Nicolas Anelka's retired, bit of a shock I'd say.

Guys a moody so and so but ill always appreciate his time here I do think we got his best years.

Not confirmed yet, WBA are saying he is missing the next game on compassionate grounds. 

 

http://www.wba.co.uk/news/article/anelka-to-miss-everton-game-1007910.aspx#Bo8xyUqAJ1MoQbQF.99

Love Nico, wish he stayed that season he left and he could of got himself another CL medal.

The rumours are that his brother has died.

I'll be gutted if he goes this way. Anelka had a reputation but he always did a good job while he was with us.

http://au.eurosport.com/football/premier-league/2012-2013/anelka-walks-out-on-west-brom-retires-from-football_sto3891806/story.shtml

I heard his agent died, not his brother. Either way a bit of a shock. I was expecting him to grab a few goals at WBA this season. 

It was Eric Manasse, his agent. Though his brother acts as his agent in certain matters he has more than one. He posted a message on Facebook earlier saying that he was sad to hear of the death and offering his condolences to the Manasse family. My French is pretty poor, but I don't think he mentioned retiring at all.

When asked if the 34-year-old said he planned to quit, Clarke said: "I'm not going to deny that he used that word.

 

"But we've given him time to go away and think about it. I don't think we could do more in the circumstances."

 

"Nicolas went to technical director Richard Garlick on Thursday and indicated that he wasn't in a good place," the Scot said.

 

"I went in and had a very brief chat with him, and he wasn't in a good place. So the club have decided just to give him a bit of time to go away and think about it and get himself in a better place for the future.

 

"That is as much as there is to tell on the situation. It wasn't dramatic, there was no big bust-up, he didn't storm out of the training ground. It is just a boy who is really quite upset."

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23808867

Nothing against Anelka at all. Thought he was class whilst he was with us. But is retiring the thing to do?

As an example, Frank lost his Mother and a few days later scored a decisive PK for us in the CL.

I'm not trying to question Nico's motives in a negative way. Just pure curiosity.

I don't suppose age is a factor?

Edited August 23, 201312 yr by AlexTommo

Nothing against Anelka at all. Thought he was class whilst he was with us. But is retiring the thing to do?

As an example, Frank lost his Mother and a few days later scored a decisive PK for us in the CL.

I'm not trying to question Nico's motives in a negative way. Just pure curiosity.

I don't suppose age is a factor?

 

People deal with grief in different ways, this is Anelka's way of dealing with his grief. 

I was surprised Anelka went to WBA in the first place.

As an example, Frank lost his Mother and a few days later scored a decisive PK for us in the CL.

 

Completely different.  Frank was playing with with same guys that he'd been with day in day out for years, near where he grew up with his family all around him.  Anelka has been with the club a matter of weeks, and is in a foreign country.

 

That said, even if Frank had wanted the time off, he would have been perfectly entitled to.  Grief affects different people in different ways, especially people in different situations.  You don't play through the pain of grief like you do with broken rib. 

 

I hope Nico gets through this okay, and if he feels he still wants to, continues to play.