Manchester United rejected the return of the King! Even Sir Alex Ferguson supported his efforts to help the club. Why didn’t it work?

Manchester United have been struggling for the last few years. Some legends have criticised the club’s decline, while others have stepped up to help the club. Among the latter group is self-proclaimed king Eric Cantona. However, the Red Devils have rejected his help.

The famous English club has been languishing since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson. While not so long ago it was collecting trophy after trophy, now the hall full of precious metals is just dust. Several coaches have tried to remedy the situation, but none have succeeded.

Since the summer, the Dutch strategist Erik ten Hag has been trying to do it, and he is showing great courage. Moreover, Manchester United has bought interesting players and, if we take away the bad start of the season, it does not look bad.

But let’s go back to the recent past. When the club was not doing well, its legends behaved differently. Some just rode the wave and criticized the Red Devils as much as they could. Not Eric Cantona. He couldn’t watch Manchester United’s decline and wanted to help.

“I advised the club last year that they should change the way they were run. Ed Woodward is great at marketing but certainly not at football,” Cantona let slip in an interview with The Athletic.

He therefore had a great idea. He said the Red Devils should have a chairman, a president of marketing and a separate president of football who would be in charge of football decisions only. Ed Woodward had all of that under wraps.

Cantona consulted his former coach and the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson. He wanted to make sure he knew what he was doing. The phenomenal Scot backed his idea. He even agreed that it was the former French troublemaker who should be the one to be football president.

“He thought it would be a good idea. He introduced me to Mr Woodward. I felt guilty for not trying to help the club to better results. But they didn’t want that. It’s their choice, at least I tried,” Cantona said.

So the wish for someone who knows not only football but also the club from the inside to help the team was not heard. So the Frenchman at least wanted his efforts to be known by the fans, who have long protested against the club’s owners.

Source: The Athletic, Goal