Eric Cantona has admitted that one Manchester United legend would treat everyone “slightly differently” at Old Trafford and was “kind of psycho” in a bizarre compliment.
The 58-year-old Manchester United legend is widely regarded as one of the best players in the club’s history after his seminal impact at Old Trafford.
Sir Alex Ferguson brought Eric Cantona to the Premier League club in 1992 after he snapped him up from Leeds United for a £1m fee.
A larger-than-life figure on and off the pitch, Cantona had a transformative impact in the United dressing room and his presence ushered in a new era for the club.
The Frenchman lifted four Premier League titles and two FA Cups during his legendary spell under former manager Sir Alex Ferguson at the Red Devils.
Cantona scored an impressive 81 times in 184 appearances for the Red Devils, with the eccentric former United star also picking up 62 assists.
The former France international stunned Ferguson – and the whole world – in 1997 when he announced his shock retirement at the age of 30.
Cantona praises ‘psycho’ Man Utd legend
Eric Cantona actively pursued other creative ventures after his legendary footballing career, including working in acting and becoming a musician.
The legendary former Manchester United No 7 has kept strong ties with Red Devils supporters long after his departure from Old Trafford.
Cantona opened up about his relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson, who once named the Frenchman among the four world-class played he managed in his career.
Ferguson deeply admired the French former forward and was even believed to have treated Cantona differently from other players at Old Trafford.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Cantona admitted that the 82-year-old Scotsman won so many things because of how he managed different personalities.
“I think Alex Ferguson treated everybody differently, slightly differently,” he said.
“Because we were all great personalities, I think. It’s why we won so many things.
“And the manager is that also. The manager, of course, he has to understand football. He knows football very well and everything.
“But a great manager is the one who can deal with any kind of personality. And Alex Ferguson was this kind of manager and kind of psycho also.”
Ferguson almost signed Cantona earlier
Ferguson revealed that he missed out on Cantona earlier after the Frenchman went on trial at Sheffield Wednesday before signing for Leeds.
“I was at a game in Paris, sitting next to Michel Platini and Gerard Houllier,” he said in 2021, as per Manchester United’s official website.
“Platini says to me – it was the time he [Cantona] was suspended from French football – he says, ‘You should go and sign Cantona.’
“I say, ‘Is he not a problem?’ He says, ‘If you recognise him and bring him into the fold, I tell you he’s a great player.’ Gerard Houllier endorsed that exactly.
“I was going home the next day, I go into training and he’s signed for Sheffield Wednesday on loan [trial]. Trevor Francis [was the manager].
“They were training indoors because the weather was bad. He’s very friendly with Howard Wilkinson, so when his loan was up, Trevor tried to further it and he said no chance.
“So, he phoned Howard and Howard signed him. And they won the league. He won the league for them. There’s no question in my mind.”