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Anelka flops as Real drops
Posted: Wednesday December 22, 1999 10:31 PM
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Nicolas Anelka is confident that he will regain his goal scoring ability. CNN/SI |
By Phil Jones, CNN/SI
MADRID -- Thirty-six million dollars is a lot of money to pay for a
goalscorer who can't score. But that's exactly what Spanish giant
Real Madrid has on its hands in the shape of Nicolas Anelka.
Anelka has flopped as Real has dropped. He's yet to score a goal
and has mostly been keeping the substitute's bench warm of late as
the 27-time domestic champion is left floundering in the lower
reaches of the Primera division.
"It is clear that it is not easy to deal with this because the club has
paid a lot of money for me and I have to succeed," Anelka admitted.
"I prefer to have a bad start and to change the situation rather than
the opposite. The first goal will come, but I am not spending extra
energy on trying to score. The goal will come when it comes."
Anelka showed flashes of his talent in the 2-1 win last weekend
over Espanyol, when he came on as a substitute and sparked one
leading newspaper in Spain to write: "Anelka Awakens."
Goals came easier for him at Arsenal but his criticism of teammates
and media, and the protracted transfer to Real, have people in England
remembering him more for money-grabbing than goal-getting.
"Well, I really think people have the wrong picture of me," Anelka said,
"because there have been a lot of untrue stories in the media. I left Arsenal
because I wanted to see something new a new experience from England
but also to see if I could prove myself somewhere else.
"People who don't know me think that I left Arsenal for the money, but
this is wrong. If I wanted more money I could have always tried to negotiate
more money from Arsenal, but this was never the case.
"I didn't ask for anything. I just wanted to leave."
Anelka also disputes suggestions that his brothers and advisors Didier and
Claude were driven by greed and led 20-year-old Nicolas astray with
talk of massive wages from other European glamour clubs.
"It's a simple arrangement," says Anelka. "First they are my brothers. But
then they are also my advisors. They are taking care of me. There is nothing to
say about that. It's like any other agent taking care of their clients. The only
difference is that in my case my advisors happen to be my brothers."
His brothers will be of little help in securing Anelka a place in France's team
for Euro 2000. Lack of form means lack of international recognition.
"This is the goal of every player and also for me, but to be picked for the national
team you also have to perform for your club."
And that's something Anelka's failed to do for any elongated spell this season.
The US$36 million price tag has been an anchor tied to his ankles, dragging him
and Real down.
Only with goals can the buoyancy return.
Phil Jones is a co-host of "World Sport," the international sports show that airs live on CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNN International.
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