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Good chance of Ankela getting place in France squad
Paris, Feb 03: Two French sayings sum up Nicolas Anelka`s position as he tries to restore his image with the French public just at the right moment to claim back a place in France`s squad for Euro 2004.
Paris, Feb 03: Two French sayings sum up Nicolas Anelka's position as he tries to restore his image with the French public just at the right moment to claim back a place in France's squad for Euro 2004.
''Impossible is not French,'' Napoleon Bonaparte is supposed to have said. The prospect of Anelka, who will be 25 next month, playing for France under manager Jacques Santini had seemed impossible since the Manchester City striker turned down a call-up in October 2002 before qualifiers against Malta and Slovenia.
Anelka was angry at being summoned only as a second choice and Santini made it clear he was closing the door on any future selection.
''Nicolas banned himself from the team by turning down a selection. As long as he does not change his comments and attitude on his own initiative he remains unpickable in my view,'' Santini said.
Another Gallic saying goes: ''Only fools don't change their minds,'' and Santini might well be forced by circumstances to prove he is no fool.
While Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet are the automatic first-choice strikers for the finals in Portugal, Uefa's decision to uphold Djibril Cisse's five-match ban for kicking an opponent in an under-21 match has given Santini a serious headache.
Uefa said on Friday it had rejected Cisse's appeal against the ban, which will come into effect at the start of Euro 2004.
The Liverpool-bound Cisse's absence leaves France with few outside choices.
In recent months, all Santini's third-choice strikers have been through hard times -- Olympique Marseille's Steve Marlet has been injured for months while RC Lens Daniel Moreira and Olympique Lyon's Sidney Govou have been inconsistent at best.
This is where Anelka might come in. Although Manchester City are having an inconsistent season, Anelka has scored 20 goals including eight in his last eight matches.
Santini himself has made no comment on the idea of Anelka's international rehabilitation but his boss, French Soccer Federation chief Claude Simonet, hinted that an Anelka return was possible.
''Maybe his youth led Nicolas to outbursts we should leave behind and forget,'' he said.
Anelka insisted ''the door was open'' and hinted that a misunderstanding was at the root of his row with Santini.
''The whole thing is a problem of communication. I've never understood what he (Santini) is trying to say to me,'' he added.
Bureau Report
''Impossible is not French,'' Napoleon Bonaparte is supposed to have said. The prospect of Anelka, who will be 25 next month, playing for France under manager Jacques Santini had seemed impossible since the Manchester City striker turned down a call-up in October 2002 before qualifiers against Malta and Slovenia.
Anelka was angry at being summoned only as a second choice and Santini made it clear he was closing the door on any future selection.
''Nicolas banned himself from the team by turning down a selection. As long as he does not change his comments and attitude on his own initiative he remains unpickable in my view,'' Santini said.
Another Gallic saying goes: ''Only fools don't change their minds,'' and Santini might well be forced by circumstances to prove he is no fool.
While Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet are the automatic first-choice strikers for the finals in Portugal, Uefa's decision to uphold Djibril Cisse's five-match ban for kicking an opponent in an under-21 match has given Santini a serious headache.
Uefa said on Friday it had rejected Cisse's appeal against the ban, which will come into effect at the start of Euro 2004.
The Liverpool-bound Cisse's absence leaves France with few outside choices.
In recent months, all Santini's third-choice strikers have been through hard times -- Olympique Marseille's Steve Marlet has been injured for months while RC Lens Daniel Moreira and Olympique Lyon's Sidney Govou have been inconsistent at best.
This is where Anelka might come in. Although Manchester City are having an inconsistent season, Anelka has scored 20 goals including eight in his last eight matches.
Santini himself has made no comment on the idea of Anelka's international rehabilitation but his boss, French Soccer Federation chief Claude Simonet, hinted that an Anelka return was possible.
''Maybe his youth led Nicolas to outbursts we should leave behind and forget,'' he said.
Anelka insisted ''the door was open'' and hinted that a misunderstanding was at the root of his row with Santini.
''The whole thing is a problem of communication. I've never understood what he (Santini) is trying to say to me,'' he added.
Bureau Report