Football's Nearly Men - Anthony Le Tallec

 

Anthony Le Tallec was born on the 3rd of October 1984 in Hennenbont, France who had become an exciting prospect who had excelled for France at junior level, when he arrived at Liverpool from Le Havre AC along with his cousin and teammate Florent Sinama-Pongolle. This was on the back of impressive performances for France at the UEFA Under-16 Championship and in the championship winning FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2001, where he was awarded the 'Silver Ball' as the second best player (behind his cousin). Both players remained a further two years at Le Havre, after being loaned there by Liverpool manager Gérard Houllier who was quick to play down expectations of the French duo commenting that although he felt they weren't ready for the Premiership - "in the future they will both be seen as important signings. It is only a matter of time, I can promise you that." The youngster's career had been so successful at youth level that he was dubbed "the next Zidane" by French media outlets and coaches alike. He possessed good vision and a great range of passing and was a potential superstar in his role just behind the strikers but he didn't live up to his promise and his frustration got the better off him at the prospect of lack of first-team opportunities at Liverpool. France's Under-21 coach, Raymond Domenech, was also displeased with Le Tallec's and Pongolle's progress. "It is abnormal for boys of their age to play so rarely. It is a true problem. When I think their coach is a former coach from the national team! He is not allowed to sign them and not play them. It is a mess." Anthony says he was excited at the prospect of working with Gérard Houllier, but his move to Liverpool at such a young age stunted his progress as he explained to L'Equipe in 2010: "Everything started well for me at Liverpool but, unfortunately, the arrival of Rafa Benítez broke my entire career strategy. Even though I was able to get experience, I lost about four years. I arrived at Liverpool as an 18-year-old, but then had to join clubs that were, not weaker, but less rated. It was strange and sometimes it was difficult. What saved me was my passion for football." At the same time as he joined Liverpool, Manchester United had signed Christiano Ronaldo and it was questioned which team had got the better deal.

Le Tallec was again sent out on loan in his last few seasons at Liverpool to Saint-Etienne, Sunderland, Sochaux and Le Mans, and left Anfield permanently in the summer of 2008 for Le Mans where he excelled earning himself a move to Auxerre in 2010 where he was used quite regularly, but had trouble guaranteeing a place in the starting 11. He made as many substitute appearances as starts, 24 in total, as Auxerre were relegated into the French second division at the end of the 2011/12 season. He stayed with relegated Auxerre but not for the whole of the 2012/13 season. After appearing in eight matches for the club from Burgundy, he moved back to Ligue 1 with Valenciennes and played in twenty-one matches there before the end of the season. He remained at Valenciennes in 2013/14 but the club was relegated to Ligue 2 after collecting only 29 points from 38 matches. Anthony played in 17 of those league matches scoring twice (against Rennes and Toulouse) and also played in the home League Cup defeat by Troyes. In the summer of 2015 he moved to Greek top flight club Atromitos citing the possibility of Europa League football as a factor. His three appearances in the qualifiers came as a substitute but in the league he had a respectable season, scoring eight goals in 27 appearances. In the summer of 2017 he moved to Romanian side Astra Giurgio and then in January 2018 returned to France with US Orleans. He scored seven goals in 2018-19 as they finished eighth in Ligue 2. 

After just two games of 2019/20 he joined Annecy of Championnat National 2, the regionalised fourth tier of French football. They won promotion to Le Championnat and he remained there for 2020/21, making thirteen appearances. At the end of the season, after twenty years as a professional, he announced his retirement from playing. He has told sports daily L'Equipe that he regretted having asked the then Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez to leave the club in 2004 when he was still only 20. "I had an agent who kept telling me St Etienne wanted me. Benitez was recruiting Spanish players. I told myself I would not have my chance. It hurts when, after Liverpool, you play in smaller clubs. I did not realise that I was in a great club. I have regrets. When I see Torres, Tevez, who are of the same generation, I say to myself 's***'."

see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2024/05/footballs-nearly-men-guti.html