Cantona: Hard times for United
Source: Agencies |
March 5, 2011, Saturday
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MANCHESTER United will face hard times when manager Alex Ferguson eventually retires, former United great Eric Cantona said yesterday.
"After him, it will be very, very, very difficult," Cantona said. "Manchester United will always be one of the biggest clubs in the world but when he stops, for a few years it will be a bit difficult."
Cantona was in Singapore with Pele to promote the proposed rebirth of the US club New York Cosmos.
The 69-year-old Ferguson, who has managed United since 1986, has said he has no plans to retire yet.
"Alex Ferguson is one of the best managers of all time," Cantona said. "He adapts to all generations. He knows the club very well."
Cantona also hailed United midfielder Ryan Giggs, who was poised to break Bobby Charlton's team record of 606 league appearances when he faces Liverpool tomorrow.
Cantona retired in 1997 after winning four Premier League titles and two FA Cups in five seasons.
Ferguson meanwhile cancelled his customary pre-game news conference yesterday while he considered whether to appeal against a Football Association charge of improper conduct.
Ferguson was charged on Thursday over comments he made about referee Martin Atkinson after the 1-2 defeat at Chelsea in which he said he had "feared the worst" when he had seen who was officiating the match.
The manager's news conference yesterday, where he was expected to talk about the match against Liverpool, was cancelled and media reported he was not even speaking to the club's in-house television channel MUTV. Some of the comments that have got him into trouble with the FA were made to, and broadcast by, MUTV which is where Ferguson usually speaks when he has decided not to give news conferences in the past.
Ferguson criticized Atkinson after Chelsea came from behind to win with a Frank Lampard penalty awarded after Chris Smalling was ruled to have tripped Yuri Zhirkov.
The Scot was also angry that Chelsea's Brazilian defender David Luiz, who had equalized, escaped a red card for a second-half challenge on Wayne Rooney. "It was a major game for both clubs and you want a fair referee," Ferguson said. "You want a strong referee anyway and we didn't get that."
"After him, it will be very, very, very difficult," Cantona said. "Manchester United will always be one of the biggest clubs in the world but when he stops, for a few years it will be a bit difficult."
Cantona was in Singapore with Pele to promote the proposed rebirth of the US club New York Cosmos.
The 69-year-old Ferguson, who has managed United since 1986, has said he has no plans to retire yet.
"Alex Ferguson is one of the best managers of all time," Cantona said. "He adapts to all generations. He knows the club very well."
Cantona also hailed United midfielder Ryan Giggs, who was poised to break Bobby Charlton's team record of 606 league appearances when he faces Liverpool tomorrow.
Cantona retired in 1997 after winning four Premier League titles and two FA Cups in five seasons.
Ferguson meanwhile cancelled his customary pre-game news conference yesterday while he considered whether to appeal against a Football Association charge of improper conduct.
Ferguson was charged on Thursday over comments he made about referee Martin Atkinson after the 1-2 defeat at Chelsea in which he said he had "feared the worst" when he had seen who was officiating the match.
The manager's news conference yesterday, where he was expected to talk about the match against Liverpool, was cancelled and media reported he was not even speaking to the club's in-house television channel MUTV. Some of the comments that have got him into trouble with the FA were made to, and broadcast by, MUTV which is where Ferguson usually speaks when he has decided not to give news conferences in the past.
Ferguson criticized Atkinson after Chelsea came from behind to win with a Frank Lampard penalty awarded after Chris Smalling was ruled to have tripped Yuri Zhirkov.
The Scot was also angry that Chelsea's Brazilian defender David Luiz, who had equalized, escaped a red card for a second-half challenge on Wayne Rooney. "It was a major game for both clubs and you want a fair referee," Ferguson said. "You want a strong referee anyway and we didn't get that."
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