Eric Cantona - is it possible to love a former player more?

VoetbalWizard said:
did you watch the 94 world cup at all? or any of the champions league matches before 2002 that were televised on espn? I watched the champions league final in 99 in PA, live on ESPN so united was on the telly before 2002 in the US, though not often. Though i'm sure if you played the game in your school days you would've heard about the likes of cantona, surely?
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I never played the game. I thought I didn't like the sport, based on hazy childhood memories of the old US soccer league from the 1980s.

My wife is Spanish, and when we were dating she made me watch a CL game in 01/02 of Deportivo v. United. I was hooked from there.

The World Cup for those who don't play or watch the game is something they play in the background once every 4 years. The 1994 World Cup didn't do squat for getting the game better known in this country. And Cantona wasn't in it anyway. Nor was England.

Yes, there were occasional CL games on ESPN2. Yes, there were league games replayed on the Yankees TV Network circa 2000. These were rarities and novelties for those who weren't already fans of the game. You can't deny that or else support for English football here would have taken off sooner.

Having the league regularly is what has made this a real boom in support in the USA. It is also what kept that initial interest from fading away for me.
 
Cantona was simply the type of player that knew he was good and performed like it, especially with United. I was in France when they were booted out of the WC qualifying in 1993 and he was public enemy number 1 in France, seemingly. It was the way that he was treated in England and speciifically at United that made him what he was as a player. He had said it many times that he felt more English than French and had wished that he could have represented England internationally.

And yes, Plech, while Robson and Keane may have been the better players overall for United due to their longevity at the club, Cantona also knew when to hang it up. I remember his form dipping during the 96-97 season, where he wasn't quite as influential as before. Gotta give him credit for that.
 
Cantona always was and always will be my favourite United player, and I guess it's the same for most fans my age.

Cantona was made for Eric and vice versa and his impact was twofold. Initially his galvanished a team which had lost the title the year before and were struggling to find the net (4 games without a goal if I rember correct) He was the final piece of the jigsaw needed for that team to win the title, he formed a great partnership with Hughes, which allowed McClair to drop into midfield and the team shared goalscoring responsibilty, just like the current side.

Secondly, in 1995/6, after many senior pros had left (Robson, Bruce, Ince, Hughes) Cantona became an inspirational captain and leader of the likes of Beckham, Scholes, Nevilles. There were so many games in that title run-in won 1-0 with Cantona scoring and Schmeichel unbeatable.

More than just a great player, Eric was a great icon and not in a manufactured (Beckham) way. Collar-up, chest puffed out and playing with his arm in a cast is how I always picture Eric.

Unbelievable touch, a great finisher with either foot and head, Eric was the best 1 on 1 v keeper and penalty finisher I have ever seen, with a surprising turn of pace to boot.

I've heard it said that Eric wanted Fergie to sign Alen Boksic in the summer of 96 but instead we went for Poborsky and Cruyff which he felt showed a lack of ambition and might explain his decision to retire at 30. When you think that Sheringham is a year older and still playing I think Eric had at least 2 more years, although his performance levels were dropping. But hey, I'm 30 this year and I quite fancy the idea of retiring too! Would love to see him back as manager one day but think that Keane and Hughes will have something to say about that.
 
This is what I call absolute class. By far my favourite player of all time. The only King of football.
 
He's the legend I grew up with, so I've got lots of fond memories... particularly the 94 and 96 cup finals. Probably helped that he was a bit mental... the video of him throwing the ball at the ref in France always made me laugh.
 
drink a drink a drink
to eric the king the king the king
he's the leader of our football team
he'a the greatest centre forward that the world has ever seen
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
 
I've heard some idiotic things said on here about Cantona.
"Wasn't world class."
"Not one of the best."

fecking idiots. Best player we have ever had without a doubt.
 
jasonrh said:
I never played the game. I thought I didn't like the sport, based on hazy childhood memories of the old US soccer league from the 1980s.

My wife is Spanish, and when we were dating she made me watch a CL game in 01/02 of Deportivo v. United. I was hooked from there.

The World Cup for those who don't play or watch the game is something they play in the background once every 4 years. The 1994 World Cup didn't do squat for getting the game better known in this country. And Cantona wasn't in it anyway. Nor was England.

Yes, there were occasional CL games on ESPN2. Yes, there were league games replayed on the Yankees TV Network circa 2000. These were rarities and novelties for those who weren't already fans of the game. You can't deny that or else support for English football here would have taken off sooner.

Having the league regularly is what has made this a real boom in support in the USA. It is also what kept that initial interest from fading away for me.
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i think you would've enjoyed watching the world cup. you missed out watching some legendary players play at their peak....baggio, maldini, romario, bebeto, batistuta, bergkamp...etc. well i don't know. you do come of as an anglophile/utd fan before being a fan of football, but regardless, the world cup did provide a glimpse into the class of players out there.
 
KingEric7 said:
I've heard some idiotic things said on here about Cantona.
"Wasn't world class."
"Not one of the best."

fecking idiots. Best player we have ever had without a doubt.
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I must be one of those then.

Don't get me wrong, no doubt he's a great great player.

But best we ever had?

fecking Pele and Maradona deemed George Best to be the best player ever.

How about Bobby Charlton? Quite a few of the old timers here and everywhere else thought Duncan Edwards was even better than George Best.

As far as I'm concern, of all the United players that I had the privilege to watch regularly, there's none greater than Keano.


Did you guys go around saying Cantona was the greatest player while he was still at Leeds?
 
VII said:
I must be one of those then.

Don't get me wrong, no doubt he's a great great player.

But best we ever had?

fecking Pele and Maradona deemed George Best to be the best player ever.

How about Bobby Charlton? Quite a few of the old timers here and everywhere else thought Duncan Edwards was even better than George Best.

As far as I'm concern, of all the United players that I had the privilege to watch regularly, there's none greater than Keano.


Did you guys go around saying Cantona was the greatest player while he was still at Leeds?
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If it hadn't been for Eric we wouldn't have won the league and Keane would have gone to Blackburn.

Only a fool would hail him as the 'best' player we've ever had, but nobody can underestimate the impact Eric had on the United we watch today. Right player at the right time at the right club, a man that embodied the spirit and attitude of the club at a time when football in this country went ballistic. When Sky pumped the money in there was an opportunity for the most succesfull club in England to go onto another level....Eric made sure of that.

He was the final piece of the jigsaw in a great team, it was a time when we'd come from the doledrums of the late 80's, after years of those bastards down the East Lancs winning everything in sight, we were desperate for a hero.

There were few genuine foreign stars at the time as well, they were still an exotic luxury, I remember Alan Hansen saying 'half of his stuff belongs in a circus'. He was an incredible footballer with a sense of occasion, big goals in big matches and an aura that anyone who saw him play will never forget.

My favourite player of all time.
 
I felt physically sick the day he retired, brought a tear to my eye. One of my first heros.
 
heightmassive said:
If it hadn't been for Eric we wouldn't have won the league and Keane would have gone to Blackburn.

Only a fool would hail him as the 'best' player we've ever had, but nobody can underestimate the impact Eric had on the United we watch today. Right player at the right time at the right club, a man that embodied the spirit and attitude of the club at a time when football in this country went ballistic. When Sky pumped the money in there was an opportunity for the most succesfull club in England to go onto another level....Eric made sure of that.

He was the final piece of the jigsaw in a great team, it was a time when we'd come from the doledrums of the late 80's, after years of those bastards down the East Lancs winning everything in sight, we were desperate for a hero.

There were few genuine foreign stars at the time as well, they were still an exotic luxury, I remember Alan Hansen saying 'half of his stuff belongs in a circus'. He was an incredible footballer with a sense of occasion, big goals in big matches and an aura that anyone who saw him play will never forget.

My favourite player of all time.
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That is why he is the greatest. Maybe saying the best we've ever hard is stretching it (Only because of Brest) but no other player ever had a greater impact in our history. His arrival was a pivotal moment in history for us
 
There are only 2 players who've been bestowed with the title 'King' by United fans - Denis Law in the 60's and Eric Cantona in the 90's.

That's the level of regard those 2 were held in.
 
KingEric7 said:
I've heard some idiotic things said on here about Cantona.
"Wasn't world class."
"Not one of the best."

fecking idiots. Best player we have ever had without a doubt.
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Most Important player - YES
Most Charismatic player - YES
Most Impact for Manchester United - YES
Best to watch - YES I loved to watch his arrogance and style, that goal against Sunderland,

Best Player - Close, but he is amongst a small number that are / were head and shoulders above your typical United star

Best, Law, Giggs, Keane, The Great Dane, Robson and I am sure opinion will vary on some of those and others and of course Edwards ( before my time but if he was as great as they say he must have been something to watch )
and in a few years, if he stays and continues the way he is Ronnie and also in time Rooney

What order would you put them in, ask a 100 United fans, you will get a lot of different views
 
my favourite eric story is told by keane, they'd be sitting in the pub chatting and laughing and someone would come over and try and talk to eric ... he'd just look confused and mumble back in broken english thus killing the conversation dead ... what like Roy Keane and Eric spoke en francias? ... je ne fecking pense pas mes amis.


I agree with post that rates eric as possibly the most influential but not the greatest ... the law man was better, robbo, keane and I think giggs too, among others
 
Roy Keane and Robson probably were better players and captain. But Eric will always have a special place in my heart.

Eric Cantona is a player who captures your imagination and attention when he plays. He is outrageously talented, can do things you can only dreamed of with a ball. For people who didn't like football before, or for people doesn't know about the game, seeing Eric play is a revelation.

And he's not just talented, but he also played with the confidence that he's better than the other 21 players on the pitch. And I fecking love that. He may not be the best player to ever played the game, but he's the first player that made me love the beautiful game, and for that I'm truly grateful.
 
My favourite player of all time,

I agree with some of the most recent posts - not necessarily the greatest or best footballer (although he's definately up there)

The man just oozed class though, a true hero.
 
Former players...Roy Keane.

However my favourite United player ever is Scholes. He is amazing to me.
 
mosesfromtala said:
jason, what do you ,mean you weren't around?
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I think if I remember correctly Jason started watching United about 3-4 years ago? That meant he wouldn't have been around to see Cantona actually play during those times.

I could be wrong though.
 
Hectic said:
I think if I remember correctly Jason started watching United about 3-4 years ago? That meant he wouldn't have been around to see Cantona actually play during those times.

I could be wrong though.
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sorry, note to self, read entire thread before asking stoopid questions

ta
 
mosesfromtala said:
sorry, note to self, read entire thread before asking stoopid questions

ta
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I'm not sure it was mentioned before (Looks like I must read entire thread as well) but it's understandable to ask questions. And anyway, better to ask questions then not to.

Jason's a funny one. Only been supporting United for a few years now but knows so much about the history and tradition of the club.
 
You didn't see Cantona play? What age are you?
 
heightmassive said:
If it hadn't been for Eric we wouldn't have won the league and Keane would have gone to Blackburn.

Only a fool would hail him as the 'best' player we've ever had, but nobody can underestimate the impact Eric had on the United we watch today. Right player at the right time at the right club, a man that embodied the spirit and attitude of the club at a time when football in this country went ballistic. When Sky pumped the money in there was an opportunity for the most succesfull club in England to go onto another level....Eric made sure of that.

He was the final piece of the jigsaw in a great team, it was a time when we'd come from the doledrums of the late 80's, after years of those bastards down the East Lancs winning everything in sight, we were desperate for a hero.

There were few genuine foreign stars at the time as well, they were still an exotic luxury, I remember Alan Hansen saying 'half of his stuff belongs in a circus'. He was an incredible footballer with a sense of occasion, big goals in big matches and an aura that anyone who saw him play will never forget.

My favourite player of all time.
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:drool:
Everything i wanted to post about Cantona in a single post.
I have no doubt whatsoever that, had Cantona not played for us, we would have never won the treble.
 
greatest player I've ever seen grace the united shirt. Ronny is a great player and some comparisons can be made to cantona, but as yet the kid is not in kings league. all this talk about terry henry being the best foreigner to play in PL. what a load of old bollocks. he's not a patch on cantona as an all round player or as an inspirational talisman

Eric Cantona, Je t'adore
 
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