“The fans are the most important thing in football. They have to be respected.”
Manchester United legend Eric Cantona has hit out at the Super League plans that his former club are involved in, insisting that the supporters of football clubs must be “respected”.
Speaking in a post on Instagram, Cantona became the latest major figure in the sport to condemn the plans, were announced Sunday night.
The 54-year-old delivered a damning message to the clubs involved, criticising the lack of dialogue between the clubs’ hierarchies and their fans.
In the post, he said: “I would like to say something about the European Super League.
“Since one year we have seen games on TV with the best clubs in the world and the best players in the world, and it was so boring, and it’s still so boring, because the fans are not there – the fans singing, jumping, supporting their teams.
“The fans are the most important thing in football. They have to be respected.
“Did these big clubs ask the fans what they thought about this idea? No, unfortunately, and that’s a shame.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CN27m1nqZCT/
Meanwhile, the Manchester United Supporters Trust has released a statement saying criticising the proposals, saying that they go “against everything football, and Manchester United should stand for”.
The statement reads: “These proposals are completely unacceptable and will shock Manchester United fans, as well as those of many other clubs.
“A ‘Super League’ based on a closed shop of self-selected wealthy clubs goes against everything football, and Manchester United, should stand for.
“When Sir Matt Busby led us into the European Cup in the 1950s, the modern Manchester United was founded in the tragedy and then triumph that followed.
“To even contemplate walking away from that competition would be a betrayal of everything this club has ever stood for. We urge everyone involved in this proposal including Manchester United to immediately withdraw from this proposal.”
The FootballJOE quiz: Were you paying attention? – episode 10
