How refreshing seeing and hearing Eric Cantona back in English football. Although for only a short time he showed us why we came to love him in the first place. Holding no punches (or puns) he gave an honest assessment of the state of house across at Manchester City. What with the language barrier and misquotation it is easy to lose sight of his point.
He grew to love Manchester, a city that adopted and welcomed him with open arms despite his chequered past and on-field problems that were to follow. Sound familiar Mario Balotelli. It didn't bother Cantona about the life outside football in Manchester as he felt he was playing for the best team with the best players. For their time who can blame that assessment. Schmeichal,Irwin,Bruce,Pallister,G.Neville,Beckham,Keane,Scholes,Kanchelskis,A.Cole and Giggs all played with Cantona and this backs his claim. Yes people will say United didn't win the Champions League with Cantona but he played back during the foreign player restriction. Domestically the double teams of 1994 and 1996 are legendary and Cantona was apart of that. His efforts in training rubbed off on the youngsters and rumoured to make even seasoned players work that little harder. When you are pat of something good then the effort of training is not so arduous.
Saying that takes me onto Manchester City. The impression coming from them is that they are Manchester City PLC. The football is secondary now to the business of making money. Maybe this is why so many who have signed recently are disenchanted by life at Manchester City. Carlos Tevez was never this unhappy at West Ham or Manchester United. Jerome Boateng signed and has left without really making an impact. Balotelli is homesick we hear and that is before we get to how they have treated experienced professionals like Given, Bellamy, Adebayor and Santa Cruz. On that bases City have made more bad signings since their billionaire owners took over than United have in Ferguson's time at Old Trafford.
OK United have been "guilty" of spending large sums on players but the majority of them are young and most stay unless it benefits them to move elsewhere. Keane and Pallister were seen as expensive at the time and Ferdinand and Rooney were expensive at the time but looking back you wouldn't say so.
People sneer at United buying youth but I fail to see the problem. United have had enough English players during Ferguson's years that many would pick for England. Steve Bruce was uncapped. Pallister maybe could of played more. People forget how consistent Paul Parker was before Gary Neville. Lee Sharpe a football travesty, Paul Ince, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Andy Cole was unlucky with international competition. the most expensive of them was Andy Cole who was around £7m if memory serves. United have had to spend this summer to fill the goalkeeping spot and have shown foresight signing Ashley Young for when Giggs is ready to give up the game. Phil Jones and Smalling are forcing Ferdinand to stay fit and healthy. Yes players that have come through United youth system may be Brazilian, Scottish French or from anywhere but that is down to the scouting networks built up through time.
I have grown annoyed for a few years now with the sudden trend of Man U hating. From their early pre war days when they were not as used to success as now they were a popular like. Then after the war the story of Matt Busby's amazing young team caught the public's imagination and as the song goes, if they were in your town people would go to watch. And then after the horror of the Munich air crash, while Manchester grieved, England felt a sense of loss. People forget the babes were not all Manchester lads either. And Best, Law and Charlton helped lift the famous but slightly under decorated club to the heights of European Champions in 1968. Maybe this was when the public turned. Did George Best take to many liberties or was it simply people didn't mind them until they started to really win. Even through the 70's and early 80's and the barren years teams like Liverpool overtook English dominance but somehow were neither hated or liked more than United. Since the Premierships launch and United's unquestionable dominance the cries of glory hunters and buying titles have been thrown at United but that's not fair. United have paid there dues to football, they have worn the scars for all to see. They haven't always been successful but the principals have never changed. Now they are in a position to enjoy some success without tragedy and the financial situation means we can keep up with the modern price tags. That is what Cantona was getting to. You an have all the money in the world and buy the best players but it's the DNA of your club that has to remain. Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspurs are the 3 teams I respect the most. Is it strange that they are 3 of the early ambassadors for English success in Europe or because you can trace the DNA back as long as you like. Even the mighty Cristiano Ronaldo may secretly admit life hasn't been as good since he moved to Spain. Real Madrid, Chelsea and Man City are learning that sometimes money won't fix a situation and peoples happiness may come into things. Man City may win a few trophies here and there but they won't finish ahead of United in the table this year and will never overtake tem for fan base or history. One flick few United's history as a 5 year old boy had me hooked for life. The year was 1985 and they had won the FA Cup (I don't remember that) but it was in the hard years. The magic of the number 7 shirt and Busby's babes who were lost to Munich. Of Duncan Edwards maybe England's greatest player and world cup lifting captain. Of a man who came through Munich toform the holy trinity and win European and World cup glory. Of troubled stars like Best and unlucky ones like Norman Whiteside it just goes on and that is what Man United haters forget. You have cried and laughed and cheered and even come to our rescue in the darkest hours and Matt Busby's triumphed. Don't forget what United has done for English football and above all. Before you start knocking us while we are top of the perch. Research how we got there.
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