10 Liverpool Players Who Fell Out With The Manager
7. Nicolas Anelka
Nicolas Anelka wasnt ordained with the nickname Le Sulk for nothing. He has fallen out with more people in football than he would care to mention, culminating in bans from football and expulsions from the national team. The stroppy Frenchman doesnt stick around at clubs for too long, such is his volatile demeanour - indeed his longest stint was a meagre four-year spell at Chelsea. However, were it not for one of his trademark bust-ups with the coach, might he have stayed at Anfield for a little longer than the solo season he spent on loan from PSG in 01/02? The pair had always had a tetchy relationship dating back to the mid-90s, when the former Anfield boss was in charge of the French u-17 side. Initially, Anelka was reluctant to even sign on loan to play for the manager who had chosen David Trezeguet and Thierry Henry ahead of him, and these old sparks came to the fore during their time together on Merseyside.
''I honestly think an English coach would have signed me permanently, but because he was French, he had too many preconceived ideas about me and so didnt want to sign me. I was happy at Arsenal with Arsene Wenger, but then hes a different type of Frenchman. Everybody wanted me to stay. Everyone except Gerard Houllier, and he made the decision not to keep me. - Nicolas Anelka, August 2002.
Not bitter about his forced move to Manchester City in the slightest then, Nic?
Recent Journalism & New Media graduate. Insatiable thirst for all things football, and hopes to break into the field of sports journalism in the near future.
Have made a significantly insignificant playing career out of receiving several slaps around the head for not passing the ball.
