Eric Cantona has launched a passionate but piercing attack on Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe after almost two years in charge.
The King has spoken, this time focusing his fury on Sir Jim Ratcliffe. French legend Eric Cantona has become deeply disillusioned with Manchester United – the club he won four Premier League titles with – saying: “If I was a fan now and I had to choose a club, I don’t think I would choose United.”
Cantona recently joined FC United of Manchester, a club established in response to the Glazer family’s acquisition of United in 2005, as a new co-owner.
Upon joining, he said: “We’re a club that does things differently – driven by fairness, inclusivity, and a commitment to putting people before profit.”
It is easy to see why the former forward is frustrated, because their approaches to ownership are strikingly opposite.
Ratcliffe has ‘destroyed’ United DNA, claims Cantona
Cantona has been critical of how United have been handled – whether it be by the Glazer family or Ratcliffe himself.
He revealed he offered his support to the Monaco-based billionaire when he initially purchased his 27.7% stake in the club. Still, it was met with rejection, leaving Cantona to relentlessly resent Ratcliffe.
During an on-stage interview at a live event in Ireland, An Evening with Eric The King Cantona, he said: “I have many other passions and projects, but I thought that for two or three years I could maybe put those to the side and try to give something to this club, which has given everything to me.
“But Ratcliffe did not seem interested. I did what I had to do, so I do not feel guilty anymore. I tried my best.
“Sir Alex Ferguson created a style of beautiful attacking football, which the new owners should have used. Instead, they destroyed it.”
Ratcliffe’s reign has divided the crowd
Ratcliffe was put in control of footballing matters in February 2024 upon purchasing his stake in the club. Since then, some decisions have been highly controversial, while others have proven correct. He has faced considerable criticism from Cantona, among others.
Staff redundancies were seen as inhumane, with as many as 500 people losing their jobs as Ratcliffe embarked on an exodus of cost-cutting measures that saved United £8-10 million. However, it has also been argued that United’s workforce was already bloated, making the cuts necessary.
However, the one that irked Cantona the most was removing Sir Alex from the payroll, who was earning around £2 million a year as a club ambassador after he retired from management in 2013.
“Sir Alex Ferguson should be able to do anything he wants at the club until the day he dies. It is such a lack of respect. It is totally scandalous. Sir Alex Ferguson will be my boss forever!”
For the iconic No. 7, these decisions have curtailed his connection with United. He said, “I do not feel close to these kinds of decisions. They have another strategy, another project. Do I feel close to this project? I do not think so.”
Ratcliffe has cut an unpopular figure with most of the United fan base, but that will not faze him. He has that cutthroat, cold-hearted nature to succeed at United and make them a footballing force once more.
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