Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s interview with Gary Neville caught fans’ attention, and a body language specialist spotted a particularly interesting moment in their discussion
A segment of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s eye-opening chat with Gary Neville has been thrown into doubt by a body language expert.
In the sit-down with ex-Manchester United captain Neville, Red Devils’ co-owner Ratcliffe discussed topics from the club’s cash flow to players not pulling their weight. But body language guru Judi James has said that she believes Ratcliffe reeled off a ‘false’ remark to Neville regarding his time at United.
Ratcliffe, who got the green light for his share of United back in February 2024, calls the shots when it comes to football operations with his 28.94 per cent slice, but the Glazers still have a hefty 48.9 per cent hold on the club. When discussing the family that bought United in 2005, James noticed that Ratcliffe seemed on edge.
“The most dramatic body language feature is his apparent utter discomfort when the Glazer family are mentioned,” James said. “Ratcliffe squirms in his seat here before folding his arms in a barrier ritual. He rubs his nose and sniffs and rubs his neck in a gesture of anxiety.”
James’ assertion of Ratcliffe’s ‘false’ remark came as Neville asked the INEOS chief if the challenge of taking on United has been bigger that expected.
Ratcliffe responded: “We are in the middle of a period of change at the moment. Nobody likes change, it’s uncomfortable, and we are in the midst of it.”
But James wasn’t convinced, declaring the comment as insincere. She told the Mirror: “He [Ratcliffe] scratches his mouth, sighs and rubs his chin and appears to perform some verbal swerves at this point, throwing out workplace cliches like ‘human beings don’t like change’, which is not only a cliche but also untrue. Humans love change when they feel they have some form of control or agreement over it.”
The United co-owner has come under fire for numerous decisions since he arrived at the club. He has made a raft of redundancies and reduced meals for non-playing staff at United, and the body language guru has insisted that Ratcliffe has a ruthless eye when it comes to the club’s coffers.
“He is self-effacing, which is always an attractive trait, but his moments of stronger eye contact during this interview also suggests a less obvious capacity for taking non-negotiable stands when it comes to finances,” James said.
“Ratcliffe uses the table as his imaginary financial flowchart, with his hands pointing to the table to show off invisible figures that he can clearly see in his mind’s eye. His moves become forensic as he places a clawed hand or a lidding hand on the table to point out the figures that pour out of his mouth.”