Football legend Cantona scores in Paris theatre debut

January 27, 2010

Football legend Eric Cantona thrilled millions in his role as a striker and on Tuesday he scored in front of 320 spectators in a Paris theatre debut as a dying man trapped in a collapsed supermarket.

The 43-year-old has had parts in many cinema and television movies, making the jump from green pitch to silver screen as effortlessly as his infamous 1995 leap over the crowd barrier to deliver a kung-fu kick to a heckling fan.

But he had never performed live to a theatre audience, so the premiere of “Face au Paradis” (Facing Paradise), a new two-hander play written by Nathalie Saugeon and directed by his wife Rachida Brakni, was a gamble.

It paid off, judging by the enthusiastic applause and shouts of “Bravo!” that came as the final curtain fell after 90 minutes of the French-language play that is all dialogue and no action.

“He’s brought to the theatre the same passion he brought to football,” said a thrilled Zihi Shokri, a 35-year-old hotel worker, who watched the show wearing a football jersey with the name “Cantona” emblazoned on the back.

Yet Cantona appeared to do little more than play a theatrical version of himself as he lay on the dusty ground and talked with his equally trapped colleague about life, love and the after-life.

The realist, at times plodding dialogue gave him no opportunity to practise his wacky aphorisms about seagulls or other matters that helped boost his fame.

And he was outshone by the younger Lorant Deutsch, a rising star in the world of French film and theatre.

But Tuesday’s audience were nevertheless delighted to see in the flesh a living legend, who apart from the five years he spent at Manchester United also played for the French national team 45 times.

The theatre debut was yet another dramatic twist in Cantona’s artistic post-football career.

The pinnacle of his film career came last year when he played himself in Ken Loach’s critically acclaimed comedy “Looking for Eric,” appearing like a vision to mentor a Manchester postman whose life is spiralling out of control.

Cantona ignored the snobbery that initially surrounded his move into acting after he hung up his boots in 1997 at the height of his soccer career.

Paris critics looked down on the provincial with a strong Marseille accent — he is the son of Spanish and Italian immigrants — who had the gall to think he could excel both on the sports field and in front of a camera.

But he has won over many critics, particularly in the last couple of years with his portrayal of a maverick detective in a pair of movies for French television.

The former France striker’s best known film internationally — before “Looking for Eric” — was his role as a French ambassador alongside Cate Blanchett in the 1998 historical drama “Elizabeth”.

He is even sometimes touted as a Renaissance man — he is also a painter, a lover of literature, and last month published a book of photographs he took of homeless people.

Cantona also likes to speak his mind on political matters.

In December he stuck his boot into the highly-charged debate on national identity instigated by the rightwing President Nicolas Sarkozy, deriding what he called the “stupid” nationalist approaches to the issue.

The producers of “Face au Paradis” hope its three-month run will draw in the crowds and boost the Parisian theatrical scene after a disappointing crisis-hit 2009.

Tuesday’s premiere augurs well for a successful run, but French theatre critics will not be delivering their judgement until next Tuesday, after a week of previews.

PARIS (AFP)

Tags: Cate Blanchett, dramatic twist, dying man, Elizabeth, enthusiastic applause, eric cantona, film career, final curtain, football career, football jersey, football legend, France, french national team, hotel worker, Ken Loach, language play, living legend, lorant deutsch, manchester united, Marseille, Nathalie Saugeon, old hotel, PARIS, paris theatre, president nicolas sarkozy, rachida brakni, theatrical version

Doctor Cristiano and Mister Ronaldo

January 26, 2010

The best and the worst of Cristiano Ronaldo were again on display in Sunday’s 2-0 La Liga win over Malaga, and his sending off for violent conduct has prompted fierce debate over what some in Spain are calling his “ Jekyll and Hyde” character.

The Portuguese forward netted a superb first-half double to put Real Madrid in command at the Bernabeu but his night turned from glory to shame when he was dismissed for lashing out at Patrick Mtiliga and breaking the defender’s nose.

It was his second red card of the season after his sending-off against Almeria in December for kicking out at an opponent and he appeared lucky to stay on the pitch in this month’s defeat at Athletic Bilbao for a similar incident.

“Cristiano Ronaldo, hero and villain” (El Pais), “Cristiano Ronaldo, again angel and demon” (La Razon) and “Doctor Cristiano and Mister Ronaldo” (Marca), were some of the headlines in Monday’s Spanish press.

Marca columnist Roberto Palomar said Ronaldo’s behaviour had been his “umpteenth act of idiocy this season” and slammed him for letting the team down with Gonzalo Higuain injured and Ruud van Nistelrooy sold to Hamburg SV at the weekend.

“Anyone who gets sent off against Almeria and Malaga with the match already won is a fool,” Palomar wrote.

“Someone needs to sit down with the lad and explain what’s what because you can’t go through life behaving like that.”

Ronaldo apologised to Mtiliga and said he never tried to hurt another player. But that being the case, why did he feel the need for a second backward swing of the arm when he had already shaken free of the Dane’s challenge?

“People who understand football know that my intention is always to try and play. The red card is a disgrace I don’t understand it,” he told reporters.

“I know you saw blood on the TV screens but I was just trying to break free. I never try to hurt anyone.”

There are many great players who, on occasion, have seemed to succumb to an inner demon – Zinedine Zidane, Diego Maradona, Eric Cantona and Hristo Stoichkov to name only a few.

El Mundo columnist Orfeo Suarez noted on Monday that it’s rare to find a good forward without a touch of devilry inside but how far should we accept acts of folly as being unavoidable characteristics of football genius, the angel and the demon?

As Palomar wrote in Marca, Ronaldo is not fouled any more regularly than players like Messi or Atletico Madrid forward Sergio Aguero and there are many players around who have the same hunger for success.

Ronaldo will be suspended at the least for Saturday’s difficult trip to Deportivo Coruna and his latest lapse puts his goal of winning the FIFA World Player Award back from Messi in jeopardy.

Time to see more of the Jekyll and less of the Hyde.

PHOTO: Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo reacts to his sending-off against Malaga in La Liga, Sunday Jan. 24. REUTERS/Sergio Perez

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Tags: almeria, apologised, athletic bilbao, bernabeu, Bilbao, columnist, cristiano ronaldo, Dane, diego maradona, disgrace, Doctor Cristiano, eric cantona, hamburg sv, jekyll and hyde, la razon, lad, MADRID, Malaga, marca, messi, palomar, Patrick Mtiliga, real madrid, Roberto Palomar, ronaldo, ruud van nistelrooy, Sergio, sergio perez, Spain, spanish press, tv screens, violent conduct, Zinedine

Cantona slams Domenech and Henry

November 21, 2009

Former French international Eric Cantona launched a stinging attack on national coach Raymond Domenech on Friday following France’s controversial qualification for the 2010 World Cup.

“I think that Raymond Domenech is the worst coach in French football since Louis XVI,” Cantona told reporters at a press conference ahead of a beach soccer tournament due to take place here from November 27-28.

French king Louis XVI was executed by French revolutionaries in 1793 and is commonly depicted as an indecisive, dithering monarch.

“If it was up to me, I’d put (Bordeaux coach) Laurent Blanc in charge of the France team,” the former Manchester United hero continued.

“He continues the season with Bordeaux, he wins the league with Bordeaux and he wins the World Cup! I’m not the only one who thinks that…”

Cantona, who today is an actor and coach of France’s beach soccer team, also criticised the attitude of Thierry Henry, whose handball set up France’s winning goal in their 2-1 aggregate play-off victory over the Republic of Ireland.

“What shocked me most wasn’t the handball, honestly,” said Cantona.

“What shocked me most was that at the end of the match, in front of the television cameras, this player (Henry) went and sat down next to an Irish player to console him, even though he’d screwed them three minutes earlier.

“If I’d been Irish, he wouldn’t have lasted three seconds.”

MARSEILLE, France (AFP)

Tags: beach soccer, eric cantona, french football, french international, french king, french revolutionaries, international eric, irish player, king louis xvi, laurent blanc, manchester united, national coach, raymond domenech, republic of ireland, soccer team, soccer tournament, stinging attack, television cameras, thierry henry

Fergie confident in striking soccer options

July 27, 2009

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson says he has “strong options” up front going into the new Premier League season after all his strikers caught the eye on their tour of Asia.

New signing Michael Owen continued a fine start to his United career in the final match of the pre-season tour, netting a brace in Sunday’s clash against China’s Hangzhou Greentown to add to two goals in Malaysia.

Speaking after the 8-2 rout of Hangzhou, Ferguson said his intention on the tour had been to rotate his front men — Owen, Dimitar Berbatov, Wayne Rooney and teenager Federico Macheda — as he weighs up his options following the departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez.

Ferguson, chasing a record fourth consecutive Premier League crown, paired Owen and Berbatov from the start for the first time in China and both found the net in the opening period.

“We didn’t use Macheda tonight but I think it gives us strong options,” he said.

“I think that Macheda’s development obviously as we saw the other night is good for a 17-year-old boy and he’s got the physical attributes to go with it.”

With the experience of Berbatov and Owen, and the talent of Rooney, “I think we’re not too bad,” Ferguson said.

While admitting the clash against Hangzhou was not the toughest test for his team, the Scot was delighted with the quality of play from his side and said they were coming to the boil as the new season loomed.

“Some of our forward play and penetration was absolutely first-class so for that reason I’ve got to be delighted,” Ferguson said after seeing veteran Ryan Giggs score a second-half hat-trick.

The United boss spoke highly of Owen, 29, signed on a free transfer earlier this month, and the experience he brings to the side.

“I think his contribution and overall play of a game is definitely suited to us. (He’s) very cool in the last third of the field. He knows when to run and when to hold his runs,” he said.

And Ferguson again justified his decision to hand the former Newcastle and England man the iconic number seven shirt, worn by star players such as George Best, Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Ronaldo.

“The criteria for giving the number seven jersey are quite clear. It’s a jersey that has been worn by some high-profile players and I think we have that in Michael Owen,” he said.

United, who won all four of their fixtures on their Asian tour — including two in Malaysia and one in South Korea — continue their pre-season preparations at the Audi Cup in Germany where they will face Boca Juniors on July 29.

Ferguson confirmed to MUTV that the squad will be joined in Germany by three reinforcements — young Irish defender Craig Cathcart, Serbian centre-back Nemanja Vidic and summer signing Antonio Valencia.

HANGZHOU, China (AFP)

Tags: Antonio Valencia, Asia, berbatov, China, cristiano ronaldo, David Beckham, departures, dimitar berbatov, England, eric cantona, final match, front men, hangzhou, hat trick, league crown, manchester united, michael owen, MUTV, Owen, premier league, rout, ryan giggs, Scot, sir alex ferguson, south korea, strikers, time in china, wayne rooney

Giggs, Owen star as Man Utd rout Hangzhou

July 27, 2009

A brace from Michael Owen and a hat-trick from veteran Ryan Giggs helped fire Manchester United to a thumping 8-2 win over Hangzhou Greentown Sunday.

The former Newcastle and England striker, who moved to Old Trafford on a free transfer earlier this month, scored twice in the first half to continue his bright start at his new club.

Further goals from the lively Zoran Tosic and Dimitar Berbatov underlined United’s dominance as they ran the home side ragged in the first 45 minutes.

United scored four more goals in the second half, including two by Ryan Giggs, as Hangzhou failed to live with their illustrious visitors in a half-full stadium.

United enjoyed the bulk of possession in the early minutes but a combination of poor finishing by Berbatov and Paul Scholes and the offside flag denied them early reward.

On the rare occasions Hangzhou came forward, they tested United’s strong backline, featuring Rio Ferdinand, Jonny Evans, Patrice Evra and Fabio da Silva.

But on 23 minutes United made their dominance count when Owen, 29, scored from close range following a cross from Nani, seeking to cement his place on the wing after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid.

Berbatov volleyed in from close range after another Nani cross after half an hour and Tosic lashed home into the far corner to make it 3-0 two minutes later.

On 39 minutes Owen, who also netted two goals earlier in the tour, chested the ball down just inside the area and volleyed in after a clever layoff from Berbatov.

Wayne Rooney replaced Owen for the second half and Nani got himself on the scoresheet after just four minutes when he beat Han Feng after a backheel from Berbatov.

Ryan Giggs, who was given a rousing reception when he came on as a substitute, made it 6-0 on 62 minutes and scored again eight minutes later.

Hangzhou clawed one back when Wang Hongyou headed in from a corner on 77 minutes.

Giggs completed his hat-trick on 88 minutes to make it 8-1 but there was still time for another goal from Hangzhou, scored by Valdo.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has used the tour to test different permutations in attack as he works out his best striking options, which also include teenaged Federico Macheda.

Ferguson, who handed Owen the legendary number seven shirt worn by greats such as Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Ronaldo, has backed Owen to score 15 goals in the coming season if the injury-prone player manages 25 games.

United’s win in the eastern city of Hangzhou comes after two wins on the Malaysian leg of their tour and a win in South Korea as they build towards a bid for a record fourth consecutive Premier League crown.

HANGZHOU, China (AFP)

Tags: 88 minutes, backline, berbatov, China, David Beckham, England, eric cantona, Fabio da, far corner, Ferguson, hangzhou, illustrious visitors, MADRID, michael owen, nani, NEWCASTLE, old trafford, patrice evra, paul scholes, rare occasions, real madrid, ronaldo, rousing reception, ryan giggs, scoresheet, south korea, Tosic, wayne rooney

Fergie expects Owen goal spree

July 25, 2009

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson said new signing Michael Owen could score 15 goals in the new season as the coach plots a record fourth consecutive Premier League crown.

Ferguson has handed Owen the legendary number seven shirt, worn by greats such as Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Ronaldo, and believes the England international can pose a major goal threat.

Ferguson, speaking after the arrival here of the Red Devils for the final match of their Asian tour, said the former Newcastle United player had a great goalscoring pedigree and even continued to find the net in the past two years when his Newcastle side struggled.

“I hope he gets plenty,” said Ferguson, when asked how many goals Owen would score for his new side.

“If he plays 25 games for me next season I think he’ll get 15 goals,” he added.

Owen, who joined the Premier League champions on a free transfer earlier this month, has enjoyed a good start to his United career, bagging a goal in both of the Red Devils’ games in Malaysia.

But even with the departure this summer of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez, competition up front remains fierce, with Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and teenaged Federico Macheda vying for starting spots.

Ferguson said he had been rotating the four strikers during the Asian tour in a bid to test his options, particularly with the arrival of Owen and the emergence of Macheda.

“We have to find out and understand the best possible combinations for those four players,” he said.

United wrap up their Asian tour with a match against Hangzhou Greentown on Sunday looking for a clean sweep after two wins in Malaysia and one in South Korea.

HANGZHOU (AFP)

Tags: alex ferguson, asian tour, carlos tevez, clean sweep, cristiano ronaldo, David Beckham, dimitar berbatov, england international, eric cantona, final match, goal spree, greentown, league champions, league crown, michael owen, newcastle united, number seven, red devils, sir alex ferguson, wayne rooney

Owen, a busted flush or another inspirational Ferguson signing

July 5, 2009

Most Manchester United fans will not have been excited when they heard of the club’s plans to sign Michael Owen. The experienced England striker certainly did not fit the usual profile of Alex Ferguson’s signings, at too old and far too injury-prone.

But could Owen prove to be another one of Ferguson’s transfer masterstrokes to rank alongside the likes of Eric Cantona and Henrik Larsson?

The departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez have left United very short of attacking options, leaving Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov as the only experienced forwards at Old Trafford.

Danny Wellbeck and Federico Macheda are promising players but surely not ready to play regularly at the highest level. So why not bring in Owen to help their development, a player with 40 international goals and despite his recent injury problems, a good scoring record throughout his career even in a poor Newcastle side over the last four years?

Ferguson surely has nothing to lose. Owen cost nothing, is on a salary dependent on the number of games he plays and the number of goals he scores. He is desperate to play at next year’s World Cup and, after a few years in the wilderness, has everything to prove at the age of 29. He could barely disguise the grin on his face during interviews on Saturday.

Owen to Manchester United could be a disaster on both sides. But, equally, it could be a match made in heaven.

PHOTO: Michael Owen (L) leaves the Bridgewater hospital in Manchester after undergoing a medical before signing for United, July 3, 2009. REUTERS

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Tags: alex ferguson, berbatov, busted flush, Carlos, carlos tevez, cristiano ronaldo, Danny Wellbeck, departures, England, English Premier League, eric cantona, Federico, federico macheda, heaven photo, Henrik Larsson, international goals, Manchester, manchester united, match made in heaven, michael owen, NEWCASTLE, old trafford, reuters, ronaldo, wayne rooney

Cantona sees easy victory for United over Barca

May 19, 2009

CANNES, France (AFP) – Football legend Eric Cantona, the star of a new film competing at Cannes, on Monday predicted triumph for his former team Manchester United over Barcelona in the Champions League final.

“I’ll give you a straight answer,” he said when asked at a press conference here who would win on May 27. “Manchester.”

Cantona compared Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson — who was leading the team back in the 1990s when the French footballer was there — and Ken Loach, the director of his film titled “Looking for Eric.”

“The way they work is 100 percent for the players, they are both very humble. They got me to give every bit of myself. Alex Ferguson is a great coach and Ken Loach is a great director,” he said.

The former footballer, who has already acted in several films, plays himself in the new movie, appearing like a vision to help a Manchester postman also named Eric whose life is spiralling out of control.

Tags: 1990s, barca, Barcelona, cannes, cannes france, champions league, coach, easy victory, English Premier League, Eric, eric cantona, films, football legend, footballer, former team, France, Ken Loach, LA Liga, Manchester, manchester united, new film, postman, sir alex ferguson, straight answer, triumph, UEFA Champions League

´Looking for Eric´: the return of Cantona as actor

May 17, 2009

MANCHESTER, England (AFP) – Temperamental but lavishly talented French footballer Eric Cantona — about to play film-star at Cannes — is still worshipped in this part of northwest England 12 years after leaving Manchester United to retire abruptly at 31.

So strong is his abiding love for Manchester that Cantona has formed an unlikely alliance with gritty British director Ken Loach, putting himself and the city at the heart of Cannes film festival contender “Looking for Eric”, which screens there Monday.

Cantona, who has acted in a handful of films, plays himself, appearing like a vision to help a Manchester postman, also named Eric, a devoted United fan whose life is spinning out of control.

“I like the way it’s so real, like documentary. And I like how you don’t know if you have to laugh or cry,” Cantona told the Guardian newspaper this month.

While film critics have been lukewarm about Cantona’s acting career so far, in Manchester at least the mention of his name is still enough to stir emotion in United fans.

Twelve years after his sudden departure, red, white and blue French Tricolores still fly in the roads leading to United’s imposing Old Trafford stadium.

In fish and chip shops, Cantona’s photograph hangs alongside yellowing pictures of the club’s legendary players like George Best and Bobby Charlton.

T-shirts proclaim 1966 as a “great year for English football” — not because it was when England won their first and still their only World Cup, but because it was the year “Eric was born”.

“We still sell this T-shirt and we still sell the flags,” said souvenir seller Craig Ashton.

Cantona, with his trademark turned-up collar on his jersey and his willingness to defy referees and football’s London-based authorities, was different.

“He brought his arrogance to the game,” Ashton said.

Characteristically, Cantona moved to England after falling out with French football authorities.

He made his mark with Leeds United, another club in northern England, helping them to win the then First Division before a 1.2 million pound move to Manchester United in November 1992.

In his first season, United won their first league championship for 26 years as they triumphed in the inaugural Premier League.

The Frenchman helped them retain their title in 1994 but missed a chunk of the 1994-1995 season after infamously leaping in to the crowd during a match at London club Crystal Palace and launching a ‘kung fu’ kick at an abusive fan.

But rather than alienating his fans, Cantona’s moment of madness in 1995 endeared him to them — even after he was handed a lengthy suspension.

“We loved him even more,” recalls Steven Rose, who sells the “United We Stand” fanzine.

In his comeback game, Cantona scored a penalty and United’s fans broke into a chorus of: “We’ll drink a drink a drink/ to Eric the King the King the King.

“What a friend we have in Jesus/He’s a saviour from afar/What a friend we have in Jesus/And his name is Cantona/Ooh Aah Cantona”.

When Cantona chose to walk away at his peak in 1997, he won fresh respect by depriving any other club of his services.

“Even in the last days, he decided to retire. He just decided that was it. He walked away from the game. You have to admire him for that,” said Ashton.

Or, as Ivan Ponting, the author of a handful of books on Manchester United, put it, Cantona was “an uncontrollable free spirit, a capricious bird of passage who would never linger.”

Tags: acting career, bobby charlton, british director, cannes, cannes film festival, charlton, Craig Ashton, crystal palace, english football, English Premier League, Eric, eric cantona, film critics, fish and chip shops, footballer, french football, George Best, guardian newspaper, Ivan Ponting, Jesus, Ken Loach, LEEDS, leeds united, legendary players, london, Manchester, manchester england, manchester united, northern england, northwest england, old trafford stadium, postman, Steven Rose, sudden departure, worshipped

Gerrard wins player of year award

May 13, 2009

LONDON (AFP) – Steven Gerrard’s leadership of Liverpool’s most sustained title challenge in years has won him the Football Writers’ Association (FWA)’s player of the year award for the first time.

The Reds captain saw off challenges from Manchester United’s Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney, Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand to secure top spot in a poll of FWA members.

The 28-year-old has spent most of this season playing as a second striker, forging an exhilarating partnership with Fernando Torres. He has scored 23 goals in all competitions and become the club’s record scorer in European competition.

“We are delighted to honour Steven’s contribution this season with our prestigious award,” said FWA chairman Steve Bates.

“Steven has had a fantastic season and has so often been the driving force behind Liverpool’s forceful challenge for the Premier League title.

“Steven is viewed by the football writers who voted as the heartbeat of Liverpool’s team and a player who gives everything for the cause.”

Gerrard, who will receive his award at a dinner in London on May 29, succeeds Cristiano Ronaldo, who was honoured by the FWA in both 2007 and 2008.

The accolade means Gerrard joins a list of illustrious past winners that includes Sir Stanley Matthews, the first winner of the award in 1948, Sir Bobby Charlton and Bobby Moore, George Best, Jurgen Klinsmann, Eric Cantona and Thierry Henry.

Liverpool’s talisman also joins an even more exclusive club of players to have won both the writers’ award and the Professional Footballers Association (PFA)’s player of the year award, which he collected in 2005-06.

This year’s player’s award was won by Giggs, who was recognised for his achievements over a long and exemplary career as much as his performances this season.