Nicolas Anelka on Thursday said that all his teammates decided to go on strike at the Soccer World Cup after he was sent home from South Africa for verbally abusing France coach Raymond Domenech and refusing to apologise.
The Chelsea striker told France Soir that “everybody stuck together” when the players decided to boycott a training session shortly before their World Cup ended in the group stage.
Anelka, who recently signed a one-year contract extension with Chelsea that ties him with the English club until 2012, added that a clash would have happened even if he hadn’t insulted Domenech.
“If there were some players who wanted to train [when the squad went on strike], they should speak now,” Anelka said. “If I had not started it, it would have been somebody else. The situation was explosive.”
Anelka was sent home after aiming an expletive-laced tirade at Domenech during halftime of the 2-0 defeat to Mexico. The players’ strike that followed was a protest against Anelka’s exclusion from the squad.
Former France defender Lilian Thuram has called for some players, such as former captain Patrice Evra, never to play for the national team again because of their decision to strike.
France midfielder Jeremy Toulalan said last week, however, that all the players decided to strike and that any punishment should be collective, prompting Anelka to praise the Lyon player’s courage.
“Jeremy has a strong character,” Anelka said. “You need some courage and a big mental strength to bear something like this.” — Sapa-AP