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Manchester United are considering bringing in Kenyan marathon runners and All Blacks rugby players to speak to the squad as part of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s efforts to revive the club’s former glory.

According to reports from the Daily Mail, INEOS, the company owned by Ratcliffe, aims to leverage expertise from various sports within its portfolio, including running, rugby, and Formula One.

INEOS partnership

INEOS has a partnership with the New Zealand rugby team, the All Blacks, and medical professionals from their camp have previously collaborated with Nice, the French Ligue 1 club owned by Ratcliffe.

Marathon runners from the INEOS-backed NN group have also shared insights with All Blacks players on topics such as mentality and endurance. It is speculated that visits from both the All Blacks and Kenya’s top long-distance runners to United’s Carrington training complex could happen in the future.

Sir Dave Brailsford, a key figure at INEOS and known for his ‘marginal gains’ philosophy, oversees these initiatives. Brailsford has successfully applied this philosophy in other sports, notably with Team Sky and British Cycling.

For instance, when Eliud Kipchoge broke the marathon world record in 2019, he benefited from aerodynamic advice sourced from INEOS’s sailing and Formula One ventures.

At Nice, Kenyan running coaches have been enlisted to guide pace and acceleration to players. Additionally, medical experts from the All Blacks have assisted in addressing muscle problems experienced by players, which are more common in rugby than football.

Manchester United discussion

Brailsford’s influence extends to discussions with former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson about fostering team commitment to shared goals.

Meanwhile, Manchester United are reportedly close to appointing Dan Ashworth from Newcastle as sporting director and considering Jason Wilcox, the director of football at Southampton, for a similar role.