Keane: Eric wanted to kill cop who hit him. I like a fight but even I didn’t fancy this
ISTANBUL FIGHTER CRAZY CANTONA
ERIC CANTONA’S ban for a kung-fu kick at a Crystal Palace fan was not his first rumble in a Manchester United shirt. In our second extract from the book King Eric we revisit an epic tunnel bust-up in Istanbul 27 years ago
THERE was a terrible atmosphere on the trip as soon as the team stepped off the plane in Istanbul.
And when the time came for Manchester United to reproduce their impressive domestic form in Europe they were unable to flick the switch.
Needing to score, after a 3-3 draw in the first leg, and with Galatasaray players throwing themselves to the ground, Eric Cantona grew frustrated.
To everyone’s amazement, referee Karl Rothlisberger blew right on 90 minutes for a 0-0 draw and Cantona, incensed, went to remonstrate with him.
Despite the game being over, Rothlisberger quickly pulled out a red card and pointed it in Cantona’s direction as the teams were shielded off the field.
In the tunnel there was a huge altercation with Cantona and Bryan Robson in the middle of it. In a scuffle with police both players were hurt.
“At the end of one tunnel was the sanctuary of our dressing room but before we could reach it I saw a policeman punch Eric in the back of the head,” said United defender Steve Bruce.
Roy Keane recalled: “Eric went crazy. He was determined to go back outside to sort out the rogue cop wielding his truncheon. He was serious.
“He insisted he was going to kill ‘that f **** r.’ It took the combined efforts of the management and a few of the players to restrain him.
“Normally I wouldn’t have backed off a fight but even I wasn’t up for this one. There were a lot of Turks out there!”
Cantona was vociferous in his demand for the truth: “I was punched on the back of the head and it’s a great scandal.”
Retelling the tale in his book My Story, Cantona said: “What annoyed me most is I was hit on the head with a truncheon by a policeman, the sort of fellow who sends you to prison for being out of work or when you are hungry and you go and steal a bar of chocolate.
“I was upset at being knocked out of the European Cup, at the spoiling tactics, at the fact no stoppage time was added and by being given the red card.
“But above all I had been hit from behind by that s*** of a Turkish policeman. Maybe we’ll bump into each other again!”
Manager Alex Ferguson could barely believe it. He said: “Eric complained about no time being added on. Then a policeman punched Cantona. We have filmed evidence”
It was the first time United had seen the volcanic side of the maverick’s temperament.
But chairman Martin Edwards admitted: “We knew what we were getting, we knew he flared up at times. But his value to the team meant it was worth putting up with it.”
● Adapted by Mike Walters from King Eric: Portrait of the Artist Who Changed English Football by Wayne Barton, published by Reach Sport, on sale now from Amazon.