Eric Cantona has hinted he would be interested in a role at Manchester United under the club’s new part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Former United forward Cantona, who won four Premier League titles and two FA Cups with United before retiring as a player in 1997, said the club “remains full in my heart”.
In an interview with the Big Issue before the release of his live album later this month, Cantona Sings Eric, the Frenchman said he did not have the time to be a coach when asked if there was a role for him at Old Trafford.
“I am involved in too many things I really love to be a manager,” he said. “In everything I do I work hard to give 100 per cent so that I am able to have the confidence and to enjoy.
“So I don’t have the time to be manager. But maybe something else…”
Ratcliffe completed a £1.25billion deal to buy a 27.7 per cent stake in United last month and Cantona is confident the club will be challenging for major honours again.
“For sure with Jim Ratcliffe I think we come back as the best,” the 57-year-old said.
“The way you drive the club is important. Ratcliffe, who is a fan of United since forever, is a great businessman of course, but is also very passionate about sport.”
Cantona, who walked away from football aged 30 because he “lost the passion”, said he could have played for “five or seven more years”.
“I never played football for money. I would have paid a lot of money to play for Manchester United,” he said.
Cantona, who embarked on an acting career following retirement, added: “I always knew that I will do something in art, any kind of arts, painting, photography, acting. Music is the last one.
“Music, it’s the closest thing to the excitement we can have when we play football. Music touches you. Every one of us. I don’t think it’s a human being that creates music. Music is a part of a human being.
“See a kid two years old and they start walking, they hear music and they start to dance. They never learned music. The music is something special.”
::Cantona’s live album of self-written songs, Cantona Sings Eric, will be released on March 29 and will be followed by a live UK and Ireland tour, starting in Dublin’s Liberty Hall on April 10 and ending at the Palace Theatre in Manchester on April 20.
