Brown: Anelka is a top man

HULL boss Phil Brown claims Nicolas Anelka is a top man in the dressing room — despite having never worked with him.

Despite leading the scoring charts, some quarters have blamed the French striker for failing to forge a working partnership with Didier Drogba at Chelsea.

But Tigers boss Brown, who was a coach at Bolton before Anelka's 18-month spell at the Reebok, claims Le Sulk is nothing but a positive influence.

He said: "I have to say I disagree with comments that Anelka is too selfish and that he’s not a team player.

“I never really worked with Anelka at Bolton, but I have it on the very soundest of authority that he is a top man to have in your dressing room.

“He always trains with a smile on his face, he’s a happy kid...it is not true that he is bad for team morale.

"Anelka and Drogba can undoubtedly play together. It’s just the way Chelsea want to play.

"Luiz Felipe Scolari wanted to play 4-3-3 so one of them didn’t fit.

“Anelka’s a striker, of course he’s going to lose patience if he’s suddenly stuck out on the left wing or the right wing.”

sources: thesun.co.uk