Nicolas Anelka Accuses Ex-Manager Gerard Houllier of Racism
Former France and Liverpool striker Nicolas Anelka has accused ex-manager Gerard Houllier of racism, a claim Houllier has labelled "ridiculous."
According to Goal, Houllier wrote about Anelka's brothers in less-than-flattering terms in his autobiography, You'll Never Walk Alone.
The book was released earlier in October and features Houllier recounting his experiences with the striker's siblings, who doubled as his agents, relayed by Goal: "Houllier writes that Anelka's brothers—who also work as his agents—attempted to sell the forward to a number of clubs and that, when he asked them for an explanation, it was the 'first and only time I saw blacks go red.'"
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Anelka accused Houllier of a racist attitude, something the player alleges is not an isolated incident: "Racist in character, but it's not the first time," the one-time Arsenal goalscorer, now Mumbai FC player-manager, said in a YouTube video, according to The42.
Houllier responded to the accusations in L'Equipe (h/t Get French Football News):
"It is absolutely laughable and ridiculous. I have never, ever, said that. It is false and again false. I contest this formally. It is serious slander. I dare anyone to say that I’m a racist with the number of black players with whom I have had the chance to work. [Eric] Abidal, [Mahamadou] Diarra, [Michael] Essien and many others. You ask them. I will see if I take legal action or not.
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Anelka and Houllier certainly have a history together. Animosity seems to stem from Houllier's belief, expressed in his book, that Anelka was "ungrateful" when the manager offered him the chance to resurrect his ailing career at Anfield, according to Agence France-Presse (via The42).
Houllier coached the France under-18 and under-20 groups during the '90s. That was the same period a teenage Anelka was rising to prominence, first with Paris Saint-Germain before joining the Gunners in 1997.
A brief stint at Real Madrid and a return to PSG was punctuated by a loan spell at Liverpool during the 2001-02 season. Houllier was in charge at Anfield at the time.
