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Some gems never quite sparkle. When Gerard Houllier thrust teenagers
Anthony Le Tallec and Florent Sinama-Pongolle into first team action in
2003, he spoke passionately of the impact that his 'French gems' could
have on Liverpool's future. The cousins had starred in their country's
successful teams at international youth tournaments, and gained valuable
experience on loan at their parent club, Le Havre, before being
unveiled alongside new recruits Harry Kewell and Steve Finnan in July
2003.
Le Tallec was the first to get his chance, providing cover for a new
attacking formation that used Kewell, Vladimir Smicer and El-Hadji Diouf
in a midfield where Steven Gerrard was the only defensive force. Le
Tallec made his debut as a late sub in an eventful 3-1 win at Blackburn
that saw both Milan Baros and Jamie Carragher break limbs in the opening
20 minutes. It wasn't long before he struck his first goal; the opener
in a 3-0 UEFA Cup victory over Slovenia's Olimpija Ljubljana where the
French youngster also helped set up goals for Emile Heskey and Kewell.
Anthony was doing as well as could be expected, but the new attacking
formation was quickly abandoned as Liverpool's title challenge eroded,
and a lack of progress in other competitions eventually cost Houllier
his job in the summer of 2004.
If the arrival of Spaniard Rafa Benitez and an armada of new
midfielders such as Xabi Alonso, Luis Garcia and Antonio Nunez had
placed doubt on Le Tallec's future, then two goals in the boss' first
match in charge, a friendly at Wrexham, were perfectly timed. What was
not well timed however, was the Frenchman's blunt demand for first team
football after his double at the Racecourse Ground, as he was promptly
shipped back to France to attain it on loan at St. Etienne. A mixed
spell there was ended in March 2005 with Liverpool desperately short of
attacking options, and Le Tallec returned to the side as a substitute in
a 1-0 win over Bolton before a shock start in the Champions League
quarter-final with Juventus at Anfield. Far from looking out of his
depth, the Frenchman provided admirable support for lone striker Baros
and set up the winner, a stunning long range strike from Luis Garcia.
Anthony played in the return leg in Turin, but wasn't involved as
Liverpool stunned the football world to win their fifth European Cup in
Istanbul.
As a new season dawned at Anfield, it was obvious that Le Tallec's
face did not fit and he spent 2005/06 on loan at Sunderland, where he
was top scorer with just 5 goals in all competitions in a team that
finished on a then record lowest number of points. Further loan spells
followed back in France with Sochaux and Le Mans, before, now a
Liverpool player in name only, completing a permanent move to the latter
in 2008, proving that some gems can have fatal flaws. (Mark Jones)
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