Eric Cantona loves his song but is afraid of the day Manchester United fans will stop singing popular terrace chant
Eric Cantona has admitted he is ‘a bit afraid’ Manchester United fans will stop chanting his name.
The Frenchman became a legend at Old Trafford during his five-year stint there between 1992 and 1997.
After signing from bitter rivals Leeds United for just £1.2million, Cantona went on to become club captain, talisman and a Premier League legend as millions around the globe tried to copy his indomitable style with his shirt collar popped and the number seven shirt adorned on his back.
Despite winning four Premier League titles and two FA Cups, the 53-year-old admitted he was concerned the day would come when his name would cease to ring out around the famous ground with such fervour as it does now.
"I feel proud, I feel great and I feel a bit afraid that they will stop. Because they will stop one day," he told about what it feels like to hear the fans singing his name.
In his final season with United, Cantona was named captain by Sir Alex Ferguson and led the club to yet another Premier League trophy.
Despite overcoming several indiscretions both on and off the pitch, the man named still referred to as ‘The King’ by the adoring United supporters admitted he did not feel like he set much of an example to younger players in the squad.
"If I felt a responsibility? No. Just train hard,” he added. “I respect myself and I tried to respect the people around me but I didn’t want to be an example.
"I never wanted to be an example. No, I didn’t want to be an example because it’s a way also to feel like being in jail.
“I love to feel the freedom and I don’t want to put too much pressure on me.
"Everything I can [do] to be more free I [do].
"If you say to yourself that you are an example and you have a responsibility for the other ones - for some people it’s good, but for me it’s not good."