THERE comes a time in any footballing saga when enough is enough - and perhaps Manchester City have reached that point with Nicolas Anelka.
Boss Kevin Keegan has become exasperated by the man around whom he hoped to build a successful, trophy-winning City side, and one senses the manager is not alone in his frustration.
Keegan spent '12.5million fetching in the talented 25-year-old from Paris St Germain, and that represents around one quarter of his entire transfer budget over the three-and-a-half seasons in which the boss has been at the helm.
At the time he signed, Anelka was given the highest wage ever paid to a City player and Keegan has since bent over backwards to accommodate the striker's complex personality.
Quiet and introverted to the point where several members of the Blues squad are still to have a proper conversation with him, Anelka is one of the great footballing enigmas.
To be fair to him, much of the so-called sulking that he has been accused of in the past could be put down to shyness or journalistic creativity.
But his latest attempts to get himself out of Sportcity and into the Champions League have been sadly all too predictable.
Anelka has brooded ever since he bashed on Keegan's door in the summer asking to be loaned out or sold because he felt he needed the stimulation of European football - only to be told emphatically "no way".
He has hidden behind the opaque transfer window, waiting for it to fling open on New Year's Day.
As soon as it did so, he played against Southampton. But with rumours of Liverpool's interest gathering momentum by the hour, he was missing against Arsenal with back and groin problems that had not been verified by the club's medical staff.
There was no row, no bust-up, no cup throwing. Keegan simply asserted his authority and, not for the first time this season, carried on regardless without his former leading light.
Any logical person in Anelka's highly-paid and pampered position would have seen the transfer window as the perfect time to show his talents.
Surely two or three blistering performances on the pitch - rather than a mystery ailment - was the way to alert would-be suitors.
Anelka should have been playing his way out of the club rather than moping, while hoping and expecting his past deeds to attract buyers.
Past is the key word, for there is no doubt that the Frenchman's genius has dwindled alongside his desire this season. Keegan was recently moved to talk about the player's influence as City's main man in the past tense, while no less an authority than Patrick Vieira, the captain of Arsenal and Anelka's fellow countryman, had no hesitation in plumping for Shaun Wright-Phillips when discussing who was the Blues' top gun these days.
Having already played for Arsenal, Madrid and PSG, it is hard to envisage where Anelka could go next.
The clubs that can afford him - and they are precious few - do not want or need him, and he would be far better advised putting all of his considerable talent into helping the Blues flourish.
There are not many clubs in Europe who play to 45,000-plus crowds every week, or where Anelka would receive the same level of respect or admiration that he gets at Sportcity.
Rankings
With a host of youngsters coming through, a win over Chelsea and draws at Highbury and Old Trafford, the club could be poised to climb the rankings, and he could play a major part in that.
Richard Dunne is just one of several current stars who feel that if City can keep hold of Shaun Wright-Phillips, Joey Barton and one or two others, as well as add a bit of quality here and there, all their ambitions might be fulfilled in the next two or three seasons.
Anelka, if he was thinking straight, might want to be part of that.
It is much better, surely, to have helped create something yourself than to be a small part of a ready assembled, expensive product.
Alas, even if the Blues' number 39 has a change of heart, it might be too late to save his City career. Patience has worn thinner - though not yet threadbare - in the stands.
However, his recent lacklustre demeanour has harvested many critics.
And the statistics, too, point to there being plenty of life in Manchester City A.N. (After Nic).
The last 19 Premiership games in which the Frenchman has taken part have yielded 24 points, at an average of 1.26 per game.Compare that to the last nine matches he has missed, which have brought the Blues 14points, at 1.55 per match.
That is mathematical proof that Keegan's men - Saturday's blip at Oldham aside - tend to rise to the occasion when Anelka is missing.
Regular watchers will also have noted that the spirit in the side appears much stronger when he is absent.
If Anelka has made his mind up that he wants to go, then City should make it clear that he will only be allowed to do so on their terms - after all, he has three more seasons to serve on his lucrative contract.
The Blues must not be held to ransom or let a major talent disappear on the cheap just because he thinks he can better himself elsewhere.
Turkish club Fenerbahce's interest would at this stage appear to be less determined than Liverpool's, though having two clubs chasing a player who is probably the best in Europe not to be currently cup tied for the Champions League would be to Keegan's advantage.
City have to be strong and resist the temptation to loan out Anelka just to rid themselves of a potential irritant.
And the player himself has to show maturity and respect for the manager and chairman who put so much faith in the former Arsenal star by bringing him back into the Premiership spotlight on a full-time basis following his loan spell at Liverpool.
Anelka has never actually said he dislikes being at City, just that he might prefer to be somewhere else - an important point to make.
But if he does find himself at Sportcity when the calendar flips over to February 1, then it is to be hoped he is mature enough to put his heart and soul back into helping the Blues improve and climb the table.
It is the very least he owes supporters who have been quick to praise and slow to criticise the man who was supposed to symbolise a brave and successful new era.
It is not too late for everyone to come together for the common good, but the clock is ticking.
Perhaps an amicable divorce might be in everyone's best interests - and not just Nicolas Anelka's.
Do you agree with Chris Bailey? Is it time to sell on Anelka? Have your say.
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If Rlk was playing at one of these top sides then would he be getting in the team on current for having not checked the stats i would guess 1 goal in his last 10 or so games. That is not the form of a champions league center forward. I bet if chelsea came in hed be off but he probably wouldnt get on their bench. If he goes to Liverpool what will he do when Cisse , Baros and possibly Morientes are above him and hes on the bench. He should appreciate what hes got, if his recent form had followed the first 7 or so games then we would probably be as high as Liverpool. It is noticable his form has followed the same pattern as last season, started well died off a bit and finished well (to be seen). Still i would not loan him out as towards the back end of the season he would need to perform again to get the transfer he wants. We need to be thinking ahead get a good bid in for Yakubu now he is the only proven striker available. It will cost but time has shown that the teams with the quality strikers are the ones at the top - look at Tottenham and Middlesborough. Annelka was the reason city stayed up we now need a replacement and a couple of others to move forward.
Anelka? Dump the numpty
This bloke clearly is not the sharpest tool in the box. His actions are not only preventing him from playing for city and alienating fans who love him, but must also be making potential buyers think again, especially when his history is taken into account.
As for the business of refusing to take a fitness test, I hope the club are docking his wages for every game he makes himself unavailable for. Tail wagging dog gone mad.
Hope a deal is done soon to get this undeniably talented but disruptive individual away from City where he clearly does not want to play.
Agree Steve - Nico out Yakubu in but also KK out I'm sorry to say!
Yakubu? I dont think so, for a set off PMouths evaluation is way above bored, quotes of 10m are way off target in todays market, especially when city havent even been linked.
If City are to sell the Elk then it will be the 5m we owe Paris and 2-3m on Darren Bent from Ipswich. Keegan has been down Ipswich once this season and Stuart Pearce has been twice.
If Anelka is feigning injury it is not going to attract a buyer. If his agents already have a buyer then it would serve 2 purposes 1) He is guaranteed to remain 'un-injured' for the transfer 2) City will be mugs and let him go cheaper as 'damaged goods', in terms of physical injury and mental attitude!
I would be interested to know if his agents have been negotiating with Fenerbahce', then for how long.!
KK & Mr. Wardle Don't let him go for less than B#10m!
Nico - Buckle down and sort your life out - without your brothers!
Chris, i agree exactly with what your saying but the elk doesnt have his brothers as agents any longer, he sacked them off when he came to city. Unfortunately it seems either 1) its always been nico himself who looks for the moves all the time or 2) his new agent isnt much better!
At this stage I just wish someone would come in with a decent offer for him so we don't have to read another "Anelka Going?" article.
I was a huge Anelka fan when he first moved to City but I'm afraid that I now prefer it when Fowler & Macken play. I can forgive players having poor games but I don't think that anyone can forgive lack of effort or committment. Come on Robbie, you can fill the void.
If he refuses to take a fitness test he is a) in breach of his contract and b) possibly, can have his wages deducted.
He certainly needs a Doctors note just like everybody else.
Stop his wages until he declares himself fit (with a doctors note !) and play him in the reserves till his contract runs out.
Do we need this trouble ?
I have been one of Anelka's staunchest supporters but I said on here last week that the time was right to sell him however, I agree with bece's comments because his sulking and refusal to take fitness tests etc will only serve to put off potential buyers thus limiting his options so he isn't doing himself any favours. I do not subscribe to the view by others though that playing Macken alongside Fowler is the answer. Macken should be shipped out as well in my opinion because he is simply not good enough. He couldn't even impress against Oldham where BWP looked much more mobile, capable and threatening despite Keegan's baffling decision to substitute him!
let him go, he doesn't want to stay at City that's pretty clear! If he is so thick that he doesn't realise that of he scores more goals, is a team player, elivates City up the table (Europe is still a possibility) he'll get what he wants anyway. If he doesn't want to help us achieve these goals there is no point keeping him, I'm not being negative or slagging him, he's scored loads of goals but frankly we play better without him. I can' see who is crazy or rich enough to pay B#10 million but i've got everything crossed that theres is somebody out there.
If I hadn't gone to work yesterday I wouldn't have been paid and I would probably have been sacked. What makes him any different - apart from the fact that he earns in a week what I earn in 2 years?
I feel very let down by Nic - I thought he was the best blue since the good old days, And how must Jon Macken feel? He runs his socks off and sweats blue blood and yet Nico gets all the plaudits. I'd love Nico to stay and give his all - but if he won't do that then I'd rather have a tryer any time. Typically I guess City will let him go for peanuts and bring in another donkey. And to think we let the Goat and Dickov go.
I have been an Anelka fan in the past , I even called him "Anelkastar", but for sometime now I had noticed the difference in his game, it was not being a team player and at times appearing lazy.
What is sad about the whole situation Anelka does not understand other clubs won,t come banging the doors down for him whilst he does not show up for CITY.
Lets face it under the present conditions CITY cannot afford to keep paying him for doing nothing.
CITY now have to hope that the Turkish club come up with a reasonable offer, so that we can replace him pronto.
No one player is CITY.
Come on you BLUES!
Can someone explain why Joey Barton is fined 6 weeks wages for an innocuos incident which is nothing to do with football yet Anelka escapes without punishment for effectively refusing to play (which is why we pay him) without justification?
doesn't he realise that it takes 11 players to make a big club - he seems to think the other 10 should do it for him. We've thrown away eight points this season in games we should have won (fulham, norwich wba and southampton away) because we couldn't score a winner. If he'd done his bit to win those points then we would be sixth, with Liverpool and Middlesborough still to come to us and every prospect of European football next season. You have to put something in to get something out.
I've lost patience with him but we should hang on to him until we can get a decent return because he will have to realise that he will need to put in some good performances to attract attention.
Anelka is right he is playing with a team that is going nowhere,what more proof do we need that Anelka is right--losing to a 3 rd rate team in the FA Cup.Its Keegan we need to be rid of ,he seems to take against players with real ability,Berkovic is a good example of that-its mainly because he sees in them something he never had himself--Talent--his main quality was that he ran about a lot and waited for Toshack to nod the ball to him.Come on City fans lets get him out--and quick.
Keegan had no talent as a player?? - Malc you are clearly a clueless moron and maybe need to go and watch something you understand a little better like Tots TV. Get behind the club, be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem.
A good piece of analytical sports journalism. Maybe Nic would be well advised to see that there isn't exactly a stampede for his services and to start perfroming for City again in the hope of a summertime move to a recognised football power - but Fenerbahce - what's that all about?
Ideally, as Chris Bailey writes, he could be part of a City team on the rise. The BIG problem is, that without the cash from Nic's proposed sale, where are we going to get the money for the midfield playmaker we so desperately require?
Most City fans would like Nic to stay, even after his outrageous behaviour of recent weeks, but only if he starts putting in 100% again. It's insulting for him to give anything less and if it were to continue then he would undoubtedly incur the wrath of the City faithful. We don't like those who extract the urine and especially not those who do so while collecting B#40,000 a week. As for Nic 'refusing' to take a fitness test prior to the Arsenal and Oldham games I would have thought City had every right to withhold his wages for not honouring the terms of his contract and making himself available to play.
As for KK's handling of Nic I think he has given Nic too much 'freedom' in the past.
Final note, if we sell let's do it on our terms i.e. B#10.1m and not a penny less - B#8m is not enough for a player who has a goals/game ratio of almost 1 in 2.
Yes, a good piece, Chris. Not exactly the best way to put himself in the shop-window, is it, especially with his track-record. Clubs will be extremely reluctant to pay good money for him because of the 'sulk' factor. As for the future, I went to Highbury last Tuesday and came away thinking that we might have even nicked a win if BWP had played instead of Macken. Macken is very honest and extremely hard-working, but Premiership-class he is not. And his goal-scoring record proves that. There were times against Arsenal when we did break through and BWP's sharper instincts could have made the difference. KK should now give him a run in the side. By the way, what's with all this Sportcity business? Having those over-paid branding people been on to you? It's Eastlands or COMS mate.
A truly great player and one of the best to ever play for the club but looking at his attitude recently, he couldn't care less about City. Any Manager worth his salt wouldn't touch him and I think down the line, Anelka will realise that the day he was chosen to fulfill our dreams was the day he was in last chance saloon and he's blown it. If he wants a move so much he should let is feet do the talking and not try and get a move by refusing to play.
Rick of Gloucester--dont get abusive mate--my first game at Maine road was in 1957--I've seen them all come and go,probably seen more City games than youve had hot dinners.My view is that Keegan was always overated as a player and is a disaster as a manager--that is my opinion--you are entitled to disagree with that--but cut out the abuse.
This is the grand "Plan d' Anelka!"
Supporters of mcfc, liverpool, arsenal and madrid etc. - all the clubs that the "great lump" has ridiculed put a few bob in a collection to pay the idiots weekly wages. THEN - he's put on the bench for every reserve team game - non playing until his time is up.
See how he - and his brothers like being buggered about!
we all know "on his day" Anelka is the best player at the club, and indeed have had for sometime, but he still must put in the effort, score us 20 goals elk, and you can say what you like, untill then stop playing silly ganmes and bag us a hat trick against palace.
we love you here but enough is enough. NO ONE PLAYER IS BIGGER THAN THE CLUB and you are no different. shape up or ship out, but either way do it soon!!!!
Come on you lot wake up. Look at his past record with any other club he has been associated with. Sulks, refuses to play, refuses to train, refuses to talk to his club. He has always been the same, stay a while, start sulking, then he and his brother agent collect a new signing on fee somewhere else, the guy is pathetic. We all knew this before we signed him, I say get rid, he is about as interested in City as a United fan. Pity he is our only worthwhile goal scorer though!!
O.B.E.
If Anelka does go we must replace him with another quality striker because macken will never be a prem class goalscorer