Dean Windass today backed Nicky Law's verbal broadside at City's players.
The Bantams ground out a goalless draw at Coventry last night to edge above Rotherham in the bottom three.
And skipper Windass believes the gutsy defensive display was just the reaction Law wanted after his stinging attack earlier in the week.
Windass, who made a crucial block in stoppage time to keep out Stephen Warnock's volley, said: "It's a man's game and when rollickings are dished out, you've got to take it.
"The manager needed to be strong with us. He has stuck up for us most of the time but you have to be ruthless in this game.
"You can't just accept things if you want to get on. There was a bit of arguing on the pitch, which was good because it shows that we care.
"Now we've got to make sure this point is not wasted and build on it by beating Walsall on Saturday."
The players were back in training this morning as part of the manager's hardline approach.
Law could have been axed if City had lost. But after picking up only a third point in ten games, he was chirpy about the display.
He said: "That was the response I'd expected and hoped for. It's not a punishment bringing in extra training, I just felt we needed to work harder. I'm fully within my rights to criticise the players for their performances in the last six or seven games. It was too easy to keep telling the crowd to lay off the lads and complaining about our bad luck.
"All of us have to stand up and be counted. I was getting it in the neck, so was the chairman but deep down he realises what I'm attempting to do. It hasn't been easy for him and the board or for me and the players but we've got to stick together.
"That was the first step in the right direction against a good Coventry side."
It was only City's third league clean sheet since March.
Keeper Alan Combe said: "We desperately needed it and the defence was magnificent. Coventry had a lot of the ball but weren't allowed to create much."
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