BEEF a contentious choice in itself will be on the menu rather than fish at the English Football Writers Association's dinner on May 9th, but there is now the prospect of a few sardines being tossed the members' way.
Eric Cantona, elected at the weekend as the Writers' 49th Footballer of the Year, is expected to make an appearance.
This is despite the dinner being just two days before Manchester United's FA Cup Final with Liverpool.
Custom dictates that Cantona, whose public utterances are usually confined to Nike advertisements, will make a short speech. Alex Ferguson and Brian Kiddwill accompany the Frenchman, presumably to ensure that, to use Cantona's analogy, the trawler will be safely tucked up in bed by midnight, and not fraternising with the seagulls.
Cantona said he was "very proud and privileged" to receive the award, adding, it is a great honour for me and my country. He is the fourth foreign winner after Bert Trautmann, of Germany, in 1956, Dutchman Frans Thijssen in 1981, and last years winner, Jurgen Klinsmann.
The award completes a remarkable rehabilitation for Cantona, who was banned for 10 months after his kung fu assault on a fan at Selhurst Park in January 1994.
He thought about leaving the English game and several members of the FWA suggested he should be thrown out of it.
Ferguson, however, persuaded him to stay. The Manchester United manager has been richly rewarded. Cantona's behaviour since has been impeccable, his influence immeasurable. At times United's pursuit of the double has seemed to be a Cantona crusade.
England coach Terry Venables sent his congratulations to Cantona. Venables said "I think it's terrific. It's a great success for Manchester United and the way the people there have handled him, and a great success for the player himself.
He's had to make sure he keeps on top of himself. He went through such an experience, and something like that shakes you up. Some players have minor experiences along those lines and keep flirting with it, it keeps happening.
"But when something big happens it can change your whole attitude. Who knows how many stories came from it privately? It may have shaken his family so much he was determined he would not let it happen again. I think he has done that amazingly well."
Cantona beat another foreign import, Chelsea's Dutch master Ruud Gullit, into second place with Liverpool's newly capped England striker Robbie Fowler third. The Frenchman collected 36 per cent of the votes from the 350 strong soccer media membership.
Cantona, 30 next month, has missed only one of the 36 league ad, cup games United have played since his return and has netted 17 goals seven in the last eight games, of which four have been match winners, while another secured a last gasp draw at QPR.
Surprisingly, Cantona, who has won championship medals with Leeds and Manchester United since arriving from France in 1992, is the first Old Trafford player to win the coveted award since George Best in 1969.
The only remaining blot on his fortunes is his continued omission from the French national side. They must have some team.
