Clarke: Anelka wants to quit Baggies and retire
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Steve Clarke: Nicolas Anelka want to quit West Brom and retire from football
West Brom boss Steve Clarke has confirmed Nicolas Anelka wants to quit the club and retire from football less than two months after signing for them.
Anelka was given compassionate leave on Thursday after receiving the shock news that long-term friend and agent Eric Manasse has died.
The 34-year-old was rumoured to have been so stunned at the passing of Manasse that he requested West Brom terminate his contract, and manager Clarke has confirmed the rumours are true.
Nicolas lost a close friend and an agent over the weekend he died suddenly, explained Clarke.
I went in and had a very brief chat with him, and he wasnt 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.
I think when you are in a bad place those kind of thoughts [retirement] can come into your mind, and Im not going to deny that he used that word in the conversations we had with him.
Really, that is as much as there is to tell on the situation it wasnt dramatic it is just a boy who is really quite upset.
Anelka is believed to have stormed out of training at West Brom after hearing the tragic news, and has already cleared his locker of belongings.
The striker will miss West Broms clash weekend clash with Everton with no time frame in place for his return to the lineup.
West Brom boss Steve Clarke has confirmed Nicolas Anelka wants to quit the club and retire from football less than two months after signing for them.
Anelka was given compassionate leave on Thursday after receiving the shock news that long-term friend and agent Eric Manasse has died.
The 34-year-old was rumoured to have been so stunned at the passing of Manasse that he requested West Brom terminate his contract, and manager Clarke has confirmed the rumours are true.
Nicolas lost a close friend and an agent over the weekend he died suddenly, explained Clarke.
I went in and had a very brief chat with him, and he wasnt 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.
I think when you are in a bad place those kind of thoughts [retirement] can come into your mind, and Im not going to deny that he used that word in the conversations we had with him.
Really, that is as much as there is to tell on the situation it wasnt dramatic it is just a boy who is really quite upset.
Anelka is believed to have stormed out of training at West Brom after hearing the tragic news, and has already cleared his locker of belongings.
The striker will miss West Broms clash weekend clash with Everton with no time frame in place for his return to the lineup.
