http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=349181&cc=4716
Former Manchester United hero Eric Cantona was at his philosophical best at the Soccerex football trade show in Dubai as his pontificated about the qualities of beach soccer.
The Frenchman's most remembered quote came in response to the 120-hour community sentence and nine-month ban for his infamous kung fu kick on a Crystal Palace fan in the crowd at Selhurst Park.
On that occasion his only comment on the matter was: 'When the seagulls follow the trawler, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea.'
Cantona retired from football in 1997 but is currently involved in five-a-side beach soccer as player-coach of France.
However, he has lost none of his ability to produce a headline-grabbing soundbite.
Having won the beach soccer world championship in Rio de Janeiro earlier this year Cantona was asked how the two versions of the sport compared.
'Emotionally for me winning at beach soccer was just the same as winning for Manchester United,' he said.
'When we won I cried, it meant so much to me. I was very proud.
'Of course it is not as big as football but when you are a rich man you are proud to own a Rolls Royce and when you are a poor man you are proud to own a Renault. 'I love being at the start of something and watching it grow.'
Despite being told by an attentive minder he did not have to get involved in any controversial issues or address matters other than beach soccer, the ever-unpredictable Frenchman was having none of it and was applauded by the entire auditorium when he agreed to answer a question from the floor on whether he had encountered any disciplinary problems in beach soccer.
'You should know that I am not a sheep. Sometimes I do good things and sometimes not so good,' he said.
'But if you want to know, yes I have been sent off in beach soccer but I have also scored beautiful goals.'
Former Manchester United hero Eric Cantona was at his philosophical best at the Soccerex football trade show in Dubai as his pontificated about the qualities of beach soccer.
The Frenchman's most remembered quote came in response to the 120-hour community sentence and nine-month ban for his infamous kung fu kick on a Crystal Palace fan in the crowd at Selhurst Park.
On that occasion his only comment on the matter was: 'When the seagulls follow the trawler, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea.'
Cantona retired from football in 1997 but is currently involved in five-a-side beach soccer as player-coach of France.
However, he has lost none of his ability to produce a headline-grabbing soundbite.
Having won the beach soccer world championship in Rio de Janeiro earlier this year Cantona was asked how the two versions of the sport compared.
'Emotionally for me winning at beach soccer was just the same as winning for Manchester United,' he said.
'When we won I cried, it meant so much to me. I was very proud.
'Of course it is not as big as football but when you are a rich man you are proud to own a Rolls Royce and when you are a poor man you are proud to own a Renault. 'I love being at the start of something and watching it grow.'
Despite being told by an attentive minder he did not have to get involved in any controversial issues or address matters other than beach soccer, the ever-unpredictable Frenchman was having none of it and was applauded by the entire auditorium when he agreed to answer a question from the floor on whether he had encountered any disciplinary problems in beach soccer.
'You should know that I am not a sheep. Sometimes I do good things and sometimes not so good,' he said.
'But if you want to know, yes I have been sent off in beach soccer but I have also scored beautiful goals.'