Eric Cantona has revealed that despite his admiration for Jose Mourinho, he doesn’t believe that he’s the right man for Manchester United.
The Red Devils sacked Louis van Gaal on Monday, and are now expected to appoint his former Barcelona assistant within 48 hours as talks continue, as noted by Sky Sports.
Although the Portuguese tactician is a high-profile name, can attract big-name players and has a track record of winning, Cantona has pointed out that ultimately his style of play doesn’t fit the criteria expected by United fans.
In turn, there is a risk that he could follow a similar path to Van Gaal in terms of coming under scrutiny for the way in which his side plays, but Cantona is still confident that he’ll be a success if not an entirely popular one.
“I love José Mourinho, but in terms of the type of football he plays I don’t think he is Manchester United,” Cantona told The Guardian. “I love his personality, I love the passion he has for the game, his humour. He is very intelligent, he demands 100% of his players. And of course he wins things.
“But I don’t think it’s the type of football that the fans of Manchester United will love, even if they win. He can win with Manchester United. But do they expect that type of football, even if they win? I don’t think so.”
In a lengthy interview that covered various topics, the former United forward went on to insist that he would have preferred to see Pep Guardiola at the club, and insists that “he’s in Manchester, but at the wrong one”.
The Frenchman also added that he would take the job at Old Trafford if offered, but while that looks like an unlikely scenario, he will sit alongside other United fans hoping that Mourinho can deliver trophies and place them back at the top of European football before too long.
The manner in which he does it may not please all, but whether that matters in the grand scheme of things with so many other top managers now in the Premier League, the ‘Special One’ will ultimately be judged on his results.