FIFTEEN years ago today United were embroiled in
accusations of indiscipline that threatened to wreck the 1994 Dream
Team's double ambitions.
Eric Cantona was being labelled the 'enfant terrible' after two red
cards in the space of four days at Swindon and Arsenal. The Reds
drew both matches 2-2.
United's French talisman was banned for five matches as a
result.
Premiership leaders and title holders United had won just one game
in five matches in that bleak period.
Roy Keane was also booked at Highbury and his yellow card haul
forced him to miss the FA Cup semi-final against Oldham.
Old Trafford's crime sheet was the topic of the moment in spring
1994 as Sir Alex Ferguson's powerful machine was in danger of
self-destructing.
Fast forward to the present day, and those discipline demons have
surfaced again to threaten the quintuple bid.
Three players have been sent off in two matches and Nemanja Vidic,
Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney are banned for the next match.
Heated
After United's heated night in London against Arsenal 15 years ago,
Fergie was asked about the discipline problem.
"We've not been doing anything any different. Maybe the referees
are reading the papers," the United boss replied.
And Paul Parker, who was right back in that Dream Team, believes
Ferguson's words then are as relevant today and it should serve as
a warning to the United squad as suspensions begin to eat into
their numbers.
"I remember Eric deserved to go against Swindon because of a tackle
on John Moncur but against Arsenal I don't think he should have
been sent off," Parker told M.E.N. Sport.
"But referees are human. They read newspapers. They watch TV and
disciplinary incidents are bound to get imprinted on the
mind.
"Certain players will be planted in the back of their minds because
of recent situations. They are not biased against individuals but
things stick in the mind. They are very reactive. I am sure that is
what happened in Eric's case in the second match at Arsenal. If a
player has a bit of moodiness about him or fire in his belly then
opposition fans get up for it and referees react.
"Wayne Rooney, for instance, will have had the Liverpool defeat in
his head all last week. He's a big football supporter and, as an
ex-Evertonian, the thought of handing Liverpool the title
initiative and ultimately maybe even handing them the crown will
have eaten away at him. He then comes on as sub at Craven Cottage
with United losing and all that will be in his head.
Intention
"It can be a time bomb. If he says he didn't throw the ball at Phil
Dowd I accept his word but once you point the gun the intention is
there.
"Fans want to see players hurting after a defeat like the 4-1
against Liverpool.
"Everyone would soon be on their case if they didn't react and
didn't look like it was painful for them. And take away the fire in
Rooney and would he be the same player?
"But all that said, you cannot put your team at risk with petulance
or dissent. And players have to understand their
responsibilities."
As the reality of back-to-back defeats set in at Fulham, Cristiano
Ronaldo also began wobbling on a disciplinary tightrope.
His animated reaction to tackles, retaliatory challenge on Danny
Murphy and persistence in showing the mark made on his thigh when
he was caught by defender John Pantsil added to the tension by
enraging the crowd.
The World Player of the Year tested referee Phil Dowd's patience
and the official yellow-carded him for the Murphy lunge and warned
him he was close to a red following the tantrum over the Pantsil
incident.
"Ronaldo is not helping Manchester United or helping his team-mates
by generating that kind of atmosphere," added Parker.
"Stamping your feet or exaggerated hand gestures just wind up the
opposition fans even more and undermine your own
concentration.
"It is not show ponies that are needed at this stage of the season,
it is shire horses who will work hard.
"Nine times out of ten you don't play great football during a title
run-in. It is a battle and you have to stand up and be counted.
This time of the season is do or die and the last bit of the season
makes or breaks you as a Manchester United player. It is how United
have reacted in this period of the campaign that makes the
difference between a United player and an average Premier League
player.
"It was a nasty atmosphere when we went to Swindon for that match
when Eric was sent off. It was horrible.
"Being reduced to ten men was a handicap but players stood up to be
counted and we got a late equaliser to draw 2-2. Sleeves were
rolled up and we got something from it.
Message
"United need a Gary Neville at the moment on the pitch. I think he
would have sorted Cristiano out on Saturday. I don't mean he would
have physically got him by the scruff of the neck but he would have
got the message across and told him a few home truths that his
reactions were not helping the cause. Referees have a difficult
job. We might think some of the rules are petty but they have to
implement them.
"It is their job and they want to progress so they have to work
with the guidelines they have been given. They have to come down on
petulance and dissent so the message to the players is: `Don't load
the bullets. Don't make it easy for referees to punish you.'"
Fergie had around half an hour with his squad at Craven Cottage
before they dispersed for the international break.
Parker says they will have left "with a flea in their ear".
"Everybody wants to see the gaffer come out in public and have a go
at them but that is not his style," Parker added.
"The players have got to be told to calm down and he will do but it
will all be done in private. Fergie spoke to Eric Cantona after his
misdemeanours but he didn't announce it to everyone. But he will
have got the message, believe me.
"He won't allow any indiscipline to continue.
"He'll be demanding commonsense and calm from his players. He will
make them aware of the fact that they mustn't allow opponents and
opposition fans to get under their skin.
"The `94 team cracked a bit at that point because of the
indiscipline but we quickly recovered because it was a team full of
strong men.
"We refocused on the job and won the double.
"This team now needs to learn their lessons and pull together.
Individuals don't win trophies, teams win trophies.
"Sir Alex has been there many times before and he'll get a
reaction."
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