During the 2010 South Africa World Cup, Nicolas Anelka’s infamous outburst towards the Blues coach, Raymond Domenech, remains vivid in memory. It occurred during halftime of the match against Mexico when Anelka refused to apologize for his behavior. François Manardo, the press head of the French team at the time, sheds light on Anelka’s motives in a book titled “Knysna, At the heart of the Blues disaster in South Africa,” published on Friday.
Anelka reportedly expressed his frustrations, stating, “I’ve been wanting to leave for a while, wondering what I came here to do.” He criticized Domenech’s coaching methods and lack of tactical clarity, stating, “I felt like he had taken me for an idiot.” Anelka also revealed that he had expressed his concerns to Domenech prior to the World Cup but felt unheard. He explained that he played poorly within Domenech’s system and felt useless to the team.
Following the altercation, Anelka was suspended, leading to a revolt within the team. The training session without Anelka turned into a show of solidarity with their teammate.
Anelka’s suspension extended to 18 matches for his behavior during and after the competition. He has not represented the French national team since then. From his clashes with Domenech to his departure from West Bromwich Albion and involvement in controversial gestures like the quenelle, Anelka’s rebellious nature has been a recurring theme in his career.
Tags: 2010 South Africa World Cup, France, Franck Ribéry, François Manardo, insults, Nicolas Anelka, Patrice Evra, Raymond Domenech, Vuvuzela
