Anelka snubs France

Manchester City striker Nicolas Anelka has snubbed an offer to play for France.

The well-travelled forward, still only 23, claimed he did not feel support from France coach Jacques Santini, who issued a late call yesterday.

“I currently do not sense people truly want to pick me,” Anelka said in L’Equipe.

He was due to meet up with the France squad at Clairefontaine today, but will be missing when the players assemble.

Santini called for Anelka when Lyon striker Sidney Govou, in his original squad, suffered a left knee injury in his club’s game against Bordeaux.

Anelka moved for the third time in three summers this year when he joined Manchester City from Paris St Germain in a £13million deal, and has scored seven goals already in 14 appearances.

That form alerted Santini, but Anelka rejected his offer to resurrect the international career which stalled earlier this year.

Anelka – who also had spells at Arsenal, Real Madrid and Liverpool – has not played for France since April and did not go to the World Cup.

“The coach asked me to show that I wanted to wear the France team shirt,” said Anelka. “I tried to do so until today.”

Anelka is clearly perturbed that he was not in Santini’s other squads.

“On his side, it showed that he did not want to give me my chance,” he said.

“This is why I turned down the selection.”

He was a key figure in the team which won 3-1 in the Manchester derby last week.

At that game, Anelka met Santini and asked his coach why he had not been included in his previous squads.

“I saw the coach last week at the match against Manchester United,” said Anelka. “He did not give me arguments which convinced me.

“He told me that he had kept players ahead of me in the squad because he knew them better.”

He was angered to be snubbed by Santini earlier this season when France had a host of strikers out injured and Anelka seemed an obvious choice to be picked.

But Anelka also stressed he would consider a return to the national team in the future.

He added in the French newspaper: “I hope that my absence is only temporary.

“I want to return one day, but nobody has tried to speak to me.

“I’ve always been proud to wear the France shirt in the past and I’ve always given my all for Les Bleus.”