Nicolas Anelka has refused to apologise for his role in the players’ strike that undermined France’s World Cup campaign.
Anelka was sent home from the World Cup after a verbal confrontation with manager Raymond Domenech during France's 2-0 defeat to Mexico.
The rest of the squad subsequently refused to train in protest at Anelka's expulsion and finished their campaign bottom of Group A with just one point and one goal to their credit.
There were calls in France for Anelka to be banned from representing his country for the rest of his career, though new coach Laurent Blanc has since hinted the door may still be open for a return.
However, last night Anelka insisted the atmosphere inside the France camp at the World Cup was like a time bomb.
“If it hadn’t been me that brought it to a head, someone else would. It was waiting to happen," Anelka said.
"Everyone, and I really mean everyone, was as one. If there were some players who wanted to train, let them speak now. But I’m 100 per cent sure that nobody will want to.”
Anelka’s France team-mate Jeremy Toulalan publicly attacked Domenech’s methods at the time and recently admitted he played a direct role in the training ground boycott.
"I'm not proud of what I did but I accept responsibility," Toulalan said.
"There were no ringleaders and no slaves, no good guys and no bad guys. We were all involved and we are all responsible because nobody said a word [against the boycott]. Whoever says otherwise is a liar”.
Anelka was sent home from the World Cup after a verbal confrontation with manager Raymond Domenech during France's 2-0 defeat to Mexico.
The rest of the squad subsequently refused to train in protest at Anelka's expulsion and finished their campaign bottom of Group A with just one point and one goal to their credit.
There were calls in France for Anelka to be banned from representing his country for the rest of his career, though new coach Laurent Blanc has since hinted the door may still be open for a return.
However, last night Anelka insisted the atmosphere inside the France camp at the World Cup was like a time bomb.
“If it hadn’t been me that brought it to a head, someone else would. It was waiting to happen," Anelka said.
"Everyone, and I really mean everyone, was as one. If there were some players who wanted to train, let them speak now. But I’m 100 per cent sure that nobody will want to.”
Anelka’s France team-mate Jeremy Toulalan publicly attacked Domenech’s methods at the time and recently admitted he played a direct role in the training ground boycott.
"I'm not proud of what I did but I accept responsibility," Toulalan said.
"There were no ringleaders and no slaves, no good guys and no bad guys. We were all involved and we are all responsible because nobody said a word [against the boycott]. Whoever says otherwise is a liar”.
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