World Cup 2010 - Foul-mouthed Anelka kicked out

Reuters - Sat, 19 Jun 18:44:00 2010

Striker Nicolas Anelka was kicked out of France's World Cup squad for insulting coach Raymond Domenech and refusing to apologise, the French Football Federation said.

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Anelka insulted Domenech in a crude manner at half-time of a 2-0 defeat by Mexico on Thursday in Polokwane.

"The comments made by Nicolas Anelka towards national coach Raymond Domenech are totally unacceptable for the French Football Federation, French football and the values they defend," the FFF said.

FFF president Jean-Pierre Escalettes decided to exclude the striker after Anelka, who was to leave France's base at Knysna later on Saturday, said he would not apologise.

Anelka's insults towards Domenech came after the coach had criticised the player's attitude on the pitch against Mexico before deciding to take him off for the second half.

The player reacted by saying he had words with Domenech but denied having said the foul-month comments attributed to him by French sports daily L'Equipe.

"I have a lot of respect for France and for all my team mates, I insist on that," Anelka was quoted as saying on the website of French daily France Soir.

"I wish to state that the words printed in the press were not my words.

"I did have a heated conversation with the coach in the secrecy of the locker room, between the coach and myself, in front of my team mates and the staff. It should never had come out of the locker room."

The 31-year-old Anelka, who has scored 14 goals in 71 internationals, had faced heavy criticism from the French media for dismal displays in warm-up games and in the team's opening 0-0 draw with Uruguay.

Domenech had still kept faith in him and left Thierry Henry, France's record scorer with 51 goals from 122 appearances, out of his starting line-up for France's two matches so far.

By insulting Domenech, Anelka emulated former French enfant terrible Eric Cantona, who had called national team coach Henri Michel a "scumbag" in 1988 and did not play for France for months as a result.

French sports minister Roselyne Bachelot reacted to the Anelka incident by urging the France players to show dignity.

"The very high pressure weighing on Les Bleus does not authorise any form of slip-up," Bachelot said.

"The players must keep in mind that they're wearing France's colours and are considered as role models by many youngsters. This obliges them to show restraint and dignity."

Former France striker Just Fontaine, who scored a record 13 goals at the 1958 World Cup, had asked for Anelka to be sanctioned straight away.

"What's happening to the France team is moronic, deplorable and pitiful," Fontaine told Reuters.

"Anelka must be kicked out."

Reuters

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  1. Hey',
    here's jacques, From France. Domenech had­ a bad boys team, and it's logical that France loose­ by this manner, very shamy. Anelka, Evra, Galas and 2­ or 3 other players, had not thei place in our team.­ Rhey ara proud, bu in a very bad manner, arrogant and­ they only think for their ownship, not for France. I­ Hope that Laurent Blanc will know what he will have to­ do, so that he'l avoid such future­ shame.
    bye

    Jacques

    From Dibon, on Thu 24 Jun 0:49

  2. France entered the World Cup with an irregular hand and­ had to exit with a regular kick in the @#$%!
    There is­ some kind of Justice even in Football!

    From joemorelli7, on Wed 23 Jun 20:36

  3. God don't like cheaters and corrupters that's­ all u french people are u cheat u way to the world cup,­ u have corrupted the entire french Africa without­ shame. What ur are seeing is just the beginning more­ worst stuff are on the way if this country does not­ find God they are doom.
    Cheaters and corrupters never­ goes to heaven
    Anelka thank u for speaking out someone­ has to start from some where.

    may u all remain bless

    From Papi, on Mon 21 Jun 22:44

  4. "chelsea's players are awful in international­ game..­ drogba, lampard, terry, ashley cole,­ ANELKA" Ben, you are so stupid for saying this..­ for god sake!!. i bet you don't even know how to­ play football,, stupid idiot.. go back to your cage

    From Lionel, on Mon 21 Jun 17:56

  5. It's no surprise to me. I knew they would have a­ rough ride from the go, after they shamelessly stole­ the victory from Ireland. The evil that men do... Go­ home, fill your mouths with @#$% and maybe prepare for­ the worst in 2014. If you are not blocking the streets,­ you are fighting one another! Safe journey home­ ''l'Equipe Nationale de­ l'Afrique''

    From PHYLES, on Mon 21 Jun 5:53

  6. Come in Stuart Hall. All the same national­ characteristics showing themselves once more.Look how­ he revealed the Royals to us. It`s a World cup­ Knockout. Come on Stuart ---Crank up the insane belly­ laugh. How about Al Murray for his assistant ?

    From J, on Mon 21 Jun 5:34

  7. ANELKA IS ONE OF THE LAZIEST PLAYERS EVER TO TAKE A­ FIELD AND HE IS NOW GETTING OUT WHAT HE GAVE TO­ FOOTBALL - NOTHING.

    From Rampton Ron, on Mon 21 Jun 3:06

  8. Just deserts given their cheating ways to arrive at the­ finals.
    Hopefully the dissarray continues and they can­ be on there way home soon!

    They can then get organized­ again finding there plane seat allocations.
    Sacre'­ Blu'

    From Mark, on Mon 21 Jun 2:57

  9. Why should Anelka be kicked out for speaking the truth?­ Cantona was sanctioned in a similiar manner, some time­ ago, yet look what a great player he turned out to be.­ Personally, a man who consults astrologists to pick his­ side, is, in my opinion, mentally sick. The manager­ should be in a phsyc. ward, as he plainly has lost­ touch with reality. Maybe Capello can join him lol

    From dismaldave, on Mon 21 Jun 2:35

  10. no matter what the French do in this world cup,they­ will always be remebered and shamed as to how they got­ there.They lost a lot of honour,dignity and respect.But­ as an Irishman i wish them and there fans well after­ this world cup,i just hope their sent packing in the­ group stages.just desserts and justice.

    From polmacconleitreach, on Mon 21 Jun 2:30

  11. No player is above the team. The Manager/coach/whoever,­ is in charge, not the players. If they don't like­ it, then choose a sport where they're not part of a­ team, but on their own!!

    From MICHAEL, on Mon 21 Jun 1:11

  12. just the same as england, italy and spain. Think­ they are better than the other teams. when the @#$%­ hits the fan then everyone is to blame except­ themselves.

    From digby, on Mon 21 Jun 0:09

  13. He was a useless arrogant guy anyway, he won't be­ missed by the team. Back to the suburbs he should have­ never left.

    From EricD, on Sun 20 Jun 21:09

  14. Y do some people have to bring premier league clubs­ into this news article - it's got nothing to do­ with the league club whether they are playing well or,­ in the case, of ANELKA, speaking his mind. The comment­ by Ben about Chelsea players in international matches­ are awful is laughable - okay let's pick Man U­ for example - Rooney - absolute @#$%, Evra -­ pathetic, Ferdinand - oh dear he's not playing,­ Oshea - oh dear he's not there, Scholes - oh dear­ he's not there, Giggs - oh dear he's not there­ - Ronaldo - playing well oops he's not there­ anymore - Forlan - excellent oops he's not there­ anymore either. Enough said.

    From STEVE, on Sun 20 Jun 15:30

  15. chelsea's players are awful in international game..­ drogba, lampard, terry, ashley cole, ANELKA.. but some­ players are very impressive.. ivanovic, ferreira..

    From Ben, on Sun 20 Jun 12:55

  16. How the FFF can back Domenech is beyond me. The guy­ uses astrology to pick his teams for f**** sake!

    From thegreenclaw, on Sun 20 Jun 12:22

  17. Anelka is right. Framce are a disgrace.

    From martinkitterick, on Sun 20 Jun 11:57

  18. I agree with some comment...am one of big fun of­ French. The way French is playing compare from the past­ years is really @#$%, is not like the French i know­ during our stars Zinedine Zidane. If you people see how­ French team is performing is @#$%, even the squad­ French coach made is not as good...( Pourquoi Le Coach­ a laisse les Joueurs telque Henry, Sise on the­ Bench...Ne condanner pas Anelka...si vous voyez comment­ il a Jouer a Chelsea...il est perfectement bon). maybe­ their is something going on between coach and players,­ we have to follow well to confirm. anyway this­ world-cup we French supporters let us take Hope out and­ wait for next world-cup. enjoying world-cup­ games.
    Thanks

    From KANGA, on Sun 20 Jun 11:51

  19. @David, on Sat 19 Jun 11:28PM (comment 217)...

    Now­ that's what I call integrity! It doesn't cost­ anything to be honest and courteous. What a pity there­ are so many so-called football fans whose bias­ outweighs their common sense. I think you are a­ Frenchman who would be genuinely welcome in Ireland at­ the moment...good man!

    From Schmoegler, on Sun 20 Jun 11:37

  20. How dare the French players subvert the authority of­ their coach. Domenech was chosen as French coach well­ before the World Cup. Any player who felt strongly­ about this issue did not have to attend the World­ Cup...but they all did attend, didn't they? Once­ there, they rock the boat and cause upset. How is­ Domenech supposed to operate with uncooperative and­ disruptive players? He doesn't even know who he can­ trust, and that is outrageous. Anelka is not called­ 'The Sulk' for nothing, and he is by no means­ as good as he thinks he is, He is doing nothing for the­ French cause, and I would not have picked him in the­ first place. No one player is bigger than the squad or­ the set-up, as Roy Keane rightly found out a few years­ ago too.
    By the way, anybody who has tried to make this­ an issue of race is an idiot with a chip on their­ shoulder...do us all a favour and leave it out, eh?

    From Schmoegler, on Sun 20 Jun 11:24
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