THE KING

'Ronaldinho is the kind of player who makes kids dream. Kids aren't going to walk around with Deschamps or Desailly on the back of their shirts, are they? If there were only players like Deschamps and Desailly around, there would be about 10 people who'd bother to take up professional football and they'd be their cousins and nephews.'

Cantona spoke far more kindly about Sir Alex Ferguson, backing him to turn around the team. 'He's a monument,' Cantona said. 'All big clubs go through difficult spells, but Manchester United will be back. Alex Ferguson has been through tough times before and knows what it takes to come through. Give him time and maybe he'll be European champion again.'

Cantona is unimpressed that Ferguson's fate is in the hands of an American millionaire in his first season in charge. Glazer is 'a guy who looks more like he should be propping up a bar somewhere, or perhaps a bar owner. I just hope he has the humility to let other people make the decisions. People who know about football.'