326 About Anelka (1/2)
With regards to Claude Anelka and Didier Anelka, the two brothers and agents of the French striker, Nicolas Anelka, everyone's bad comments about them could go on for three days and three nights and still not finish. Almost all the coaches, club chairmen, and managers abhorred them. The French Football Federation officials treated the two Anelkas as if they were dealing with frauds and thieves, full of contempt and disdain. The English media were more direct and called them ”parasites living off Anelka.”
In the football world, it was common for players to make their relatives and immediate family members agents, such as the French superstar players Zidane and Djorkaeff, the Brazilian star players Ronaldinho and Kaka, ”The Flying Dutchman” Robben from the Netherlands, and so on. They had chosen their brothers or fathers to be their agents to handle the contracts with the club as well as to negotiate various endorsements.
In doing so, there were obviously cost savings. After all, even if there was no common saying in other countries for ”keeping the money within the family,” the meaning was the same. But compared with those professional agents, the players' families lack of experience and knowledge often led the players astray and ruined their future.
A living example was right in front of everyone's eyes.
Starting from the transfer from Arsenal to Real Madrid in 1999 until 2005, there had been five transfers in six years with Arsenal, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Liverpool. Four of the powerhouses in Continental Europe had his footprints. However, being in so many big clubs had not helped Anelka's career. His football resume was filled with glorious names, but the only honors he had won were double Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League title. The lack of personal honors was not the most fatal. The most fatal was the string of frequent transfers that gradually exposed the greed of his two agent brothers. Now, almost no club dared to ask for Anelka. After the conflict with Keegan last season, no team would venture to take on such a player in the winter transfer period.
In the end, the Turkish Süper Lig team Fenerbahçe S.K. announced the deal of seven million pounds to bring in Anelka at the last moment of the transfer window closure.
Seven million! Did it sound like a lot? It was not when Anelka's several transfer prices were reviewed: when he decided to leave his training place, Arsenal, and his mentor, Wenger, Real Madrid paid twenty-three million pounds for him, which was the most expensive for a young player at that time. He was brilliant then and on top of his game. He was hailed as the only talented striker who was comparable to Ronaldo and the most gifted talent in French football in a decade. Later, he commented on his fellow countryman, Henry: ”He's playing at Arsenal now, which I, Anelka, did when I was nineteen years old.”
Later, he went to Paris Saint-Germain. Holding a high salary, he became a ”cancer” that only caused trouble for the team. When he went to Liverpool, he had a brief recovery. However, due to his two elder brothers' insatiable greed, Houllier dumped him. Later on, he settled in Manchester City for a price of thirteen million pounds. He thought he had finally found his base. He did not anticipate that he would clash with the manager again after one season. This time when he was leaving, his two brothers sprang into action and put him in touch with Arsenal, hoping to increase his price through speculation. But it did not work this time. Wenger and the Arsenal chairman came out to deny the rumor and that they did not intend to purchase the Frenchman. In the end, they could only go to Turkey with their tails between their legs. The price of being away from the center of European football and away from everyone's line of sight was just seven million pounds.
”...And now, after being in Turkey for half a season, did they finally find something was wrong?” With this call record, Twain looked at the caller's name, Claude Anelka, with disdain. ”With their dear brother far from the center of attention, they can't get more money, can they? I remember that just five days ago, the Fenerbahçe club seemed to have rejected Newcastle United's offer for him.”
Evan Doughty sat in his seat and reminded him, ”It wasn't a refusal. Newcastle United asked for the price, and they listed the Frenchman at twenty million pounds, which scared off Newcastle United.”
Twain shrugged his shoulders. ”A covert refusal, just like us. You state that a certain player is not for sale, and everyone continues to attempt to an inquiry, testing your patience. Consequently, you give a price that the buyer can't afford or is not willing to pay to so that the houseflies know to back off. Didn't we give George a price of two trillion pounds?”
Speaking of which, Evan laughed. ”Tony, you know what? In SI's latest release of the FM series, the George Wood's price is listed as two trillion.”
Upon hearing that news, Twain was momentarily stunned. He then shook his head and smiled. ”Is that special treatment for a partner?”
Evan brought the conversation back to the point. ”What do you have in mind, Tony? You're the manager. Allan and I are still going to refer to you for any signings in the team.” As he said this, he glanced at Allan.
Twain put the call record back on the table, leaned back on the chair and answered simply, ”Nothing. I'm going to reject this. I don't want to deal with those bloodsuckers.”
Just as Evan nodded, Allan suddenly reached out his hand. ”Wait a minute.”
In Evan's office, there were currently only three of them: Twain, Allan, and Evan. Allan, who had been frowning and in contemplation since he had come in, suddenly spoke up. That attracted the attention of the other two men.
”Why not give it a try?” Allan looked up at the two men, and all three of them looked at each other.
”Give what a try?” Twain looked away first after looking at him for a while.
”Talk to Anelka's brothers.”
Twain waved his hands, moving somewhat exaggeratedly. ”Allan, do you think this is some kind of free Turkish shish kebab? Do you know what kind of people Anelka's brothers are?”
Allan nodded. ”I know. I studied the both of them before I came.”
His reply was somewhat unexpected for Twain. He had not even considered it when he received the news. He had already refused in his heart. He had no idea that Allan would look into Anelka's two brothers, especially for this matter.
With his mouth agape for a moment, Twain could only give a forced laugh to dispel the awkward silence in the room.
Allan asked in return, ”Tony, do you have any good candidates for the team's forward line?”
Twain helplessly shook his head. ”No, the forwards who I'm interested in won't come, and those who would I'm not keen on.”
”If that's the case, why don't we give this a try? The new season is getting closer and closer. Instead of wasting time in the transfer market, let's try to get in touch with Anelka's agents. I think something must be going on since they took the initiative to contact us after they had just arrived in Turkey for half a season. Perhaps this is better for us.”
”What else can be going on? Not getting along with the manager? Or the club chairman? But five days ago, the Turkish chairman of Fenerbahçe showed the close relationship between Anelka and himself.”
”Tony, do you know Figo and Redondo?” Allan again surprised Twain with his question.
”Yes... Of course, I know them. The former is a Real Madrid player, and the latter is recovering from an injury with AC Milan.
”Then do you recall the how they moved to their new clubs despite being satisfied where they were?”
The question stumped Twain. He frowned as he searched carefully in his mind, and then said uncertainly, ”It seemed that Figo left Barcelona to move to Real Madrid because he had previously promised Real Madrid's president that if he was elected, he would transfer to Real Madrid. As for Redondo, I heard that it was because he chose to stand on the wrong side in the Real Madrid presidential election. He chose to support Lorenzo Sanz instead of Florentino?”
Allan chuckled and said, ”No, I'm not talking about that. I mean, do you know the attitudes and opinions those people and clubs had shown before and after the transfer?”