Gallas still refusing to let Chelsea rift slide

Written by Jonathan Chong on Wednesday, January 3, 2007

Incredibly, Willaim Gallas has brought up again his feud with former club Chelsea, this time claiming that the West London club hurt his feelings by stripping him of his squad number.

Gallas was previously assigned the number 13 shirt but Chelsea gave it to Miachel Ballack when the German international joined in the summer.

Gallas said: "Even if it seems surreal, the business of the shirt shook me.

"Nicking the No 13 off me to give it to Ballack was a flagrant lack of respect."

The rant comes at an incredible time, especially when Gallas himself is struggling to return from a hamstring injury. It all seems a bit petty at the moment.

Gallas added: "I could have honoured the last year of my contract and been free at the end of the season.

"But that would not have been honest with Chelsea. In my head I was no longer there. I know people are still asking why I left.

"I will speak about it one day, I promise, when things are quiet. This is just not the right moment."

Confusingly, the French defender goes on to claim that he would have left Chelsea anyway, and that his departure from Chelsea was the result of a decision from someone higher than José Mourinho.

Gallas continued: "I was fine there. The squad was fantastic and I won trophies. Mourinho passed on his thirst for victory to me.

"His way of convincing you that you are the best is unique. But make no mistake, there is no difference between the Gallas of Chelsea and the Gallas of Arsenal.

"I have got over my turbulent departure now. In any case, I wanted to leave."

User Comments

3

coxy

Posted on 3 Jan, 2007 at 03:19 PM - Reply

He regrets leaving Chelsea, he's always been a whiner

2

afc

Posted on 3 Jan, 2007 at 01:43 PM - Reply

gallas is not 100% commited to arsenal.
he's always speaking in chelsea?!?!
Gallas you're in the best club in the world let the others e and forget them, just give your best for the gunners!

1

Mike

Posted on 3 Jan, 2007 at 11:54 AM - Reply

One always has to remember the context of remarks like that before we leap to judgement.

Firstly, he was probably asked a leading question on it, that's probably why the topic would have come up, I doubt he decided to call a news conference about it.

Secondly, the attack made on him by chel$ki is unprecedented to the best of my knowledge. I don't recall ever seeing such a vindictive and puerile attack on an ex-employee by any football club, not even that stupid Italian team who fired a player for scoring against their national team, although it comes close.

Thirdly, if you were the party who got dragged through the mud like that, I doubt many of us would be entirely forgiving and willing to keep quiet about it either.

He might be senior in terms of the playing staff, but he's still fairly young in terms of age, so we cannot expect the same level of restraint that might be seen in someone a decade or two older, it's just life.

I don't care if he has the odd dig at chel$ki, they've certainly earned it imo, and if it helps get it out of his system, so what?

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