Sir Jim Ratcliffe endured an awkward exchange with Manchester United Women’s captain, Katie Zelem, after asking her what her role was at the club.

The INEOS chief has been in charge for a year but has faced significant criticism for a series of unpopular off-field decisions and the team’s ongoing struggles on it. One of the main concerns raised against Ratcliffe has been his apparent lack of attention towards the women’s team.

During a tour of Carrington, where he has taken control of the club’s football operations, Ratcliffe encountered Zelem, who has spent 15 years at the club across two separate spells. However, The Telegraph reports that he asked her, “What do you do at the club?”—despite her being the team’s captain.

The 29-year-old midfielder was appointed United captain ahead of the 2019-20 season and led the team to their first major trophy—the 2023-24 Women’s FA Cup. Zelem has also earned 12 international caps for England and was named the Women’s Player of the Year in 2019. In the current Women’s Super League campaign, United sit second in the table, trailing Chelsea by seven points.

Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright, a passionate advocate for women’s football, has previously criticised Ratcliffe for his apparent disregard for the women’s team while prioritising the men's squad. Speaking on the Crossways women’s football podcast, Wright said:

"When you hear murmurings from Manchester United saying, ‘Once we sort out the men’s team, we’ll focus on the women’s,’—when is that going to be? You look at the men’s team and how far off the pace they are at the minute. When will they actually start paying attention to the women’s side? I genuinely believe, especially with how well Manchester United Women are playing, that they simply do not care enough."

Ratcliffe’s tenure at Manchester United has yet to yield the desired results, with the club seemingly regressing since his arrival. He has implemented cost-cutting measures and sought new revenue streams in an attempt to restore the Red Devils’ success. However, he has already dismissed Erik ten Hag and invested heavily in summer signings who have so far failed to meet expectations.

Rúben Amorim is now at the helm, but his tenure has started disastrously, with United on course for their worst ever Premier League season.