Dave Brailsford set for reduced role at Manchester United after Jim Ratcliffe's planned reshuffle
Brailsford has played a major part since Ratcliffe secured his stake in United in February 2024, stepping down as team principal of the Ineos Grenadiers cycling team to take charge of footballing operations at Old Trafford and investing considerable time and energy in driving change at the club.
But after a season in which United finished 15th, their worst Premier League finish, and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham, Ratcliffe is planning a shake-up which will see Brailsford return to his role as director of sport for the wider Ineos group, as first reported by The Times.
Under the plans, former Tour de France winner and Olympic champion Geraint Thomas is set to take on a leadership role with the Grenadiers when he retires as a rider at the end of the year.
Brailsford, 61, has overseen a major overhaul of United's operations, including a £50million redevelopment of the Carrington training ground.
Ratcliffe has scaled back some of Ineos's sporting commitments, terminating its sponsorship of the New Zealand rugby team and ending his bid to win the America's Cup.
However, Ratcliffe remains committed to the cycling team, who no longer hold the dominant position they did when winning the Tour de France in seven out of eight editions between 2012 and 2019.
Thomas, 39, has said he will retire after the Tour of Britain in September.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
23 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Former Man Utd star takes shot at Alejandro Garnacho's HAIRCUT as he says it's time to ship out ‘sulking' ace
FORMER Manchester United star Ben Foster took aim at 'sulking' Alejandro Garnacho's HAIRCUT as he urged the Red Devils to axe the winger this summer. Garnacho, 20, may have played his last game for 4 Man Utd must axe 'sulking' Alejandro Garnacho, according to Ben Foster Credit: Getty The Argentina international has been at United since 2020 and has gone on to score 26 goals in 144 games. However, Garnacho has failed to win over Amorim despite once being heralded as the future of the club. The winger was even And he could now be set to pack his bags for a new side, with READ MORE IN FOOTBALL United have already moved to replace Garnacho by splashing £62.5million on Wolves' Matheus Cunha. Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo also seems destined to join this month. And now, Amorim's decision to axe Garnacho has been backed by former United goalie Foster. Speaking to Most read in Football 4 He was involved in an altercation with a fan last week Credit: TikTok @da_wood.7 BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS Foster feels Garnacho sulked too much in the wake of the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham. And he also feels that Garnacho cares more about the appearance of his hair than the team's wellbeing. Ruben Amorim bursts out laughing when asked about Man Utd star's future 4 Foster said: 'I think for Man United it's best to ship [him] out. 'If I was the manager I'd be a little bit similar to Amorim in the case of I just want team players. 'I want a bunch of lads who are good, honest, hard working team players. And I don't get that vibe from Garnacho, I don't get that vibe from a few of the players. 'You look at the full-time whistle after the Europa League game. You have Brennan Johnson doing an interview. 'He looks like he hasn't had a haircut for about three months, [hair] horrible all over the place, but his interview was incredible. 'You could tell he's a real nice lad, he's hard working, he does everything for the team. 'Then you look at Garnacho. Fresh trim a day ago, dyed blonde ready for the final. 'The full-time whistle goes, he's sat on the pitch sulking by himself, not trying to get behind the other lads, picking them up, saying 'well done we got this far'. 'And I think that there is the big contrast. I just want good lads, honest, hard working lads.' 4 Foster even hit out at Garnacho's hair cut Credit: Getty
The Irish Sun
23 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Republic of Ireland vs Senegal predictions, odds and betting tips
THE REPUBLIC of Ireland will welcome Senegal to the Aviva Stadium on Friday night for the first of two friendlies ahead of this year's World Cup qualifiers. Buoyed by back-to-back wins, the Boys in Green will be given a stern test by the in-form African giants, who haven't lost for well over a year. Ireland vs Senegal tips Senegal to win or draw and BTTS - Ismaila Sarr to score anytime - Troy Parrott to score anytime - Ireland vs Senegal odds Find the latest football betting odds for Ireland vs Senegal. Our odds are provided by the Ireland vs Senegal predictions The Republic of Ireland return to action on Friday night against an in-form Senegal side, as Heimir Hallgrimsson's men continue preparations for their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. Ireland will be buoyed by back-to-back 2-1 wins over Bulgaria in their two most recent outings. The 4-2 aggregate win sealed their Nations League B survival and provided some much-needed momentum after a difficult few years. Having failed to qualify for the last four major tournaments, Hallgrimsson will be under pressure to lead Ireland to the 2026 World Cup. He will have his work cut out, with the Boys in Green drawn in a tricky UEFA Group F alongside Portugal, Hungary and Armenia. Since taking over in July 2024, the Icelandic coach has overseen a steady improvement, guiding Ireland to four wins in six since a shaky start. Now, he'll be hoping to extend that run of improved form with positive performances against Senegal and Luxembourg during this international window. Hallgrimsson is likely to be without Seamus Coleman for the match - the skipper is still recovering from injury and is unlikely to be risked. The Irish head coach is also likely to experiment at some point with the uncapped John Joe Patrick Finn, Josh Keeley, Killian Phillips and Josh Honohan all included in the squad. Senegal poses a significant threat. The Lions of Teranga are unbeaten in their last 14 matches. The run includes 10 wins and four draws and sees them firmly in the mix to qualify for the 2026 World Cup from CAF Group B, where they sit second in the table with 12 points from six matches. Pape Thiaw's side don't have the services of Sadio Mane to call upon this Friday. But many Premier League fans will recognise Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson and Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr, who are likely to be a part of Senegal's front three. READ MORE SUN STORIES Ireland vs Senegal betting tips Despite having the home comforts of the Aviva Stadium in their favour, Heimir Hallgrimsson's Ireland team are the underdogs. Find out if they can prove the bookies wrong in our Republic of Ireland vs Senegal match betting tips below: Senegal to win or draw and BTTS Unfortunately for Republic of Ireland fans, Senegal boast a strong squad with several members regularly playing at the highest level of European football, including the Premier League. As a result, we don't see the visitors losing. But, not all hope is lost. Given Ireland's improvement under Hallgrimsson, we can see at least a goal for the Boys in Green, and maybe even a draw. ➡️ Ismaila Sarr to score anytime Ismaila Sarr finished his club season on a massive high with Crystal Palace. As well as lifting the FA Cup at Wembley, Sarr also scored twice in Palace's 3-0 semi-final win over Aston Villa. In the Premier League, Sarr was just as impressive. He contributed two assists and a final-day goal against Liverpool in his last three league appearances for the Eagles. There are options in this market for Senegal. Sarr's Premier League counterpart, Nicolas Jackson also finished the season well with Chelsea, scoring in his team's 4-1 win over Real Betis in the Europa Conference League final. Jackson is 27/10 to score anytime. We are sticking with Sarr, though, as we believe he is the player in better form and more likely to replicate it on the international stage. ➡️ Troy Parrott to score anytime Troy Parrott has enjoyed an excellent season with AZ Alkmaar, scoring an impressive 20 goals in 47 appearances across all competitions for the Dutch side. While the former Spurs striker has yet to replicate that form on the international stage, this could be the perfect moment for Parrott to make his mark in a green shirt. Heimir Hallgrimsson will be well aware that goals from Parrott could prove crucial in Ireland's push for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. So expect the manager to play to his striker's strengths in a bid to unlock his full potential at international level. ➡️ 📺 How to watch Republic of Ireland vs Senegal Location : Aviva Stadium, Dublin Ireland. Date and time : Friday 6th June, 7.45pm. How to watch : RTE2, RTE Player and Amazon Prime Video. About the author Craig Mahood Craig Mahood is an expert in sports betting and online casinos and has worked with the company since 2020. He joined the Betting & Gaming team at The Sun in June 2022 and works closely with the leading bookmakers and online gaming companies to provide content on all areas of sports betting and gaming. He previously worked as a Digital Sports Reporter at the Scottish Sun, covering Scottish football with particular focus on Celtic and Rangers, As well as football, he has covered horse racing, boxing, darts, the Olympics and tennis for the Sun. Responsible gambling A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chase their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry, or depressed Problem gambling – Gamble Aware – Help with gambling addiction If you have a problem with gambling, or you know someone who does, help is out there. Extern Problem Gambling is the leading provider of information, treatment, advice, and support for anyone affected by gambling harms across Ireland. Most read in Betting
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Bradley Wiggins thanks Lance Armstrong for help in battling drug addiction
Bradley Wiggins has described disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong as an 'inspiration' and thanked him for his support in the five-time Olympic champion's battle with drug addiction. Wiggins revealed last month that he became addicted to cocaine following his retirement from the sport in 2016. The 2012 Tour de France winner is now 12 months sober and attends regular therapy sessions, but paid tribute to the role of Armstrong, who was stripped of his cycling titles for using performance-enhancing drugs. You can only take someone how they treat you and Lance has been a source of inspiration to me and a constant source of help towards me Asked about Armstrong, Wiggins told BBC Five Live: 'He's been a great strength to me and a great inspiration to me, and it's on a human level. 'Lance has been very, very good to me. That's not something everyone wants to hear because people only like to hear the bad stuff. 'You can only take someone how they treat you and Lance has been a source of inspiration to me and a constant source of help towards me. And is one of the main factors why I'm in this position I am today mentally and physically, so, I'm indebted to him for that.' Wiggins admitted he does not speak with Armstrong every day, but will work for him this summer on his podcast The Move at the Tour de France. The 45-year-old father-of-two has been candid since retirement about the sexual abuse he experienced as a teenager and his drug addiction. It took me a long time to adapt to normal life, as it were, and all the things that contribute to keeping me in a steady place 'We are all humans at the end of the day and it is a human story and I've had lots of events in my life that informed the problems I had in my life post-cycling,' Wiggins explained. 'I'd never had therapy or counselling during my time as a cyclist because you're perceived as a cyclist – or certainly when you're an Olympic champion or the Tour de France winner – to be incredibly mentally strong. 'It took me a long time to adapt to normal life, as it were, and all the things that contribute to keeping me in a steady place.'
