describing the £2.1m he has banked per year as a “drop in the ocean” for a club valued at almost £5bn.

Souness added: “United insist that he is still welcome at Old Trafford. But surely you want someone like him around the place as much as possible? Surely you want the world to know that you are treating the pillar of your club with the respect that his endeavours have warranted? Apparently not.

Image: Getty Images) Getty Images)

“Just another casualty of the Ineos cost-cutting measures. What a disgrace. Where on earth is the respect? I have to tell these owners that they have embarrassed themselves.

“The sum of money he was getting may have been considerable but is his role really one that the bean counters needed to be looking at for their cost savings? United are a cash cow that generate huge sums of money, even when they are in the doldrums as they are right now. Their latest reported annual revenues were £661.8 million. The annual £2million they are cutting by dispensing with Fergie is a drop in the ocean.

For me, this decision is proof that the people now running the club simply don’t understand how football works, how Manchester United work and how supporters view that institution.”

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Click here to read article