In taking up his new role with New York Cosmos, Eric Cantona is following in the footsteps of one time BBC Radio Devon pundit Ken Furphy who managed the previous incarnation of the Cosmos in 1976.
We will now take a look back at Ken’s stint in the Big Apple.
After a distinguished managerial career that saw him take charge of Workington Town, Watford, Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United, Ken Furphy became manager of the New York Cosmos in 1976.
In the 1974-75 season he had guided Sheffield United to within a point of European football, but a poor start to the following campaign saw him dismissed by the Blades board.
In the build up to Christmas 1975, Ken received a phone call from Cosmos’ General Manager Clive Toye asking him if he would be interested in becoming manager of the NASL (Northern Americna Soccer League) side.
Following his appointment as manager, Ken outlined a number of ideas, at the suggestion of the club’s Chairman Steve Ross that would make the Cosmos into one of the biggest in the world.
These included signing more world-class players nearing the end of their careers, setting up a reserve team of local American players and buying a club in Ireland to help nurture young talent.
Ken’s first signings for Cosmos included Peruvian midfield Ramon Mifflin and Brazilian Nelsi Morais. They were also complemented with a number of players with football league pedigree such as Northern Ireland international Dave Clements and former Aston Villa full-back Charlie Aitken.
In addition to them, Ken also brought in Terry Garbutt and Keith Eddy who had played under him at both Watford and Sheffield United.
Whilst being fortunate enough to inherit one of the great legends of the game in Pele, the Brazilian didn’t turn up at Ken’s first training session in charge of the Cosmos as he was caught up in a civil war in Nigeria.
It needed the intervention of US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to secure his return to New York.
Ken also found a new role for Pele playing in the hole in a 4-4-1-1 formation as he was becoming a target for a number of American players when he was played as an out and out striker.
The Brazilian was later joined by Italian striker Giorgo Chinaglia to his squad after paying Lazio $750,000 for his services.
Chinaglia, who would later go to become the leading scorer in the history of the NASL, had stated his wish to play in America after a public fall out with Italy manager Ferruccio Valcareggi had made life in his native country intolerable for him.
In his debut game against a Los Angeles Aztecs side that featured George Best, the Cosmos won 6-0 with Chinaglia and Pele both netting twice.
However, following a great deal of unrest within the camp as Ken left the Cosmos before going on to manage Washington Diplomats and Detroit Express as well as managing Team America in the Biccennial Tournament with Brazil, England and Italy in 1977.
He returned to England in 1981 and he would later become a reporter and pundit for BBC Radio Devon.
