Sir Dave Brailsford exhorts underachievers to “step up.” As INEOS waits for approval to complete its minority takeover, Man United players

The playing staff at Manchester United has received a warning from Sir Dave Brailsford that they must “step up” if they hope to regain their status as a premier institution.

Last week, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Brailsford, the head of sport at INEOS that revolutionised British cycling, paid their first visit to United’s training ground since the company decided to acquire a share in the team. On Ratcliffe’s behalf, he has been conducting an internal review. He warned the football staff of the club, according to The Athletic, that they had to step up their game and that anything less than “world-class” would not be tolerated under the new sporting government.

INEOS paid £1.25 billion ($1.58 billion) for a 25 percent share in United in exchange for taking over the sporting operations of the team. The Premier League’s regulatory approval of the deal is still pending, and Brailsford, Ratcliffe, and company are not anticipated to assume leadership until late February. Their arrival coincides with United’s most dismal start to a season in Premier League history and the team’s humbling Champions League departure. There was a ‘collegiate’ tone to Brailsford’s remarks to the staff, but he apparently made it plain that things were changing and there would be greater expectation to perform.