The legendary Red Devils coach: The road to success

Volume 1995 I Just Love to Get Slapped in the Face (1996- Season)

This season is worthy of being recorded in the history of the Premier League, not only because the championship process was extremely exciting and the result was unexpected, but also because Manchester United created a miracle this season, a miracle of winning the championship by relying on youth players. Ferguson was very vindictive, and he finally used his unparalleled success to viciously slap those guys who belittled and ridiculed the Red Devils in the face.

——Foreword

Chapter 337: Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles in Pursuit of the King

"The Red Devils can do without anyone, but I think they can't do without Cantona."

--Ferguson

Before entering the 1995-96 season, the Red Devils encountered multiple crises.

For Ferguson, the biggest challenge is that Cantona may leave the Red Devils and he will lose this midfield leader.

Cantona was suspended for kicking a Crystal Palace fan. The Frenchman flew back to his homeland to rest and wait for the suspension to expire while waiting for the final decision of the Manchester United club. Ferguson kept comforting him, hoping that he could get enough rest and prepare for his comeback. In July 1995, in order to prepare for his comeback and train with the team, Ferguson summoned Cantona back to the Carrington base and asked him to participate in a closed-door training match between the Manchester United and Rochdale.

Conventionally, such matches are for team training and warm-up, and tickets are not sold to the public, let alone broadcasting revenue. But even so, some media outlets that are eager to see the world in chaos still believe that Cantona has violated the ban. In addition to repeatedly exposing it in the media, they also asked the English Football Association to investigate and impose additional penalties.

Cantona once again became the focus of football and a talked-about figure.

Some reporters wanted to interview Cantona, but the Frenchman calmly refused. Some reporters also interviewed Edwards, chairman of the Manchester United board, who said: "The Manchester United do not think Cantona has violated the FA's ban. Cantona participated in training, not in an official match. The FA should not discuss or increase the penalty for this. This is a very simple and clear matter."

Cantona was very resistant to the English media, and he was very angry at these guys for making trouble out of nothing. Cantona later said: "I think the media are just bored and must make some big news. Alex resisted the pressure, but the club management made me very unhappy. They even suggested that I stop participating in training games."

Cantona said: "I don't know what's in the heads of these senior executives. I don't accept media interviews, but that doesn't mean I don't have my own ideas. I know some people in the club think that my previous behavior has harmed the interests of the club, and they want to distance themselves from me. I know why those people think so, but I have no obligation to convince them. I have always adhered to my principles. If I encounter the situation again, there is no doubt that I will do it again. The guy I knocked down was a hooligan and should not have appeared in the stands of the stadium at all."

Cantona thought the club would stand with him on the right and wrong of this matter, but he found that the club only cared about profit, and naturally he was very dissatisfied. Cantona found Martin Edwards to express his disappointment.

Edwards did not explain much, but continued to suggest that Cantona participate in training matches, and asked Ferguson to consider it carefully. Cantona was deeply regretful and had no hope for his football career in the UK. He said: "Mr. Chairman, I am very disappointed. The current environment is not conducive to the team atmosphere, nor does it conform to my understanding of the team rules. You can't confine yourself to a certain area just because of the media's nonsense. If the FA extends the ban, I will not serve you!"

An angry Cantona returned to France.

Cantona got angry, and the consequences were serious. French media began to report that he was considering leaving the Premier League and leaving Manchester United. Inter Milan, which had already bought Ince from Manchester United, heard the news and told the media that they wanted to buy Cantona. At that time, Inter Milan had a strong lineup, and their chairman Moratti admired Cantona very much and even offered a very high price. Moratti said, "I think Inter Milan is very suitable for Cantona. He is the kind of player who can directly improve the level of a team. If he is interested in leaving his original team now, we sincerely hope that Manchester United will agree. The price is negotiable, and we also think Cantona may want to try a new challenge."

The curious British journalists followed Cantona to France, where they began to fan the flames for Cantona's transfer and dug up more explosive news. British fans once again discovered that Cantona was such a controversial player. He was considered the "Platini of the 1990s" because of his outstanding talent and strong skills, but he was also a rebellious "bad boy in football." Not only was he notorious in French football and difficult to tolerate in French football, but more news was also dug up about him in England.

The Red Devils fans certainly know that this guy is independent and eccentric, and it is this character that makes him deeply loved by the Red Devils fans. When he returned to Elland Road for the first time in 1993, he spat at Leeds United fans. Although he was fined, the Red Devils fans knew that he was humiliated first. In the Ali Samiyan Stadium in Istanbul in the Champions League that year, Cantona was furious at the blatant behavior of the black whistle referee. He directly called the referee a liar to his face and punched the provocative Galatasaray goalkeeper. Afterwards, the Red Devils fans still gave him warm applause when he paid the red card and suspended for four games, and treated him like a hero. The English tabloids said that Cantona clashed with the police in Turkey and was taken to the police station for questioning and was almost arrested, but the Red Devils fans remembered that Cantona was attacked by the police when he was arguing with the opponent's players. In the end, the Turkish police had to apologize to him and the Red Devils.

Cantona's "bad record" in the Premier League is well known to the Red Devils fans, and they all know why he did that, and they will not be misled by the media. In 1994, Cantona was tackled by John Moncur when the Red Devils played against Swindon, and he kicked him and got a red card; later at Highbury, Cantona did it again to Tony Adams, got a red card again and was suspended for an additional 5 games... These things are well known to the Red Devils fans. They don't think there are too many problems with Cantona's reaction, and the FA has also punished this kind of foul and retaliation, so everything should be done according to the rules.

In other words, Cantona was so tough, so unruly, and so proud, but he was indeed super strong and was the biggest contributor to the Red Devils' consecutive championships and defenses. In other words, Cantona got into fights and got into trouble every day, but it did not prevent him from winning so many championships and honors for the Red Devils fans. What else is there to say? !

In the July 1994 World Cup, Cantona punched a French Football Association official and was expelled from the French national team. Cantona later said, "That jerk insulted his wife and attacked his faith." When the French national team's decision to expel Cantona was reported to England, the Red Devils fans cheered.

Then in the summer of 1995, Cantona returned to France to live alone. When he and his pregnant wife went on vacation to Martinique, France, they were harassed by the English media paparazzi again. Without the protection specially arranged by Ferguson, Cantona clashed with the paparazzi. In order to protect himself and his wife, Cantona had an argument with the other party and then beat up a reporter from the British Independent Television News Network. The reporter quickly called the police, but this time the strict French privacy law protected Cantona. The French police finally determined that it was just a "low-intensity conflict" and did not punish Cantona.

The news was still passed back to England, and the Red Devils fans formed a team and went to the media office where the beaten reporter was located to "cheer and celebrate" and show their support for the Red Devils core players far away in France.

Yes, that's how much the Red Devils fans love Cantona.

Cantona is such a rebellious person who does his own thing. His character has not changed because of anything. But now Cantona is not happy on vacation in France. He also feels indifferent in the club. The chairman of the board treats him very badly, which makes him want to stay away from the Premier League.

Ferguson was furious about the rumors that Cantona might leave the club due to his cold reception. He thought it was a very serious alarm and the team was now at risk of losing their biggest backbone. When Cantona revealed that he was unhappy with the treatment at the Red Devils, Ferguson was shocked.

He had to make Cantona change his mind and stay with the Red Devils. Ferguson later recalled: "Eric's ban from the game became very troublesome. He was even banned from the team's pre-season warm-up games. This caused him trouble and he left the club and returned to France. I know he was very unhappy and we had to find a way to solve it in time."

Ferguson said: "Of course we heard rumors that Cantona was not satisfied with being persecuted, and there were also rumors that he wanted to leave the Red Devils and Inter Milan wanted to sign him. I immediately clarified the relevant rumors and firmly denied the transfer rumors. We can't sell Cantona to Inter Milan. He is our indispensable soul figure and we will never sell him."

Ferguson was very angry about Edwards' attitude and he had a big tantrum in the Red Devils board. The Red Devils board quickly issued a statement, reiterating that the team's training match did not violate any regulations, and Cantona would continue to participate in the Red Devils' various trainings and prepare for his comeback. The fan team was extremely supportive of Ferguson. During the Red Devils' warm-up match against Bradford, they put up a banner that read "1966 is the most important year for British football - Eric was born."

After the game, Ferguson flew directly to Paris. He wanted to talk to Cantona in person, to let the Frenchman feel the team's care for him, and to feel Ferguson's trust and support for him, hoping that he would change his mind.

Cantona welcomed Ferguson and arranged a special reception. He asked his lawyer and good friend Jean-Jacques Armofini to pick up Ferguson on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Ferguson rode on a limited-production motorcycle through the streets of Paris, past the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame, and across the Champs-Elysees to the high-end restaurant specially arranged by Cantona.

Ferguson and Cantona met in a restaurant and had a deep conversation for almost the entire night.

Ferguson later recalled: "This encounter was a wonderful memory. I enjoyed the romance of the French and had a rare relaxing time. Eric and I talked about everything and had a very pleasant dinner. Cantona was polite, elegant and interesting. I assured him that the Red Devils would never hurt him and would always stand with him. I conveyed greetings from the club's board of directors and condolences from the locker room, and let him know the fans' love for him. He smiled happily when he saw the photo of the banner, and he was excited by the fans' love for him."

Cantona finally accepted Ferguson's advice and agreed to continue playing for the Red Devils. Ferguson was very happy and drank a bottle of red wine specially prepared by Cantona. The two football legends spent a whole night recalling the interesting experiences of the past. Ferguson later said: "I don't remember where the restaurant is now, but I have never forgotten what I experienced that night. The time I spent in that restaurant was one of the most valuable things I did in this stupid job."

Cantona said in an interview many years after his retirement, "My happiest experience was my time with the Red Devils. The fans' love for me made me very proud. It feels great, but it also makes me a little scared, because the fans' praise for me will stop one day."

Cantona said: "There was a time when I lost interest in the Premier League and even wanted to leave football. Fortunately, Ferguson retained me. What I love about Ferguson is that he protects my interests and firmly supports my position. He makes me believe that there are always new fun, new goals and challenges with him. Ferguson is one of the people who have had the greatest influence on me. This is the world. The people we meet shape us."

Cantona said: "The Red Devils mean a lot to me, and Alex's coaching is indispensable to me. I love this team and I am extremely loyal and trustful to Ferguson. This is my relationship with Ferguson, and we are inseparable."

Later, many years later, Manchester United fans realized that Ferguson had never done so much for any player again. Even when Ronaldo was leaving to join Real Madrid, even when Ronaldo was returning to Manchester United, even when Rooney asked for a pay rise and wanted to see the club's ambitions, even when Keane was furious and criticized his teammates and attacked Queiroz, Ferguson was not as attentive and gentle, as kind and emotional as he was this time.

Ferguson once said, "The Red Devils can do without anyone, and no one is irreplaceable. The only special one for me is Cantona, who is worth everything we have to keep."