Who can be the next Eric 'The King' Cantona for Man United?

RUnited

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It has always been my most curious thoughts. We have lacked the magic since The King retired.

Who do you think can be the next Eric for United? I was hoping Seba could fill in the shoes, but it's quite apparent he's far from it.

I know no one compares to Eric, but it sure is an interesting thought.

My vote is all for Paul Scholes. He scores all the wonderful goals and has unbelievable touches on the ball.

He also helped England to win against Slovakia last night!
 
Originally posted by RUnited:
<strong>
Who do you think can be the next Eric for United? I was hoping Seba could fill in the shoes, but it's quite apparent he's far from it.

I know no one compares to Eric, but it sure is an interesting thought.

!</strong><hr></blockquote>

Nobody can be the next anybody. Great players are unique. Giggs was hailed as the next Best. But Giggs has different skills. Keane the new Robbo, similar, but not the same.

Cantona was a one off. He was the final piece of the jigsaw. The man who all the other players needed to make it work. Even if another Cantona came, he would come into a squad which is already full of star names. Who have won everything.
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Can't agree with you more on that no one will be the next Cantona.

But then again, we haven't been solid for the past year and I'm sure none of us would mind if someone came in to give that magic touch once again.

If you're not blind, you'll see that United has been slowing down in terms of hunger for the wins, so even if they had won everything, I'm sure a new breath of touch will be most welcome.

At the moment I see Scholes doing the job quite fantastically.
 
Originally posted by Travis Bickle:
<strong>

Even if another Cantona came, he would come into a squad which is already full of star names. Who have won everything.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Travis, does this mean you don't want to win anymore? Or are you saying no one else can become a superstar?

If we want to be big, we have to keep bringing new stars into a team that has won everything to keep winning.

I really wouldn't mind seeing the likes of Zidane grace Old Trafford and take us to win a couple more European Cups. And at the end of day, I will salute Zidane for his magic touches - eventhough we have won everything before he came.
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Well, Zidane would be up there in the wanted list and he is probably the one player who could give the same sort of contribution that Eric made, or a fit Rivaldo.

But my personal choice of the player to fill that spot would be Del Piero, hes starting to show the form he had in '97 now.

I wonder how much he would cost...

*sir alex* "Peter, Id like to buy Del Piero"

*Kenyon* <img src="graemlins/nono.gif" border="0" alt="[No No]" />
 
We will never have another Cantona, just like we will never have another Besty or Law.

We have a squad full of stars but that doesn't means that one player can stand out above the rest. Not necassarily a striker.

We have missed the boat on players like Zidane, Figo and Rivaldo but there are still a host of great players. Maybe someone like Ronaldinhio or Van Bommell could fill the role.
Watching Ronaldinhio reminds me a bit of Eric, big, strong, very skillful and the ability to score special goals.
 
Agreed and there was only one King and that was Denis Law

here , here!
 
Originally posted by Ever hopefull:
<strong>Watching Ronaldinhio reminds me a bit of Eric, big, strong, very skillful and the ability to score special goals.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Ronaldinho won't make it in England. The fans will want to kill him everywhere he goes. He will make United even more unpopular among the English.

But I do agree with you, he looks strong whereever he plays on the field. Much faster than Eric, but probably not as composed.

The special goals.. ah.. how Eric used to mesmerize us all with his finishing touches. I sure miss 'em.
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It wasn't so long ago that David Beckham was getting death threats, and just about every fan outside of Old Trafford wasn't to have him strung from a lamp post.
If he's got a string enough character he'll make it
 
Originally posted by mu77:
<strong>Agreed and there was only one King and that was Denis Law

here , here!</strong><hr></blockquote>

All together now for those of you "old enough" to remember and bask in a little nostalgia;

"Ohhh, we'll drink, a drink, a drink,
to Denis the king, the king, the king,
he's the leader of our tee - eem,

"He's the greatest,
inside forward,
that the wo-rrld,
has ever seen!"

"ooohhhh , we'll ....

--------------------------
"There's only one United!"
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Originally posted by Ever hopefull:
<strong>It wasn't so long ago that David Beckham was getting death threats, and just about every fan outside of Old Trafford wasn't to have him strung from a lamp post.
If he's got a string enough character he'll make it</strong><hr></blockquote>


Don't forget, David did have a lot of support along with those hatred. Ronaldinho will be in a new town where no one knows him.

And don't forget, United have quite a bit of English players in the team as well. IMO it will be hard for them to gel together and produce anything of substance.
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Law the King, remember him scoring the goal that put us down.
Sad day................

Don`t think Eric ever did that.
 
Originally posted by RUnited:
<strong>Ronaldinho won't make it in England. The fans will want to kill him everywhere he goes. He will make United even more unpopular among the English.</strong><hr></blockquote> Who cares? United have and always will be the most hated team in England, but we're not out to make friends, are we? I'd like to think that "us versus them" feeling gives us an edge. Ronaldinho (or Duff) would be perfect for us imo. He could handle the booing.
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Ronaldinho big & strong? hmmmm. are we talking about the same player here? the goofy one with the 80's hair, who looks like hes going to sing 'dancing on the ceiling'?
big & strong arent 2 words id use to describe him..
a hell of a player though all the same.

back to the topic, what made Eric special wasnt merely his skill, it was his ability to assert that skill when the heat was on. what we need are for our existing players to be more assertive and impose themselves on games more (classic case being veron)
 
Also i think what made him the king was his sure presence the same sort of thing as Keane.
 
Originally posted by Gazza:
<strong> Who cares? United have and always will be the most hated team in England, but we're not out to make friends, are we? I'd like to think that "us versus them" feeling gives us an edge. Ronaldinho (or Duff) would be perfect for us imo. He could handle the booing.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Spot on GAZZA, i feel that Duff could be a tremendous asset to us, he looks such a capable player, personally id shove him in just behind Ruud, but of course this creates a problem in so much as i simply couldnt leave Scholesy out of the side.

I am confident that Duff would compliment the side.
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Originally posted by Gazza:
<strong> Who cares? United have and always will be the most hated team in England, but we're not out to make friends, are we? I'd like to think that "us versus them" feeling gives us an edge. Ronaldinho (or Duff) would be perfect for us imo. He could handle the booing.</strong><hr></blockquote>

It'd give Ronaldinho a better start to the English game if he can do without the booing. Afterall he's still a kid - and we all know how South American kids can be quite troublesome if they're unhappy don't we? (Classic cases to note: Ronaldo & Rivaldo)

And to tell you the truth, at United right now we can do without all the fuzzy players.
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Actually I think it would be just the opposite. It could spur the lads on as it has in previous seasons, and with Carlos around he would have no problems settling in/buying a house/learning the lingo etc like Seba did. Ronny would give us an extra dimension, and would make us unstoppable going forward imo, while Duff could act as cover/competition for Giggsy or as a partner for Ruud/Ole. Either one would suit me fine, but seeing as Duff just signed a new contract at Ewood Park I think Little Ronny is the more realistic option.
 
I agree with you here, I think Ronny will be fantastic on the pitch for United.

Off the pitch will be another story entirely which only him moving to Manchester can tell.
 
Originally posted by Waz:
<strong>Law the King, remember him scoring the goal that put us down.
Sad day................

Don`t think Eric ever did that.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Just to set the record straight. Law never wanted to leave United - Docherty got rid of him on a free transfer. So he never walked out unlike Eric. Secondly he did everything to avoid scoring that goal which ended up going through Stepney's legs after Denis had tamely backheeled the ball in the hope that anything but a goal would ensue. Despite his team mates' unsuccessful attempts to get him to celebrate, Law's crestfallen reaction to the goal said everything.
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Much will depend on whether or not SCHOLES can settle as a forward line.

Remember that by bronging another forward it will mean that either Scholes or Veron are doomed to remian on the bench.

If Fergie plan prove unsuccessful ( i dont think it will be as Scholes proved magnifecent against Everton) I see 4 players who can take the rielm

1 Raul
2 Del Piero
3 Ronaldinho
4 Recoba

Yet what i think that we really need is a powerful striker that can be used as Van Nistelrooys cover

1 Ibrahamovic
2 Gudjhonsen
3 Salas
4 Kallon
 
Originally posted by devilish:
<strong>If Fergie plan prove unsuccessful ( i dont think it will be as Scholes proved magnifecent against Everton) I see 4 players who can take the rielm

1 Raul
2 Del Piero
3 Ronaldinho
4 Recoba
</strong><hr></blockquote>

Now all we have to do is decide who we want to sell. Any idea for a start? Plus, these players will cost atleast over 20m easy, you think the board will be prepared to pay this much for a planned for rotation player?

<strong>
Yet what i think that we really need is a powerful striker that can be used as Van Nistelrooys cover

1 Ibrahamovic
2 Gudjhonsen
3 Salas
4 Kallon
</strong><hr></blockquote>

Again, fault here is that we can't afford to pay 20m for simply a cover player. I think we have great covers in Ole, but if this isn't enough then we should look to more youngsters. I really wouldn't mind if Forlan could play better football. He still has time todevelop IMO.
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Originally posted by Waz:
<strong>Law the King, remember him scoring the goal that put us down.
Sad day................

Don`t think Eric ever did that.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Even if we had won we'd still have gone down.
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Eric was one of a kind, just as the Lawman was one of a kind. You probably should put Best`s name with the names of Cantona and Law. All three possessed -
1) Charisma.
2)Ability to turn a game.
3)Ability to do breathtaking things with the ball that even now defy others to imitate.
4)Ability to inspire their team mates by sheer skill and nerve.

With all due respect to the other names mentioned,
including the name of the wonderful Scholesy, Keano, and Giggsy, Cantona, Law and Best were in a class of their own.

Moreover, I would put Eric up there as `The Talisman`. Law, Best, Charlton, Crerand et al were more or less a balanced side of marvellous players.

However, Eric came in from Leeds, was hardly expected to do anything other than give some experience and flair to Manchester United and ended up being THE CATALYST and embodiment of how to play and what kind of player to aspire to for the young talent of Manchester United.

He was the right player at the right time. He quit at the right time.

As for names such as Ronaldinho, Del Piero etc, sorry but I just cannot see them having remotely the same impact as someone such as Eric. I think people confuse the fact that Ronaldinho is a highly visible player because of his interesting appearance with the elusive quality of charisma. He is skilled but I would like to see him perform in a couple of English winters before I made an assessment of him.

As for Del Piero - he is a very good player but hardly has the presence or personality to take Manchester United by storm.

There is no new Cantona, Law, or Bestie, and there never will be. Just as there will never be another Keano, Scholes or Giggs and great players as they are, they do not quite measure up to the charisma of Eric, Denis and George. There is no implied criticism in this observation.

<img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" /> <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" /> <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" /> <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" /> <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" />
 
Originally posted by giggsgirl:
<strong>There is no new Cantona, Law, or Bestie, and there never will be. Just as there will never be another Keano, Scholes or Giggs and great players as they are, they do not quite measure up to the charisma of Eric, Denis and George. There is no implied criticism in this observation.

<img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" /> <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" /> <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" /> <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" /> <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>

Before Cantona came to United, he didn't look one bit class. Problem child, troubled mind and 10 more bad things i can think of.

So... the point is, we will never know if anyone will become class at United. I think Scholes is showing great signs although he seems to be a quiet lad in his own appearance.

I believe another superstar for United is just around the corner, but hasn't appeared in full form yet.
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