Melalui situs resminya, Manchester United, merilis surat pribadi yang dikirimkan sang mantan manajer, Sir Alex Ferguson, kepada striker legendaris Eric Cantona.
Ferguson merekrut Cantona dari Leeds United pada November 1992. Transfer sang pemain menghabiskan dana 1,2 juta pound.
Keputusan Ferguson membawa Cantona ke Old Trafford terbukti tepat. Penyerang asal Prancis itu menghadirkan empat gelar Premier League dan dua titel Piala FA.
Pada 1997, Cantona memutuskan pensiun. Saat itulah Ferguson mengirimkan sepucuk surat buat mantan anak asuhnya.
Surat tersebut berisi kesedihan Ferguson terkait keputusan Cantona pensiun. Ia pun tak lupa mengingatkan King Eric untuk rajin berolah raga.
Berikut ini surat yang dikirimkan Ferguson kepada Cantona pada 18 Agustus 1997.
Dear Eric,
Some months have passed since we last spoke and I felt that I should write to you as a mark of respect and esteem in which I hold you.
When we re-started training, I kept waiting for you to turn up as normal but I think that was in hope not realism and I knew in your eyes when we met at Mottram your time at Manchester United was over.
Although, I still feel you should have taken both your Father's and my advice and taken a holiday before making such a major decision.
One thing, I would like you to remember is to remain active and fit. I always remember when I finished at 32 and I started management, I was more concerned about organising training and the coaching of players that I forgot about my own fitness and then when I realised about six years later what was happening, I started to train again to recapture my fitness and it was murder, so you do need to keep your fitness.
| Editor | : | Firzie A. Idris |
| Sumber | : | Manutd.com |
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