Will try my best as player first: Nicolas Anelka

by Godwin, N.I on August 01, 2015

Mumbai FC player and manager Nicolas Anelka. — Satej Shinde

After serving a three-match ban initially due to his infamous ‘quenelle’ gesture while playing for EPL club West Bromwich Albion, Nicolas Anelka made instant impact for Mumbai City FC in the inaugural Indian Super League but couldn’t sustain it after suffering an injury.

Anelka scored just two goals in seven games. This time the former French striker is back with a dual role of player cum manager to uplift the performance of the Ranbir Kapoor co-owned team, which had an ordinary last season, finishing second from the bottom.

Having played for top teams like Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea, Anelka will look to cash on his rich experience to succeed former Mumbai City FC manager Peter Reid.

“I am happy to be back. We have a bigger and better squad this season. Last season, we had a good team but were a little bit unlucky — like injuries (to key players like him, Syed Rahim Nabi, Andre Moritz and Fredrik Ljunberg). This time the players’ desire is to do better and my personal desire is to reach, at the minimum, the semis,” said Anelka.

“It’s not a usual job to be player-manager, but I will try my best as a player first. I need to understand what is happening on the pitch and outside as well. I know the players from last year,” he added.

The Frenchman insisted he is ready for the managerial role. “As a player, you concentrate on the game, but as a manager you have to do a lot more. It’s going to be more work for me. I have been working with a lot of managers and I know how to speak to the players, keep them confident and also take out the best from them,” said Anelka.

The aging star, who did a short managerial role also with Shanghai Shenhua in 2012 did not see himself in a full-time managerial role for now.

“I am 36 and am more towards the end than the beginning as a player. First, I want to finish as a player. I am doing this only this season and am not looking to become a full-time manager, but you never know,” he said.