Anelka slates houllier - "i never wanted to leave liverpool"
Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 1:22 pmNicolas Anelka has lamented the fact he has a less than positive reputation in England as he looks to secure a move back to The Premiership.
The talented Frenchman is eager to quit current club Fenerbahce and return to the country in which he made his name with Arsenal.
As a starlet Anelka proved his goalscoring credentials in North London before making a less successful switch to Real Madrid, leaving in acrimonious circumstances.
Later in his career the striker played at both Manchester City and Liverpool and again, his departure from the former drew criticism.
However, Anelka - who is attracting strong interest from Portsmouth - feels his reputation is very much unjust and that it is such rumours that surround his persona that are off-putting to Europe's bigger clubs.
In an outspoken outburst, Anelka has criticised former Liverpool boss and current Lyon incumbent Gerard Houllier for the manner in which he treated him at Anfield during a loan switch.
''You know, I never wanted to leave Liverpool,'' he told L'Equipe. ''It is the best club I know.
''If everything went off as smoothly as I expected, I would have signed for five years at that time, and today, I would be in talks for a contract extension.
''Let’s say when he (Houllier) told me at the last minute he won’t keep me, I found myself in difficulty because I had absolutely not started to talk with any other clubs.
''Finally I joined a club (Manchester City) against my will.''
With Anelka clearly not enamoured with Houllier's man-management skills he has been quick to dismiss reports of a possible return to France, as Lyon ponder over whether to submit an offer.
''I didn't have any direct contact with Lyon,'' he added. ''But I abandoned the idea to come back to France.
''Lyon has not been my priority, moreover, Gerard Houllier is the main reason for what I am enduring at the moment.
''If he did not do that to me at Liverpool, I would not have been playing in minor clubs for four years, where I would never think to play for one day.''
Anelka concluded by offering another riposte, this time in the direction of City, another club whom he feels are partly responsible for the more barren years in his career.
''I heard people from Manchester City said bad things about me when someone asked for information.
''The clubs should rather ask the English players with whom I played.
''That is even more incredible as I never had any trouble in England, except when I asked to leave Arsenal.
''And people forget they sold me for €33 million (£22.5 million) after buying me for €750,000 (£500,000) two years earlier from PSG.
''Now if the great clubs don’t try to hire me, it is never for football reasons.''
The talented Frenchman is eager to quit current club Fenerbahce and return to the country in which he made his name with Arsenal.
As a starlet Anelka proved his goalscoring credentials in North London before making a less successful switch to Real Madrid, leaving in acrimonious circumstances.
Later in his career the striker played at both Manchester City and Liverpool and again, his departure from the former drew criticism.
However, Anelka - who is attracting strong interest from Portsmouth - feels his reputation is very much unjust and that it is such rumours that surround his persona that are off-putting to Europe's bigger clubs.
In an outspoken outburst, Anelka has criticised former Liverpool boss and current Lyon incumbent Gerard Houllier for the manner in which he treated him at Anfield during a loan switch.
''You know, I never wanted to leave Liverpool,'' he told L'Equipe. ''It is the best club I know.
''If everything went off as smoothly as I expected, I would have signed for five years at that time, and today, I would be in talks for a contract extension.
''Let’s say when he (Houllier) told me at the last minute he won’t keep me, I found myself in difficulty because I had absolutely not started to talk with any other clubs.
''Finally I joined a club (Manchester City) against my will.''
With Anelka clearly not enamoured with Houllier's man-management skills he has been quick to dismiss reports of a possible return to France, as Lyon ponder over whether to submit an offer.
''I didn't have any direct contact with Lyon,'' he added. ''But I abandoned the idea to come back to France.
''Lyon has not been my priority, moreover, Gerard Houllier is the main reason for what I am enduring at the moment.
''If he did not do that to me at Liverpool, I would not have been playing in minor clubs for four years, where I would never think to play for one day.''
Anelka concluded by offering another riposte, this time in the direction of City, another club whom he feels are partly responsible for the more barren years in his career.
''I heard people from Manchester City said bad things about me when someone asked for information.
''The clubs should rather ask the English players with whom I played.
''That is even more incredible as I never had any trouble in England, except when I asked to leave Arsenal.
''And people forget they sold me for €33 million (£22.5 million) after buying me for €750,000 (£500,000) two years earlier from PSG.
''Now if the great clubs don’t try to hire me, it is never for football reasons.''