Manchester United legend Eric Cantona has revealed that Sir Alex Ferguson backed him to grow to be the membership’s ‘President of Soccer’, just for former CEO Ed Woodward to pour chilly water on the idea.
Cantona, one of many Premier League’s first world icons after breaking away from the Soccer League, joined United from bitter rivals Leeds in 1992 and would go on to win 4 titles and two FA Cups with the Pink Devils.
After retiring in 1997, Cantona coached France’s seaside soccer workforce for 14 years, whereas he additionally had a short stint as Director of Soccer for the reformed New York Cosmos.
However talking to The Athletic, the Frenchman revealed he had different grand plans to return to soccer, insistent on serving to out former membership United.
“Final 12 months I proposed to the membership to vary their means,” Cantona mentioned.
“Ed Woodward is nice at advertising and marketing however not nice at soccer. I believe you have got a boss and may have a president of administration/advertising and marketing after which a president of soccer, who’s in control of all choices in soccer.
“So I proposed to them to be ‘President of Soccer’.
“First I met Sir Alex Ferguson, to say this to him and know what he thought of it. And he thought it was a good suggestion.
“He launched me to Mr. Woodward…I met him a couple of occasions. However they didn’t settle for it!
“I mentioned to myself: ‘For 5 years I’ll put every part on maintain and focus 100 per cent on that’. And if I focus 100 per cent on that, then I can let you know, I might do it very nicely; very, very, very nicely.
“They didn’t need me! The followers must know that I went and travelled to Manchester to present them the chance to achieve the subsequent many years. And they didn’t need it.”
Cantona additionally asserted he didn’t need to settle for an ambassadorial position with the membership, including: “I’ve the type of persona that doesn’t need to be an envoy.
“To be an envoy of the membership you must do the promotion of the membership. And me, nicely if I need to say one thing, I’ll say it. Many of the issues I say are nice issues, but when I believe one thing that the individuals from the membership don’t like, then I’m [now] free to say it. As an envoy, you can’t say these type of issues, so that you lose your freedom.”
