Source: Daily_Mail
PIERS MORGAN: Chelsea star Nicolas 'Le Sulk' Anelka shows my Dad was right all along
At the start of the 1998-99 season Arsenal fans responded to a poll asking them who was the best player to replace Ian Wright as our front man. They didn't select the young, precocious Nicolas Anelka, despite the fact that at the time he was developing into the fastest, most lethal predator in the Premier League. And this rankled with him.[LNB] Last year, nearly a decade later, he admitted: 'That poll hit me hard because I thought the fans really wanted it to be me. But they didn't. So I thought, "OK, now you watch what's going to happen. I am going to score goals and just when you are all saying: 'Anelka, Anelka', I'll leave".' And that's exactly what he did. [LNB]Anelka scored 17 dazzling goals that season, the fans quickly realised he really WAS the right guy to replace Wrighty - then he left for Real Madrid in a £22million deal.[LNB] In fine Nic: Nicolas Anelka (right) is one that Arsenal let get away - to their cost[LNB] [LNB]We didn't publicly mourn him. A bit like Jennifer Aniston losing Brad Pitt to Angelina Jolie, we preferred to pretend that our departing paramour was a sulking, whiny, greedy, high maintenance little brat, rather than concede what all our friends were telling us - that we'd been dumped by a highly desirable, hot piece of world-class footballing ass. [LNB]Since then Anelka has traversed Europe, from Spain to France, to Turkey and back to Britain - in the process racking up nearly £90m in cumulative transfer fees, making him the second most costly player in history after Cristiano Ronaldo. [LNB] More from Piers Morgan On Sport... Piers Morgan: If we're going to string up footballers, let's start with real villains, like Roy Keane21/11/09 PIERS MORGAN: Professionalism? No, Smudger, it's called cheating14/11/09 PIERS MORGAN: Don't blame Andre Agassi for failing to handle fame game31/10/09 PIERS MORGAN: In a world of corruption and greed, be grateful for Jenson Button24/10/09 PIERS MORGAN: Robinho doesn't care about Manchester City, just money17/10/09 PIERS MORGAN: At last! Fergie is forced to say sorry for his bully-boy ways10/10/09 PIERS MORGAN: A three-match ban for this? Now that's ugly19/09/09 PIERS MORGAN: Fabio's the Godfather and it's time to put hit on Becks12/09/09 VIEW FULL ARCHIVELike a fine wine, he's slowly but surely improved with age. Which is ironic, given that he was such a spectacularly fine whine in his early years. [LNB]Anelka's not quite as quick as he was at 19 but he's more intelligent, powerful and crafty. And his finishing skills are as deadly as ever. With Drogba alongside him they make arguably the most formidable striking double act since Dalglish and Rush. [LNB]And with age and experience has come humility and maturity. Anelka doesn't shout his mouth off any more or court feuds with colleagues and club management; he just goes about his business effectively and efficiently. [LNB]My dad summed up the old Nicolas Anelka best. A lifelong Spurs fan, he came with me to Highbury in 1999, watched Le Sulk score a brilliant hat-trick against Leicester and observed: 'I've never seen anyone score three great goals and still not smile.' Then he added: 'I wish we had a striker like that.' [LNB]Well, Le Sulk is smiling a lot these days while still scoring great goals and I only wish I could share his self-contented joy. [LNB]But the truth is that when Nicolas Anelka runs out at The Emirates this afternoon and is, as usual, roundly booed, it will be because we Gooners will all be secretly wishing Anelka had never left us. [LNB]Just as Jennifer still pines for Brad, we know in our hearts that we were made for each other. [LNB]PS: Arsenal players and directors are giving their wages for today's game to the Great Ormond Street Hospital. If you want to help, text Gosh to 63320 (texts cost £2 plus your standard network rate and £1.25 will go to the hospital's children's charity) or visit www.beagoonerbeagiver.org.[LNB] Harry's magic act is simply inspirational Inspiring: Spurs boss Harry Redknapp[LNB]I loved Harry Redknapp's face as Tottenham's eighth and ninth goals flew in last Sunday. He was so stunned he couldn't even crack a grin. It was like he'd been kidnapped by the X Factor judging team and their stupendously-overworked botox specialist. [LNB]What he's doing at Spurs may be surprising some people, but not me. Redknapp's worked this magic at virtually every club he's managed. [LNB]He saved Bournemouth from relegation to the then Fourth Division, guided them to a stunning FA Cup win over Manchester United and ended up winning the Third Division with a record 97 points. [LNB]He took West Ham to the dizzy (for them) heights of fifth in the League in 1999, while lifting the InterToto Cup. [LNB]At Portsmouth he won the First Division, and got them into the Premier League - then returned after a brief chaotic spell at Southampton with the hapless Rupert Lowe, saved Pompey from what seemed like inevitable relegation and steered them to an FA Cup final win over Cardiff. [LNB]Now his Spurs are playing out of their skins and are my firm bet to steal that fourth Champions League spot from Liverpool. [LNB]And if they do, it will be all down to a manager with an absolutely incredible talent for inspiring relatively mediocre teams to play like winners.[LNB]● Have you noticed how Sir Alex Ferguson's ridiculous cry-baby wrath towards referees is accelerating at exactly the same rate that his goalkeeper Ben Foster's form is deteriorating? Might the two facts be linked? [LNB] They never walk alone... Should Stevie Gerrard leave Liverpool, as some suggest? In a word: No. [LNB]As former Kop legends like Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler and Ian Rush can tell him, there is nowhere to rival the undying hero-worship that a Liverpudlian crowd give one of their own homegrown stars.[LNB]And no medals or cheque-books elsewhere can compete. [LNB] Green brings Five alive BBC Radio Five Live commentator Alan Green is not everyone's cup of Earl Grey. His particular brand of inflammatory, gut-reaction, tell-it-like- I-see-it repartee angers players, managers and sports journalists. But I love the guy. [LNB]The whole point of football is that it should be a visceral, emotive, spleen-venting form of escapism. When I listen to Green ranting away, agreeing with half of the bile he spews and fuming at the other half, I feel like I'm standing next to a highly knowledgeable, opinionated, passionate fan. [LNB]And that makes him more effective, and honest, than any other so-called footballing 'expert' on the airwaves. [LNB] English to the core Jonathan Trott is the best thing that's happened to English cricket since . . . oh, since Kevin Pietersen arrived on the scene. [LNB]And he's attracting just the same kind of ridiculous 'He's not English' sneering that KP still gets, despite the fact that both have English parents.[LNB] Ferociously loyal? England's Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott[LNB] [LNB]Anyone would think it was some new phenomenon. Yet former England captain Tony Greig was born in Border Province and qualified only by having a Scottish father, former England captain Allan Lamb was born in Cape Province but had English-born parents and even current England captain Andrew Strauss spent the first six years of his life in South Africa but had an English mother. [LNB]Nobody doubts any of their ferociously loyal allegiance to English cricket, so why the hell is everyone making such a fuss about Trott and Pietersen?[LNB]● Former England rugby star Josh Lewsey has run into trouble for hammering the current team and coaching staff in print, with Jonny Wilkinson bleating: 'I will always empathise with those who are playing. When involved on the inside you have so much respect for everyone. I guess it's harder to take when criticism comes from former players who have forgotten that.'[LNB] Oh diddums, Jonny old son. The reason you're all so annoyed with Lewsey is that he's right. [LNB]It's obvious to anyone watching England struggling right now that the coaching's rubbish, the leadership uninspiring (which is extraordinary given that the leader is Martin Johnson) and the players are performing with all the skill and passion of a diseased bunch of aardvarks.[LNB] Have Your SayMy comments about Roy Keane and Thierry Henry attracted a near-record response. Here is a selection of the best. [LNB]You're right about Keane. His twisted, bitter attack on the Irish players and authorities is nothing less than a treacherous disgrace. He deserted his team-mates in the World Cup and badly let down his country. Get real, Roy, and grow up. HUGH MCFADDEN[LNB] Piers says: 'I couldn't agree more. Keane's a cowardly bully, the worst type.[LNB]'What a sad, bitter attempt to divert attention away from your beloved Arsenal legend Thierry Henry's cheating. Go back to interviewing idiots like Katie Price. GAVIN, DERRY [LNB]Piers says: 'Katie's a lot smarter than your own beloved Keano, trust me.' [LNB]Might I suggest if you ever bump into Mr Keane you do a runner, like your beloved former Arsenal captain did in the Highbury tunnel. If Clarkson can batter you, I dread to think what Keane could do. JAMES BRESLIN [LNB]Piers says: 'Clarkson didn't batter me, he hit me with all the power of a wet cod. And Vieira didn't do a runner, he stood there and goaded Keane like a tarantula toying with an ant.' [LNB]Love him or hate him, Roy Keane was one of the best. The next Manchester United manager - if they know what's good for them. MARIO, SOUTH AFRICA[LNB]Piers says: 'Oh please god, yes. Keane's an even worse manager than he is a human being. And he's an absolutely shocking human being.' [LNB]As if getting eliminated from a World Cup isn't enough, now I find out Piers Morgan is Irish. Worst. Week. Ever. SHANE, DUBLIN [LNB]Piers says: 'Top of the morning to you, too.'[LNB]E-mail your comments to me at: piers.morgan@mailonsunday.co.uk [LNB] [LNB] Explore more:People:Kevin Pietersen, Nicolas Anelka, Harry Redknapp, Piers Morgan, Katie Price, Cristiano Ronaldo, Jennifer Aniston, Michael Owen, RUPERT LOWE, Roy Keane, Jonny Wilkinson, Andrew Strauss, Robbie Fowler, Alex Ferguson, Tony Greig, Angelina Jolie, Ian Wright, IAN RUSH, Brad Pitt, Thierry Henry, Martin Johnson, Ben FosterPlaces:Liverpool, Dublin, Spain, United Kingdom, France, Turkey, South Africa, Europe
