Manchester United legend Eric Cantona calls the club’s alleged decision to remove Sir Alex Ferguson from his ambassador role at Old Trafford “totally scandalous”.
Manchester United legend Eric Cantona has called the club’s alleged decision to remove Sir Alex Ferguson from his ambassador role at Old Trafford “totally scandalous”.
Ferguson famously managed the Red Devils between 1986 and 2013, winning 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups and two Champions League crowns during a highly-successful career.
Since standing down as boss in 2013, Ferguson has been a Man United ambassador and club director, with the 82-year-old a regular at matches, while he has a seat in the directors’ box.
However, according to BBC Sport, INEOS, led by Man United’s new minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe, have decided to end Ferguson’s time at the club at the end of the current season.
The report claims that the decision came after ‘amicable’ talks between Ratcliffe and Ferguson last week, as the former looks to cut costs at the club in a bid to help them return to former glories.
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Ferguson ‘set to leave’ Man United ambassador role next summer
According to the Daily Mail, Ferguson has been earning in the region of £40,000 a week in his role as a global ambassador, which is said to be double the weekly wage of Man United wonderkid Kobbie Mainoo.
The decision, though, has been slammed by former Man United forward Cantona.
“Sir Alex Ferguson should be able to do anything he wants at the club until the day he dies. Such a lack of respect. It’s totally scandalous. Sir Alex Ferguson will be my boss forever!” Cantona wrote on his official Instagram page.
Meanwhile, ex-Man United striker Dwight Yorke also admitted that he was “surprised” by the decision from INEOS.
“I am as surprised as everyone else,” he told The Mirror. “We are going through a change at the football club from top to bottom. Everyone is looking over their shoulder at the moment. It is not really a fitting way to treat someone who has done so much for the football club, his contribution is unprecedented.
“They have been so successful for such a long time, the only people who know what is going on are those people who have just come in. I am not sure if everyone will be in agreement with the changes, but this will raise a few eyebrows. If they can do that to someone like Sir Alex Ferguson, then I suppose everyone is on a tightrope.”
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Ten Hag remains in charge of Man United despite team’s struggles
There had been strong suggestions that Man United head coach Erik ten Hag would be sacked during the October international break due to the team’s struggles in the early weeks of the 2024-25 campaign.
The 20-time English champions have made their worst-ever start to a Premier League campaign, picking up just eight points from their opening seven matches, which has left them down in 14th spot in the Premier League table.
However, Ten Hag has kept his job at Old Trafford for now, and the Dutchman is currently preparing for Saturday’s Premier League clash against Brentford, which comes before a trip to Fenerbahce in the Europa League.