Anelka Kicked Off French National Team
"Le Sulk" has struck again.
French striker Nicolas Anelka was booted from the national team Saturday after refusing to apologize for a halftime tongue lashing of coach Raymond Domenech.
ESPN.com has the details:
The Chelsea forward reportedly made obscene comments to Domenech at halftime of France's 2-0 loss to Mexico on Thursday. He was asked to make amends by FFF president Jean-Pierre Escalettes.
"Faced by the refusal of the player to publicly apologize, he [Escalettes] took the decision in total agreement with the coach and the official members of the delegation present in Knysna to exclude Nicolas Anelka from the squad," the FFF said in a statement. "He will leave the French team camp this evening."
Anelka confirmed he had an argument with Domenech -- but said that it was meant to stay within the team.
"I indeed had a heated conversation with the coach, but it happened within the confines of the changing rooms, between the coach and me, in front of my teammates and the staff," Anelka told the website of France Soir newspaper. "That should never have come out of the changing rooms. I don't know who can benefit from that, but repeating these kind of things certainly doesn't help [the team]."
French captain Patrick Evra stood by the federation's decision, but was more concerned with the "traitor" who leaked the report than he was with Anelka.
"The problem isn't Anelka, it's the traitor among us, you have to say it," Evra said. "How can this come out?"
Anelka has a reputation for feuding with coaches, particularly French national team coaches, so this development is no big surprise. The combustible nature of the team, mixed with their frustrating start to the tournament (France tied Uruguay 0-0 and lost to Mexico 2-0), makes for an environment where something like this is bound to happen.
Anelka's replacement for France's third, and likely final, game has yet to be announced. I imagine it won't be Thierry Henry, though, based on Domenech's decision not to use him as a sub in the Mexico game.
If I had to guess, I would say 24-year-old Andre-Pierre Gignac gets the start up front.
