Why did cantona leave leeds

It was a situation that proved a godsend for the other United. Ask any Man United fan who saw Cantona play and they will tell you he was a joy to watch. They loved his showmanship and his strut — collar up — around Old Trafford. He lapped it up. The leader of the panel told him 'You can't be judged like any other player.

Behind you there is a trail of the smell of sulphur. You can expect anything from an individualist like you. Hancock: 'Cantona was not impressed by his punishment and in an ironic postmodern way, rather than in a spoilt little child way, went up to each member of the panel in turn to hiss "Idiot!

His ban was increased to two months on the spot, and Cantona retired from football immediately. He found himself regretting the decision after a few weeks, but nothing could make him change his mind, until Michel Platini came to talk to him and suggested a new start in England.

Cantona respected Platini more than just about anyone else in football and took his advice. Gerard Houllier acted as an intermediary and worked with agent Dennis Roach to try and find a club in England who would be interested. Cantona had promised Nimes that he would buy out his contract and on 16 December he agreed the cancellation. The first club in for Cantona was Sheffield Wednesday and their manager Trevor Francis was prepared to float a deal.

They opted instead to try and agree a loan deal after a one-week trial, but this led to a misunderstanding which killed the deal. Hancock: 'Wednesday fans watched the sports pages with bated breath as the exotic and volatile star considered a new start in Sheffield, hoping against hope that their manager would take the risk. Unfortunately the week of Cantona's trial fell in the middle of a typically grim English winter.

Francis was not prepared to hire a player he had yet to see play on grass, for fear that he wouldn't be able to. Cantona refused to countenance the idea of a trial and it seemed that his opportunity of a comeback to top-flight football was dashed..

Suddenly, Howard Wilkinson, manager of a Leeds United side vying with Manchester United for the league title, appeared on the scene and in a matter of days a deal was done and the Frenchman was on his way to West Yorkshire. Cantona signed at the beginning of February 'My new manager invited me to watch the match between Leeds United and Notts County. Our conversation lasted a little more than an hour. Certainly no contract had yet been signed, but we knew quite well that a mutual adventure would soon be bringing us together.

There would be no question of a trial period. My examination would take place on the field. Perhaps even in the next match at Oldham, if I felt that I was ready.

English clubs, it is true, display a certain distrust of foreign players. Their football is made out of aerial duels, of hard running and of tackles which cannot be endured unless a player's physical condition is almost perfect.

And here again, with the advantage of the time that has passed, I can better appreciate the judgement and opinions of Michel Platini and Gerard Houllier, who helped me cross the Channel. They knew quite well that my heart and my legs were made to get on with British football. The match against Notts County that Cantona and Wilkinson watched together ended in a victory which saw Leeds remain at the top of the league, but they dropped to second the following week when Cantona made his debut for Leeds on February 8 in a defeat at Oldham.

He came on as a second half substitute for Steve Hodge. Manchester United had not won a league title since , but they now looked as if they could end that run. They were getting the upper hand. Cantona made his first start a couple of weeks later in a draw away to Everton and it was shortly afterwards that his stay at Leeds really took off: 'On 29 February, on a Saturday afternoon at Elland Road, a great joy came to the Cantona family.

Leeds United were playing Luton Town. Howard Wilkinson sent me on after 20 minutes following an injury to Tony Dorigo. There is nothing more paradoxical nor more breathtaking than a goal in front of a crowd which is waiting for it. At that exact moment when the ball went into the net, thousands of supporters behind the goal seemed to plunge towards the turf. In scoring this goal at the Kop end I became seduced.

I had met, it seemed, my new family. Leeds won that game to get back on track, but their form was very up and down. Then a chance phone call led them to Cantona. Ferguson wouldn't entertain any notion of selling the full-back, but the topic of Cantona came up. The French forward and Howard Wilkinson, the Leeds manager, had fallen out and Leeds wouldn't stand in the player's way if a transfer could be arranged.

He would become a club legend and spark a spell of dominance. Edwards, in a book about his time at United, has contradicted Ferguson's account somewhat and revealed that United got Cantona for a lesser fee than the one widely reported. The former United chairman says he kept the actual fee for Cantona secret, as Leeds wanted to appease their fans. Edwards also claims Ferguson wasn't present when the deal was made, and that it was his idea to try sign Cantona. I said no but, thinking on my feet, just said: 'What about Cantona?

At Leeds, football was played the old way — I think you say kick and then rush. But it was very important to play for Leeds at first because I learned a lot with this kind of football. And we had success. I need to feel good. I needed time or I gave up or I tried to find words to explain what I wanted. Darkphonix You can't beat the wisdom's of Eric.

There certainly is no doubting those were his words. Just a rumour after all. Don't know if anyone has written this but it's because he banged the club captains wife!

Yeah there was hassle with Cantona- kung fu kicking that racist fan etc, Guess its like Baloteli he's imensely talented, but all the trouble he'd go for half of what he'd be worth.