Legendary Manchester United forward Eric Cantona was a "shy guy" but also an "inspiration", according to former team-mate Peter Schmeichel. Cantona joined the Red Devils in 1992 and made 185 appearances, scoring 82 goals, before leaving in 1997.
Legendary Manchester United forward Eric Cantona was a "shy guy" but also an "inspiration", according to former team-mate Peter Schmeichel.
Cantona joined the Red Devils in 1992 and made 185 appearances, scoring 82 goals, before leaving in 1997.
He played alongside ex-goalkeeper Schmeichel throughout that period and the Dane remembers the Frenchman's first day at the club well.
"He was quiet, still is very quiet. If you follow him on social media, the way he speaks is just the way he speaks. He's a fantastic guy and I enjoyed rooming with him," Schmeichel told BBC's Sacked In The Morning podcast.
"[He is] just a nice guy. He is different, and that was a very good thing. That's exactly why he became the final piece in the jigsaw because that differentness was incredibly difficult for other teams to work out back then.
"Back then, most teams, even ours, played similar systems and in similar ways. So the difference between the teams were obviously physicality and ability, and all of a sudden you have this guy.
"My god, did [Sir Alex Ferguson] get the best player ever."
Cantona's footballing prowess, unique quotes and infamous kung-fu kick all played their part in issuing him icon status at Old Trafford. Despite this outward persona, Schmeichel insists the multiple title winner was quiet off the pitch.
"Eric is a shy guy. He wasn't very vocal in the dressing room at any time," he said. "You don't really know anybody [when you arrive], and especially if you come from abroad.
"He went out to the pitch, and behind one of the goals at The Cliff [training ground] is a wall into the indoor arena.
"So he went up to that wall and just started to volley balls up against it, chest it down, left and right foot. The building at The Cliff training ground - the canteen, the treatment room, the manager's office - had windows to the pitch and everybody was watching from up there and saying: 'What is he doing? We've never seen anything like that. Why is he doing that?'.
"We loved to be at The Cliff, but it was also the pitch for youth team matches, so you had to preserve it a little bit. To go down and start training on that pitch was just unheard of.
"All of a sudden you've got people up against the wall playing, training, practicing stuff, and that never really happened.
"Eric did that. Eric gave that little bit of inspiration, and because he did it, the manager loved it and then he allowed everybody else to do it as well."
Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds
Category: General Sports
