Eric Cantona, “The King,” is not pleased with what is transpiring in his kingdom, and it’s easy to understand why. Manchester United, Premier League runners-up last season and winners of their UEFA Champions League grouping last season, currently look poor with both competitions. United enter the tenth weekend of PL competition just tenth in the table.
Not resembling title contenders at all this year, they have to really kick it up a few notches just to even finish in the top four.
United are currently in second place of Champions League Group H, halfway through this stage of the competition, but their last two European games were just brutal to watch.
There are plenty of places where one could legitimately point fingers, but Eric Cantona hit out specifically at manager Jose Mourinho.
“It’s not the right man for the right woman,” the club legend said of Mourinho’s relationship with United, as reported by The Republik of Mancunia.
“It’s the way you play. You can lose games but you take risks. You lose against Juventus and they have 70% possession of the ball at Old Trafford. Could you imagine that with Ferguson on the bench?”
“I suffer and I suffer even more when I see [Manchester City] play so wonderfully,” the Frenchman said while speaking at a public event.
“I think kids needs to have an example. They need great players, great movements, creative football to identify themselves to a player or a team. And I think they are now losing a generation of young players. These young players identify themselves to the way City play. Can we accept that? No.”
In calling for regime change at United, Eric Cantona advocated they go in-house next time.
“At United, they never give a chance to a player who knows the club from the inside, who knows the identity and philosophy of the club,” he continued.
“I don’t want people to think I’m saying this because I want to be manager of Manchester United. It’s just the truth.[Ryan] Giggs? Any player who wants to be the manager they should give them the chance.”
Giggs served as the #2 assistant under Louis van Gaal, but was not given a place at the club when Mourinho arrived. Giggs also served as caretaker manager when David Moyes was sacked in April of 2014.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Lineups.com and Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.