Eric Cantona said he would not have signed for Manchester United under Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s ownership after the billionaire’s “colonised by immigrants” comments.
Manchester United have not made the best start, with plenty of questions being raised about their manager, Michael Carrick, as well as many of the players. The Red Devils have one win in their five league games so far, while also exiting the EFL Cup at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion in the third round.
While the scrutiny and media attention is firmly on the club, minority stakeholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe did no favours with his recent comments about the UK. Ratcliffe drew condemnation in February after telling Sky News that the UK had been “colonised by immigrants,” and in a BBC interview this week he said the country was “on the slide” and that “nobody is tough enough to deal with the immigration problem” or “the benefits problem.”
While the INEOS supremo has drawn plenty of criticism, Manchester United legend Eric Cantona had some sharp words for Ratcliffe in response to the immigration comments, as reported by the Telegraph. Cantona highlighted how football has been shaped by immigration and said he would not join the club while Ratcliffe was in charge if he were a player or fan today.
Cantona began by explaining how immigration has made the game better, saying, “Football is a very popular sport. Football is made – all the greatest players come from different waves of immigration. Everywhere, in France, in England, everywhere.”
“In France for instance, the greatest players in France, they all come from different waves of immigration. I made a documentary on that, French Football: An Immigrant History. And then the Italians, Italians like [Michel] Platini [born in France but the son and grandson of Italian immigrants]. And then Spanish, like me, my mother came from Spanish refugees. I cannot accept this kind of thing [Ratcliffe’s views].”
As for what he would do if he were a player or fan now that Ratcliffe is in charge of Manchester United, Cantona continued, “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, it is very important to respect these people like you respect your manager and your team-mates. I think since Ratcliffe arrived it’s the complete opposite and this team of directors, they try to destroy everything and they don’t respect anybody.”
The comments from Cantona are expected to draw plenty of attention in the media, and the pressure is piling on Ratcliffe for what he said. Overall, there is always a tendency for the media to misrepresent some words, as in the case of what Ratcliffe said, but in the overall context of the issue, Cantona’s words carry a strong emotional response to the matter at hand.
