“King Eric” does not get on the bus

We leave Miss Pires playing Mozart in Vienna and we move South West towards France, to the city of Marseille, famous for many things among which its seaport (Fos-sur-Mer) and its football club, Olympic de Marseille. It is May 1998 and we are at the home of one of the most legendary French football players, Eric Cantona. “King Eric” – as nicknamed by Manchester United fans – has just turned on his TV to listen to Aimet Jacquet, French coach, to name the players that will represent France at the 1998 World Cup. It is a special one for Mr Cantona as it will be played in his home land.

He is not in the list. He knew that as he had retired from football one year ago and he had not played with the national team since 1995. But only in that precise moment he realizes that he, one of the best players ever, would never play the biggest sport tournament in the world.

King Eric had successfully restarted his career in England back in 1992 after several disciplinary incidents in France. He won the League with Leeds in 92 and then two consecutive titles with United in 93 and 94. This brought him back to the French national team where he was appointed captain by Jacquet. On January 25th 1995 everything changed. During an infamous game against Crystal Palace, he launched a “kung-fu style kick” to a football fan after being red-carded (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx_X6uZYrVw).  He was suspended from Premiership for the rest of the season and lost his French captaincy.

Cantona played extraordinary football the following season leading United to victories in Premiership and FA Cup. Everybody, particularly French media, expected him to be called back to the national team. But Jacquet, despite tremendous criticism, never did. He had built a completely new team around Zinedine Zidane. King Eric, the legendary Cantona, did not belong anymore to his bus.

France got to semi-finals in the EURO 1996 and to the Championship in the World Cup 1998 and EURO 2000. But, in hindsight, not many managers would have taken Jacquet’s decision.

Any book on leadership has on its first chapters a piece of advice around “Getting the right people on the bus”.

What are the roadblocks that you experience to get the right people on the bus? Do you get supported by your company to overcome those?

Have you as leader taken some drastic and risky decision like Aime Jacquet did with Cantona? What was the outcome for the individual and for the team?

Do you see some “King Eric” in your team that you believe shall not be on your leader’s bus due to behaviour, values or other matters impacting the team?

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