No smiles from moody Anelka

Chris Bailey

February 01, 2005

FORMER BLUE: Nicolas Anelka

THERE seems precious little Turkish delight surrounding Nicolas Anelka despite the fact that his wish to leave Manchester City has been granted.

The shy and often moody Frenchman's smile was not always in evidence during his two and a half year spell with the Blues, and when he pulled on a Fenerbache shirt for the first time since his near '7m move, he wasn't about to change all that.

No doubt the 25-year-old - now City's record sale as well as their record purchase - will flash the pearly whites once he starts banging in the goals that Fenerbache hope will secure them their league title.

Unfortunately Anelka's reputation will travel with him, not helped by the way he left the Blues.

Despite his relatively lengthy spell with Kevin Keegan's side several members of the senior squad never had a proper conversation with him and there will not be general mourning in the dressing room that the footballing enigma has departed.

Bonding

His relationship with some of his teammates deteriorated after he declined to join in bonding sessions last season though they thought that had been put behind him this year when he took part in white water rafting and go-kart racing.

A photograph of Anellka smiling while enjoying the thrills and spills of the white water rafting in Wales has been pinned on Anelka's locker by his former teammates at the Carrington Training Centre as a reminder of the one occasion when they did bring a smile to his face.

Anelka's 45 goals from 101 starts (plus two as a substitute) proved his worth to City but the statistics point to there being plenty of life A.N. (after Nick).

The last 19 Premiership games in which the Frenchman featured yielded 24 points at an average of 1.26 per game. The first nine he missed brought the Blues 14pts at 1.55.

He has signed a three and a half year deal with the Turkish league leaders and unless they have a major hiccup will be playing for them in the Champions League next season.

However, having now listed Arsenal, Real Madrid, Paris St Germain, Liverpool (on loan), and City on his lengthening list of former loves - in deals worth more than '60million - one does wonder what next for Anelka.

Should Anelka have stuck with City? Have your say.

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Sanks, stockport (01/02/2005 at 14:13)

More rubbish from Chris Bailey! He's gone now for goodness sake, just write about something relevant like who's going to score the goals for us from now on. This is just typical of some people surrounding the club like Paul Hince. I suppose we'll be getting his wise words on the subject soon!! It's boring.

J, Manchester (01/02/2005 at 14:29)

Another re-hash of a previous article and more back-stabbing. I saw him smile wearing his Fener strip, I saw him talk to the Media (in English) and it killed me to watch it as I didn't want him to go. Well, Nico has gone and he ain't coming back, so get over it like the rest of us will have to do! How about moving on to a different story? Why not put your journalistic 'skills' to good use by getting someone from City (Wardle) to give us a statement on our failures in the transfer market and what is really going on inside the club with those people who still work for us? You're going to have to work harder now rather than putting the same old Anelka story out half a dozen times.

Brian, Prestwich (01/02/2005 at 14:32)

I agree with Sanks...lets hope the stats remain favourable post Nic but somehow..I think not!!! Lets hope we get the few points we need for safety as quickly as possible and then blood some more kids! Finally,get rid of the pension planners except Bosie!

csb, ec4 (01/02/2005 at 14:43)

that's it City, crank up the propoganda machine.... sulky old Nic, never had a friend in the club, never spoke to anyone in 3 years, all his team-mates glad to see the back of him. Let's see how many happy smiley faces there are in 4 weeks time when we're still on 31 points. Wardle & Keegan, you're abject failures.

Sajid CTID, Bolton (01/02/2005 at 14:46)

Obviously the M.E.N. correspondent wasn't watching the same television that I was watching when Nicolas signed for Fenerbahce! Or is it what you like to call 'journalistic licence?' Anelka also smiled often at City, despite the garbage printed by the Media.

Come on M.E.N. give us real stories, not rehashed drivel!

ron, bury blue (01/02/2005 at 14:52)

Keegans record in the transfer market speaks for it self.he as let our best players go Wanchope Mettomo Huckerby Wiekens. And brought over the hill and bad players in Fowler Mcmanaman Mills Vuoso the list is endless.No wonder the board wont give him any money Keegan should go and take his chief scout ith him.Bring back Bernstein

Alan Meadows, Bolton (01/02/2005 at 14:57)

And I would have left too had I been Nic. Here two and a half years and barely one decent pass! (I'm sure we all remember it, from SWP and he went on to score) Had be brought in an Ali or an Eyal then things may have been different but the is no sign of ambition, only consolidition, and Anelka needs to be playing in a team where his world class talents will be better utilised. Never smiled?? Pitiful!! Would you rather someone getting hammered most night and causing bother or a dedicated athlete who, admittedly kept himself to himself, but concentrated on his work.

murat, texas usa (01/02/2005 at 14:59)

Come on guys, let the man go. Stop speculating about his future. He is a Fenerbahce player now not MCFC. He is our problem (if he turns out to be one). But I think we signed a darn good international striker which will set a precedent to many quality players to come to Turkish Supet League.

Scott, Athens, Greece. (01/02/2005 at 15:02)

Yaaaawwwwn! Are these blokes actually paid for this?

Mat, Stockport (01/02/2005 at 15:23)

Anelka might be all smiles now Fenerbahce supporters, but give it 12 months and you are not living up to his standards and challenging for the Champions League (which lets face it...you never will) and Monsieur Anelka will be looking for another move...as after all, he only joined Fenerbahce because no one else wanted him. Strange coincidence that his "move to a bigger club" speech appeared in the french press straight after Barcelona had hinted they may be interested in him. If he thinks the Turkish League is bigger and better than the Premier League then he is on a different planet!!

jj, east stand (01/02/2005 at 15:40)

blar blar blar just get behind the team on wednesday CTID

ted knott, droylsden (01/02/2005 at 15:53)

My opinion is Anelkas immense talent was not appriciated at City, for a start Keegans tactics did not extract the best out of him even though apart from SWP no one came near him on goalscoring or abillity. It must of been so frustrating for him having to endure such an attrocious lack of service,he needed the passes to run on to like those he regularly got in his days at Arsenal,players behind him such as Sibiereski,Bosvelt, and in the past Reyna are massive let downs and underachievers,Joey Barton is a holding type of player and SWP runs at defenders so those two arent to blame for the lack of service to Nico,however at the end of the day it was KKs game plan,Fazackerlys coaching that created Anelkas unsettled period The big question is now "who is going to score for us now?" Nicos departure will heap even more of a burden on Shauny now and he will probably be leaving us in the close season (after the season ticket sales) and what then? as an after thought when I seen Anelkas broad smile when he was greeted by the Fenerbache fans it told me how relieved he was to get away. more than likely we dont know half the story on what actually went on and to think all along we were being told from various players through the media what a great team spirit existed at City,its all fabrication like many many times in the past whoever was our manager or Chairman,things never seem to change do they?

murat, texas usa (01/02/2005 at 15:56)

This move is not about the Premier League and the Turkish Super League but about MCFC and Fenerbahce. You have to admit that Fenerbahce has a lot more going on than MCFC. At best MCFC is a mediocre team in a great league and has no ambitions for Europe. Fenerbahce is a great team in an OK league with huge ambitions for Europe. Only time will show if fenerbahce will live up to the expectations in Europe but MCFC is not even trying and I think that is the main reason why Anelka is not wearing the blues today. It is not unrealistic for Anelka to be the best striker in the world in couple of years if he adapts to fenerbahce. He is only 25. And from what I see most of the MC fans are sad that he is gone.

Gorton Blues, Gorton (01/02/2005 at 16:16)

Sanks if you don't like it buy the stockport express and read about your team COUNTY.

The Pope, Rome (01/02/2005 at 16:27)

ted knott, have you ever experience happiness you grumpy, grumpling old soak!
Murat, as your best mates like to say "welcome to hell"

ho ho

Jimmy, Fowler 4 England (01/02/2005 at 16:42)

Murat - You are talking garbage pal. Fenerbahce play in a Mickey Mouse league compared to our Premier League. There are only 2 decent teams; Besiktas and Galatasaray, and you lost to both of them. You will be found out in Europe time and time again.....Nico or no Nico.

Bob Fasoli, warrington (01/02/2005 at 16:54)

I think Anelka leaving City will have the same effect as Rooney leaving Everton. The rest of the team now will work together better as a team. Anelka could not play with another forward and I believe he had a detremental on the dressing room.

CJ, DALLAS TX (01/02/2005 at 17:16)

MURAT I FOR ONE IS SAD TO SEE THE SULK GO BUT IF YOU DONT FIT THEN YOU MUST LEAVE AS FOR FENABACHE BEING BETTER THAN CITY COME ON MATE KEEP DREAMING. YES YOU WILL PLAY IN EUROPE YEAR AND YEAR OUT BUT LOOK WHAT LEAGUE YOUR IN, THE WORST IN WORLD TO BE HONEST YOU DONT SEE ALOT OF PLAYERS BEING SOLD FROM TURKISH SIDES DO YOU ?LET ME KNOW WHERE YOU ARE IN TX AND WE CAN SINK FEW BUDS AND EAT A DIRTY DONNER KEBAB AFTER IT.

alex, westminster (01/02/2005 at 17:24)

its simple, elk plays as a lone striker with poss soemone just off, kk only played this way early last season (when we hit top position remember) ALSO elk is a miserable kind of guy and put a downer on the team. I bet we see a new city wed nite

murat, texas usa (01/02/2005 at 17:44)

Jimmy, Jimmy, gimmy some break my friend, Besiktas is the best team in Turkey that is why they just fired Del Bosque and they are 14 points behind us. And Galatasaray is the best team taht is why they are signing Ribery while we are signing Anelka and they are 4 points behind us. Again only time is going to show what Fenerbahce is going to do in europe. I hope after we eliminate Zaragoza we will play with Middlesbrough or Newcastle (if they can move on to the next round :))). Then we will see who is playing in Mickey Mouse League.

Nick, Urmston (01/02/2005 at 17:53)

o he had poor service? buy if he is the best striker in the world which is what he believes surely he could have made goals when he got the ball? instaed of ALWAYS ahving is back to goal and never sprinting with the ball

does any1 remember last season?? and his first season? where we were pulling are hair out at missed one on ones etc

o and hes going yo get better service at fenerbachi??

u dont need service to score against turks!!!

John Taylor, Warstein,Germany (01/02/2005 at 18:00)

I feel sorry for Nicholas. Has he ever spoken to a trick cyclist or considered therapy?

Steve, Luton (01/02/2005 at 18:00)

We must move on now! Anelka is the best striker seen at this club in 30 years! The club failed him, rather than he failed the club. We should have built the club around him, bought players to compliment him, but we didn't and now he's gone. I don't blame him... because our ambitions were nothing more than to stay in the premier league. I never cared that he didn't smile, all I cared was that we got the ball to his feet inside the box.. which we rarely did. Don't jump on the band wagon criticising Anelka, I for one am priviledged to have seen him play for City. Who would have ever imagined that 5 years ago. Onward & upwards..hopefully

Phil, Royton (01/02/2005 at 18:14)

Anelka's gone-----good, now lets get back to playing as a team and let all of us pull together and move us up the table where we all want to be.
and as for you texan chewy bar, stick to drillin oil cause you know f all about football
BORN TO BE BLUE

Raging Blue, Aston (01/02/2005 at 18:42)

Ted Knott. It must be an anagram of miserable sod!!

Is it living in Droylsden? If you knew anything about anything you'd know Anelkas goal to game ratio is better at City than it was anywhere else!! Yes even when he was getting "That service" at Arsenal and Real Madrid. Cheer up and get behind the Blues!!

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