"When the seagulls follow the trawler" - Eric Cantona's bizarre press conference

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"When the seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea." These were the immortal lines uttered by Eric Cantona after his prison sentence for kicking a fan was overturned.
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[@SkySportsRetro]

Let us know which classic Sky clips you want to see next!

[@joshuapettinger]

Agueroooooooooooooo

[@joshuapettinger]

Rafahcts

[@joshjerrome8227]

Agueeerrrrroooo

[@joshjerrome8227]

Watford v Leicester

[@joshjerrome8227]

Kompany v Leicester

[@louisdnd934]

The sip of water is perfect 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@StingWolfpack]

i thought it was scotch haha

[@sidvyas]

When the seagulls *gulps* XD

[@smokeloc73]

He added that sip for more effect for sure

[@marvaff6878]

Never fails 🤣🤣🤣

[@kiriakoz]

It made it ten times better. It showed even when being followed by the gutter press relentlessly, he was still at ease.

[@1H8U50]

That unibrow!

[@SkySportsRetro]

H-Bomb haha!

[@robertlangdon494]

Best birth control

[@AM-ey5tc]

Even as a Liverpool fan I wish I was alive when Cantona was playing in the premier league, he sounds like an entertaining fellow lol.

[@flyingjibberish]

Football all round was better then, many more entertaining players. Mediocre teams had entertaining players like Le Tissier, Wanchope, Juniniho etc. It started really dying When Chelsea sold out to a Russian Billionaire. Murdoch tried to buy Utd in 1998, it was blocked on the basis it would unfairly monopolize one club. Now, that sort of thing happens and no one cares. That's how much football has changed.

[@rohithraman6488]

@@flyingjibberish Why are you talking as if Chelsea were the first team to have investment? Arsenal in the 1920s were known as the Bank of England club for the lavish spending of Henry Norris. Also Chelsea still have a soul, it's still engrained within the club, every big club has had investment in their history.

[@rohithraman6488]

@@flyingjibberish I mean Newcastle have one of the most entertaining players in the league

[@rohithraman6488]

@@flyingjibberish Chelsea still have a soul

[@Bianco5555]

pure genius! very funny

[@rfj1156]

When United fans...(sips water)...Pretend to understand Cantona...It is because they think that they will get noticed by a celebrity who doesn't know of their existance...Thank you **leaves**

[@rikmukherji]

Insulted them to their face and they didnt realize; just did the exact same thing he was making fun of.

[@eoinMB3949]

Jesus did the same thing to the pharisees when he told them the parable of the vineyard.

[@realrecoginizereal8715]

@eoinbrennan3949 Only if you believe Jesus was real, Eric is undeniably real!!

[@moisesgonzalez8458]

​@realrecoginizereal8715 and Jesus is most undeniably! But people decided not to believe in him.

[@danielmy.]

Life

[@justmadeit2]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZmLCZHSQj5aHqbssi=SPXzT2k8FY8iTZ9k

[@renato7611]

He's calling the press a bunch of seagulls and they are expecting sardines. People he's not that out there, he's just actually literate as a footballer.

[@AH-be6bu]

He's calling them stupid as well. Seagulls can easily go and look for their own fish instead of hanging around trying to get someone else's.

[@weakypickin5059]

I'm guessing the sardines symbolise the juicy news stories they chase.

[@osousa17]

No, he's trolling. This doesn't mean Jack. He said it later in an interview I think

[@tiadaid]

@@osousa17 It's funny how even when he's trolling, there's deep meaning to it!

[@YoungJustice1997]

When I was a kid i never understood what he meant now at 23, it's so obvious lol

[@delmarfo]

It's the sip of water that gets me all the time 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@james_44]

It's comedy genius. The timing is sensational.

[@simonemasetti6114]

What a legend. This is the best press conference of all time

[@gbengaogunsanya5284]

Power pause

[@Voxac100b]

@@gbengaogunsanya5284 classic 🤣

[@Subsbench]

​@@simonemasetti6114it's definitely up there with Roy Keane ranting about phones going off or one of his players missing a match due to his Mrs giving birth, can't remember who it was (well, why wouldn't he be available? He's not having the baby is he?), and Gordon Strachan going on about a yoghurt being more of a priority than Delgado. I'm sure there's more but those are quality 😂

[@gizmobelle7342]

Man he was in a league of his own doing this during a 90s press conference for kicking a fan and come out more of a hero iconic

[@ciaranwalsh96]

"If a Frenchman goes on about seagulls, trawlers and sardines, he's called a philosopher. I'd just be called a short Scottish bum talking crap." - Gordon Strachan.

[@Quantik53]

You would not my friend if you were having a cider here, by the sea, watching seagulls on one shore of Brittany, you would be called by no name other than yours. Remember Hartlepool.

[@harrytaylor1887]

The is words order of important, Gordon

[@mysteryman3963]

@@Quantik53 wtf

[@Quantik53]

@@mysteryman3963 tf answers w.

[@craigbass2060]

@@Quantik53 I need this place I'm from America the brainless anthive

[@tinyspeaker]

Was pretty obvious what he was saying tbh. Not even slightly bizzare.

[@RyanNicho1989]

No it was very bizarre.

[@postrock3374]

@@RyanNicho1989 Only because you're an idiot.

[@aaronbasaria7676]

Yeah it was obvious what he was saying but why was he talking about that in the first place?😂

[@borissmalov5085]

@@aaronbasaria7676 he karate-kicked a racist fan

[@leafsinseven]

@@aaronbasaria7676 He's making a metaphor. The seagulls (media) are following the trawler (Cantona) because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea (the media think Cantona is gonna give them a good headline in the interview)

[@ViviPain]

One of the very few footballers I know who actually went forward with their hobbies and passion after retiring from football. He's an actor, singer and poet now.

[@binghamguevara6814]

"When the seagulls [sips water] follow the trawler ... ... it's because they sink ... ... sardines ... will be srown ... ... into the sea" Legend.

[@elinelly-ricky979]

Big time legend!!! 🤣🤣🤣

[@MALITH666]

absoloutely nussink tsu say.

[@rohithraman6488]

@@MALITH666 If I speak I am in big trouble. BIG BIG trouble.

[@abdirisakadem2798]

When the seagulls follow the trawler it’s because they sink sardines will be srown into the sea Legend

[@kostasjelo1719]

*ze *ze *zey *ze 😂

[@ImMata]

I love how he speaks so cryptically, you won’t understand in that moment but later you’ll realise he just insulted you to your face

[@pablohanc]

Everyone with even the smallest amount of intelligence knew immediately what he was saying.

[@-Muhammad_Ali-]

One must be extremely dumb not to understand what he said from the first sentence

[@sonicdiablo8968]

Anyone who thinks that what he said is cryptic, has the IQ of a shoelace.

[@merrymonarch]

With this quote he really burst onto the scene

[@pablohanc]

@@hoarder1919 but at least you have a carer whose helped you use the internet. If I was religious I'd say a prayer for you.

[@romanista9776]

For those who didnt get it...he was referring media as seagulls...Sardines as the quotes he is supposed to say to media in defense and the trawler is eric cantona himself.

[@greencliff0817]

Big brain

[@luiscaetano6184]

When the media follows Eric Cantona... the quotes... will be srown... into the sea

[@franciskarma7139]

He even managed to squeeze in a sip of water 🤣💦. Legend!!!

[@buster76246]

I remember this incident very clearly and understood exactly what E C was referring to when he used this metaphor. The English tabloids back then were known as the gutter press, they even went out of there way to find reasons no matter how trivial to discredit there own national team leading up to and during international competitions. The vast majority of the gutter press could barely write proper English yet still expected foreign players to answer there dumb ass and repetitive questions like they had been speaking English all there lives, Enough said.

[@SYED7JUNAID7ALI7]

Their*

[@garethwilkinson3456]

Their. An honest mistake in the internet age.

[@avitohol-ts4jn]

absolutly agree with you

[@jamesmcdougall7748]

I got to watch a 1 minute advert on gambling before watching a 20 second video

[@kieranstafford9718]

I bet you'll have a tenner accum later now

[@sajidam3463]

Someone needs to vaccinate KZbinr.

[@Jamo_7811]

Was it William Hill?

[@jamesmcdougall7748]

@@Jamo_7811 maybe it was 3 years ago

[@MrPSG78]

Bizarre? Are you kidding? When journalists (I should call them "sensationalists" actually) are being criticized for their lack of behavior and are only looking for the next scandal to write about, it's "bizarre". Nothing's bizarre here, the message's pretty clear for the press and so-called journalists.

[@bryanleeyf87]

Journalists are full of shit and skysports are no different with clickbait and crap headlines written by millennials.

[@petelashley]

Well said!

[@ammarhaziq919]

Because what Cantona means by seagulls and sardines is seagulls is buch of journalist who follow Cantona (trowler), and expect him to throw some controversiol comments (sardines).

[@kumandalawrence5763]

Thank you. Now I get it.

[@Yunghamz]

He was just prophesying the rise of brighton and hove albion's efforts in the league

[@baronantoine]

I think there's a typo here. You wanted to type "legendary", but you typed "bizarre"

[@Rolian10]

That sip and pauses in between, a genius! 😂😂

[@merrymonarch]

Timing was great on and off the pitch

[@epinhervin9355]

Top three none English spoken mother language with great public speaking 1. Eric Cantona 2. Jose Mourinho 3. Hary Kane

[@shaynemac]

Absolutely nothing bizarre about this.. one of the only sport press conferences that’s made perfect sense

[@CozzaPerks]

Calling the media seagulls lol more like vultures but we understand Eric 👍

[@marty6945]

Unlike seagulls, vultures do not have the opportunity to relish sardines.

[@dcw127]

"When the seagulls..." - Eric Cantona

[@julSlash]

The face of the two guys after the first word pronounced by cantona "We either dead or legends"

[@nirvana454]

He just smacks down the reporters and leaves. Perfect.

[@danielwilder7835]

greatest press conference speech ever, bar none, supreme!

[@johnnyboy4176]

I lost it when he took a sip of water😂

[@swinephrog6428]

The way he says sardines is incredibly satisfying

[@recruitmentch]

The journalist laughing was actually breaking into tears, when he realised they were the desperate seagulls.

[@simonreeves3229]

0:08 Sllllurrrppp ....he knows hes got away with it👌👌👍

[@nazrihassan2188]

Malaysia ex- defends minister said.."when elephant fight with elephant.. grass will suffer..

[@JoeBleasdaleReal]

You can see why that voice was used to sell Renault cars

[@darshmenon0008]

"When the seagulls follow the trawler, it’s because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea" - the best quote of all time. It took me 2 years to understand the meaning of this quote and its philosophy.

[@guy5140]

Please explain your conclusion

[@marcusloughman5013]

@@guy5140 its a very simple metaphor, the press are like the seagull looking for the fish, or in this case a story to sell in the news paper, Eric is the trawler, the press think he'll play right into their hands and give them a headline, hence they are like the seagulls who follow said trawler, but the seagulls are not the brightest and the trawler trows them nothing because it doesn't benefit from doing so. So Eric is basically saying "you think I'll give you a headline or story but I won't". Ironically his quote is a perfect headline just from sheer bizarreness at first but once you see the meaning behind it, it becomes a clever social commentary on journalism, published in every major British newspaper. He uses the media to warn people about the media, pretty clever if you ask me. Plus both sides benefited, Eric made his point clear and even got nicknamed the "philosopher" and the British press got their story so all in all, draw I'd say.

[@user-uh6lm5wv6n]

Its for sure a nice quote, but for me the most profound, and deeply mysterious part of this was the placement of the water sip

[@safebans1369]

2 years bloody hell mate don't try your hand at countdown 😂 only joking

[@nsny24]

Even José Mourinho wishes he had a press conference like this.

[@TheManamba]

I take deep satisfaction in knowing that this interview will haunt journalists for decades to come.

[@Jheezee93]

What a poet, harder bars have never been dropped.

[@Daveonarave]

One more blow to that Palace fan mentioning seagulls...

[@jack-ew1us]

Very underrated comment 🤣

[@snuffly6492]

who's here after the rest is football podcast? cantona is a legend

[@visualtherapist4290]

Yeah, I mean, media spun it as bizarre because they either did not know what he was talking about, or they knew he was talking about them, and wanted to make him seem like some sort of mad man, thus, doing exactly what he was implying in this video.

[@borneocoolpad7833]

If there is perfect moment for "he was french, Leave him be" this is the one😅😂

[@johnsnow4728]

The king 😈

[@fivoskaralis6275]

French reporters desperately asking for translation in French

[@glenwicks4976]

When the seagulls *dramatic sip* follow the trawler...

[@jngobngo]

Before my time, but this moment is surreal. If only we could understand the world like our King

[@Potatochief]

He is such a legend

[@mrcolinwee]

That metaphor makes perfect sense.

[@noneofyourbusiness1199]

I'm amazed at how many people completely miss the genius in what he said, and think it was just a load of rubbish.

[@aminbrahimi8499]

That sip of water made the quote so much cooler

[@Nickxxx85]

yeah he knew what he was doing:D

[@urworstbestfriend]

Perfectly said better than an actor twentytwentyone George Orwell's worst nightmare Eric was clever to say that

[@plebonhomme6982]

"Personne n'a compris ce qu'il a dit mais tout le monde sait qu'il avait le droit de le dire"

[@kieran8881]

I am the Eggman, they are the segulls, I am the trawler.. coo coo, coo choo

[@melissafulton-rennie4867]

He was absolutely right. I love Cantona 👍🏻

[@jt4380]

Those were the days, absolute baller of a player and the press conference topped it off, legend

[@pierrem6056]

I am a seagull and I approve this message.

[@akadapper]

Nothing bizarre about this. It still rings true today.

[@420johonig]

That whole thing was perfection

[@BlueMillStudios]

This was the exact moment I fell in love with Eric Cantona :) Utter Legend :)

[@pillarsofdoom4891]

Who is this bizarre? Seagulls follow the trawler is the press filling Eric for handouts. Scavengers harassing the master for left overs

[@johncollins1266]

This man is a legend….

[@fabricel3314]

[Be_twin] the british formal hypocrisy & l'hypocrisie française formelle, difference is our people is proud=fier of Canto & hillarious about [fake_uk_kings]. 4EVER 🤣🤣

[@BatmanKnightfan]

I’m here after 2-0 Manchester United win against Manchester City 😂 😂 😂

[@thefootballplanet5784]

stupid press is super annoying.

[@ronin9296]

He basically said the press expected him to apologise and change after that king fu kick. In essence he’s saying he wasn’t sorry for what he did and confessed the same even many years later

[@anglosaxon7]

Cantona the only frenchman a englishman loves

[@leomuge6421]

no it’s not true ENGLISH love Zidane too

[@anglosaxon7]

@@leomuge6421 oops I dont

[@grottonisred6541]

He so nailed it back then….And the media BS has only got worse over the years. Well done Eric👍

[@chriskennedy8033]

This metephor couldn't be anymore fitting for journos, Eric the king 👑

[@jordanschlansky4093]

They don't make them like this anymore. We're stuck with Cr7 the poser and Messi the mute.

[@jonathanruano4973]

I think the "seagulls" comment is Cantona's way of saying that the soccer hooligan deserved to be kicked. In the analogy, the soccer hooligan is the seagull, Cantona is the trawler, and the sardines are the kicks and punches hurled by Eric Cantona. Thus, the soccer hooligan (seagull) went out to meet Eric Cantona (the trawler) with the expectation of being kicked (sardines).

[@kumandalawrence5763]

I doubt if this is the meaning. If it is, then it is very literal.

[@patrongatess3119]

😂😢The funny part about the seagull line is that he actually got sent of at crystal palace who have a seagull badge on their chest 😅 pun intended

[@MikeDavenport-sz3jy]

Seagulls are scavengers that live off the errors (sardines) of humans.

[@killerrabbit38]

Can’t believe Cantona and keane in a one team, wow just wow. Compare to the current United what a let down

[@akitsuki71]

in a interview Eric reveals the meaning of his sentences: there was just none :) he just said what was going through his mind without making any sense.

[@RocketCalcutta]

Though Cantona did say, in an interview with Jonathon Ross, that his words meant nothing, he also went on to explain that he wanted to put up a mirror in front of the press. According to Maurice Watkins, Man U's legal advisor at the time, Cantona prepared his statement very carefully beforehand, asking the legal rep what the english words were for fishing boats and the birds that fly above them.

[@RocketCalcutta]

Here's Cantona's full response to Ross's question: “It means nothing,” he said. “I put a mirror in front of the journalists. Afterwards, people tried to analyse the words.”

[@lowrytv6736]

People forget that footballers can be very intelligent too, lots of them have major degrees in Science.

[@HpPmL]

😂 no.

[@amarulatore59]

People laugh but in fact this was beautiful

[@c.c8752]

Watch that as a kid and didn’t have a clue what he was on about as and adult I get it

[@JctsUK]

The rest is football made me come and watch this enigma once again!

[@memebros510]

remixed his speech in uefa, up now!

[@stephenwatchesyoutube]

shia labeouf brought me here

[@alexandervonkarnstein]

He was to big for the Football-Business.

[@RobHawthorn]

Absolute classic! Way to stick it to the press

[@עמריקידר]

I love himmmmm

[@aamerziaulhaq8394]

because he's not a man he is CANTONA

[@RobertJohnson-vz9vd]

Genius

[@nobad6134]

Bloody legend.

[@dekkaiswam]

kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk ninguém entendeu nada

[@burtso9870]

Sardines in olive oil🤔😆!!!

[@Abilimarvellous]

Majestic

[@Adox28]

King Eric

[@omegaman6494]

He's right.

[@0megalul309]

Anyone here after the grand tour?

[@brilliantradience]

I bet monsieur drives like merde

[@ianmcdonald3053]

Nothing bizarre about it, like everything this man did back then it was pure genius! I was in my early 20’s when this happened, looking back and just turning 50 this year it helps you put into perspective how much of an artist. He was, on and off the pitch

[@Amit-ov3or]

Sky Sports…it’s not bizarre, the guy is intelligent. What is bizarre is you keeping Jamie 2 left feet Carragher on your books even after his SPITGATE SCANDAL. Now that’s BIZARRE!

[@istiaquefirdous]

I want to say this to my ex

[@ZenixLrX]

what a legend!

[@FilaMan74]

'The man' with 'Third Eye' uninfluenced.

[@luiscaetano6184]

When the media follows Eric Cantona... the quotes... will be srown... into the sea