Nicolas Anelka's rollercoaster ride
in English football took an unexpected turn for the worse after he was left out
of the Manchester City side
City boss Kevin Keegan faces a test of his man-management skills after
dropping Anelka amid claims that his leading scorer snubbed a team bonding
session.
Anelka's excuse for missing the day - thought to be a clay pigeon shoot on
Thursday - was that he was injured. Keegan's reaction was to drop the
controversial Frenchman for the 2-0 win at Southampton.
Keegan's weekend mood was not improved by the
pictures of ¡ê62,000-a-week former England striker Robbie Fowler drinking and
smoking in a Colchester nightclub, allegedly with several team-mates.
Keegan suddenly has unexpected problems to deal with before Thursday's
important UEFA Cup-tie against Polish side Groclin, and Anelka faces a fight to
get back in the side.
Anelka was told well in advance of Saturday's game that he was not playing
and watched from the stands.
Last night sources close to the player confirmed that there had been a row
with Keegan but that 'he was happy to stay' with City. Keegan was also insisting
that there was no problem but it remains to be seen how Anelka, 24, will react
if the rift deepens.
The striker left Arsenal in 1999 amid acrimonious circumstances when he moved
to Real Madrid and Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier turned down the opportunity to
sign him after a loan spell at Anfield.
Keegan said: 'There has been no bust-up. There is no problem with Nicolas. He
came off with a slight strain against QPR. He wanted to play at Southampton and
thought he was fit to do so, but it is my job as manager to make those decisions
and with the squad I have got why take the risk when there are so many games to
go?
'He's not very happy but neither was Steve McManaman when I decided not to
play him against Chelsea last week.'
Fowler's excursion to Colchester's Route nightclub on Wednesday came with
teammates reported to be McManaman, Danny Tiatto, Claudio Reyna, Trevor Sinclair
and Jon Macken as City spent three days in Essex between last Tuesday's Carling
Cup-tie at QPR and Saturday's game.
Given that it was outside the traditional 48-hour pre-match curfew, the night
out almost certainly took place with Keegan's blessing. But the manager will
have been appalled to see photographs in a Sunday newspaper of his ¡ê6million
centre forward smoking a huge handrolled cigarette and clutching two bottles of
beer.
Keegan will speak to Fowler, 28, today and is likely to fine him. Ironically,
Fowler scored his first League goal of the season on Saturday. Paulo Wanchope
was the other City scorer.
No-one was available to comment on either issue at City yesterday.
