A nine month ban greeted Eric Cantona when the then-Manchester United forward launched a karate kick at a Crystal Palace supporter in 1995, and the enigmatic Frenchman only wishes he’d have hit Matthew Simmons harder.
Now 22 years after the event, Cantona maintains that the incident was enjoyable from his perspective, and also made him a better person.
“I’ve said before I should have kicked him harder but maybe tomorrow I’ll say something else,” the 50-year-old said in an interview with Daily Mirror. “I cannot regret it. It was a great feeling. I learned from it, I think [Simmons] learned too.
“Nine months was a long time out and I struggled for a time but thanks to Ferguson we won the Double with a new generation.
“I was lucky and proud to play with two generations, with Mark Hughes and Paul Ince, then also that great younger generation.”
In contemplating his life after football, the former French international discussed how he has moved on from his playing days.
“I like to act because I need adrenalin,” Cantona added.
“Playing football twice a week is like a drug and you miss it physiologically.
“It’s why so many ex-players have depression, because of the adrenalin they have lived with for 10, 15 or 20 years if you are Ryan Giggs.
“I have no trophies, no medals, nothing about football in my house. I loved my time as a footballer but to think too much about what you have done, you feel like a prisoner to the past.”
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