Eric Cantona has accused Jim Ratcliffe of trying to “destroy” Manchester United and said the minority owner rejected his offer to help rebuild the club.
Cantona is considered one of United’s greatest footballers after playing for them for five years in the 1990s. On Saturday Cantona was at FC United of Manchester, which was founded by disaffected Manchester United fans in May 2005 in protest at Malcolm Glazer’s leveraged purchase of United, which loaded about £500 million of debt on the club.
Speaking there, Cantona attacked Ratcliffe and the executive the billionaire has put in place since his buy-in became official in February 2024, including over a plan to build a 100,000-seat stadium.
“Since Ratcliffe arrived this team of directors try to destroy everything and they don’t respect anybody,” Cantona said. “They even want to change the stadium. The soul of the team and the club is not in the players. All the people around is like a big family.”
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Ratcliffe is undergoing a latest round of redundancies that will bring the total he has made to about 450. Cantona referenced this loss, saying such employees are as vital to the club as football staff.
The Frenchman said: “I think it’s very important to respect these people like you respect your manager and team-mates. Since Ratcliffe arrived, it’s the complete opposite. He doesn’t want Sir Alex Ferguson as an ambassador any more. He is more than a legend and I think we have to find this soul again. This team of directors, they try to destroy everything. They don’t respect anybody. They even want to change the stadium. The stadium is iconic.
“For me, Arsenal lost their soul when they left Highbury and I’m sure a lot of fans miss Highbury. It’s like when you go in a house and feel a special energy. Can you imagine Liverpool playing in another stadium than Anfield? It’s impossible. I don’t think United can play in another stadium than Old Trafford.”
Cantona explained his offer of help to Ratcliffe. “Until the end of October this year I will shoot movies,” he said. “But I said to them: ‘I can put that [aside] and concentrate and help you to rebuild something.’
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“And they don’t care. Me too, because I work. I don’t ask anything. But I feel sad to see United in this kind of situation. So, for me and the respect for myself, I had to do it and I did it, and they didn’t care and I don’t care. They decided something else. They have another strategy, another project.”
During a private function at FC United, Cantona, his four children and two brothers signed up to be co-owners of the members-owned club.
Cantona said of Manchester United: “I support United because I really love United, but now if I was a fan and I had to choose a club I don’t think I would choose United. Because I don’t feel close to these kind of decisions. They have another strategy, another project. Do you feel close to this project? I don’t think so.
“For me, that is very important to respect these people like you respect your manager and your team-mates … But I think maybe we are dreamers and they are more like an economy and a strategy. I hate this kind of thing. I hate this kind of decision.”
Manchester United have been approached for comment. – Guardian
