The Times September 05, 2006
Gallas is accused of threatening to score own goal
By Matt Hughes
There's nothing more irritating than an angry Frenchman: William Gallas, who has just moved to Arsenal from champions Chelsea threatened to score an own goal or get himself sent off if selected for Chelsea’s opening game of the season against Manchester City. William Gallas and Chelsea had a row and now he has joined Arsenal. Chelsea also attacked his ability as a player, saying his “only league title [before joining them] had been in the French second division”.
HAVING acquired Ashley Cole in part-exchange for a troublemaking player, Chelsea appeared to have won the battle with William Gallas, but they seem determined to continue the war. In an extraordinary statement last night, the club alleged that Gallas threatened to score an own goal or get himself sent off if selected for Chelsea’s opening game of the season.
The Barclays Premiership champions also claimed that their former defender repeatedly refused to play for the club while they discussed a new contract, going back to last season’s FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool at Old Trafford, and sought to leave Stamford Bridge purely for financial reasons, spending the summer “hawking himself to the highest bidder”.
To compound the tone of bitterness, there is also a veiled attack on the Frenchman’s ability, with Chelsea referring to him as a player “whose only league title [before joining them] had been in the French second division”.
Gallas, who moved to Arsenal as part of the deal that took Cole to Stamford Bridge, had been in dispute with Chelsea since refusing the offer of a new five-year contract towards the end of last season, but that does not explain the ferocity of their attack.
The 29-year-old went to extreme lengths to force his departure from a club at which he enjoyed five successful seasons, talking to AC Milan without Chelsea’s consent in May, threatening to buy himself out of the remaining year of his contract, refusing to attend the pre-season tour of America and ultimately going on strike. Having felt as if they were suffering in silence for several months, Chelsea last night hit back with a vengeance.
“Chelsea FC believes it is important for our supporters to be made aware of the full facts regarding William Gallas and the lack of respect he showed to the fans, the manager and the club,” the statement read. “Chelsea made William Gallas a very substantial and attractive new contract offer to stay towards the end of last season. This was rejected. The issue was purely one of money, despite his public comments that he wanted a new challenge, to play abroad and so forth. These were just a smokescreen to cover up the fact he was hawking himself to the highest bidder.
“Having failed to secure his demands, his position became increasingly intransigent and unacceptable. He initially refused to play against Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-final last season in an effort to force an increased contract offer.
“Before the first game of the season, against Manchester City, when only four defenders were available and John Terry was doubtful with an injury, he refused to play. He went on to threaten that if he was forced to play, or if he was disciplined and financially punished for his breach of the rules, that he could score an own goal or get himself sent off, or make deliberate mistakes.
“Clearly this was a totally unacceptable situation for the manager, the team and the club. So a collectively agreed solution in Chelsea’s interests had to be found, hence his departure.
“Chelsea has a wage structure valued not only on the contribution of the player to the manager and team, but also on a player’s respect for the club and contribution to the promotion and image of the club off the field. William Gallas rarely recognised these responsibilities. He also failed to recognise the role José Mourinho and Chelsea played in helping him become a double Premiership champion for a player whose only league title prior to that had been in the French second division.”
Although not written personally, the statement bears the fingerprints of Mourinho, who has been incandescent with rage at Gallas’s attitude during various points of this summer. The Portuguese manager was particularly angry at being embarrassed by Gallas after his failure to show up in America, when his very public offer of forgiveness was spurned.
“When José Mourinho generously offered him a way back into the ‘family’ after the American tour, this was thrown back in the Chelsea manager’s face,” the statement continued. “The manager told him that, even if he did not agree a new contract but returned to the ‘family’ and abided by the rules, he would still select the best players available and would not punish him playing wise.
“However, despite meetings to try and resolve the problems, Gallas made it clear to José Mourinho he would never play for Chelsea again.”
Claudio Ranieri, the former Chelsea manager who signed Gallas from Marseilles for £6.2 million in 2001, was astonished that a player he regarded as a “good professional” could be guilty of such actions. “I cannot believe these stories,” Ranieri said. “It is absolutely incredible. I signed William and he was always a good professional on the pitch. Of course, I don’t know what has happened in the last two years.”
Gallas contends that his decision to leave Chelsea was not about money, but centred on his perception of not being valued by the club. The 29-year-old has felt underpaid in comparison to Terry for several seasons and was particularly aggrieved at being frequently played out of position.
Gallas will be paid £80,000 a week by Arsenal, though after these revelations Arsène Wenger may wonder if it will be worth the trouble.
timesonline.co.uk
Gallas is accused of threatening to score own goal
By Matt Hughes
There's nothing more irritating than an angry Frenchman: William Gallas, who has just moved to Arsenal from champions Chelsea threatened to score an own goal or get himself sent off if selected for Chelsea’s opening game of the season against Manchester City. William Gallas and Chelsea had a row and now he has joined Arsenal. Chelsea also attacked his ability as a player, saying his “only league title [before joining them] had been in the French second division”.
HAVING acquired Ashley Cole in part-exchange for a troublemaking player, Chelsea appeared to have won the battle with William Gallas, but they seem determined to continue the war. In an extraordinary statement last night, the club alleged that Gallas threatened to score an own goal or get himself sent off if selected for Chelsea’s opening game of the season.
The Barclays Premiership champions also claimed that their former defender repeatedly refused to play for the club while they discussed a new contract, going back to last season’s FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool at Old Trafford, and sought to leave Stamford Bridge purely for financial reasons, spending the summer “hawking himself to the highest bidder”.
To compound the tone of bitterness, there is also a veiled attack on the Frenchman’s ability, with Chelsea referring to him as a player “whose only league title [before joining them] had been in the French second division”.
Gallas, who moved to Arsenal as part of the deal that took Cole to Stamford Bridge, had been in dispute with Chelsea since refusing the offer of a new five-year contract towards the end of last season, but that does not explain the ferocity of their attack.
The 29-year-old went to extreme lengths to force his departure from a club at which he enjoyed five successful seasons, talking to AC Milan without Chelsea’s consent in May, threatening to buy himself out of the remaining year of his contract, refusing to attend the pre-season tour of America and ultimately going on strike. Having felt as if they were suffering in silence for several months, Chelsea last night hit back with a vengeance.
“Chelsea FC believes it is important for our supporters to be made aware of the full facts regarding William Gallas and the lack of respect he showed to the fans, the manager and the club,” the statement read. “Chelsea made William Gallas a very substantial and attractive new contract offer to stay towards the end of last season. This was rejected. The issue was purely one of money, despite his public comments that he wanted a new challenge, to play abroad and so forth. These were just a smokescreen to cover up the fact he was hawking himself to the highest bidder.
“Having failed to secure his demands, his position became increasingly intransigent and unacceptable. He initially refused to play against Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-final last season in an effort to force an increased contract offer.
“Before the first game of the season, against Manchester City, when only four defenders were available and John Terry was doubtful with an injury, he refused to play. He went on to threaten that if he was forced to play, or if he was disciplined and financially punished for his breach of the rules, that he could score an own goal or get himself sent off, or make deliberate mistakes.
“Clearly this was a totally unacceptable situation for the manager, the team and the club. So a collectively agreed solution in Chelsea’s interests had to be found, hence his departure.
“Chelsea has a wage structure valued not only on the contribution of the player to the manager and team, but also on a player’s respect for the club and contribution to the promotion and image of the club off the field. William Gallas rarely recognised these responsibilities. He also failed to recognise the role José Mourinho and Chelsea played in helping him become a double Premiership champion for a player whose only league title prior to that had been in the French second division.”
Although not written personally, the statement bears the fingerprints of Mourinho, who has been incandescent with rage at Gallas’s attitude during various points of this summer. The Portuguese manager was particularly angry at being embarrassed by Gallas after his failure to show up in America, when his very public offer of forgiveness was spurned.
“When José Mourinho generously offered him a way back into the ‘family’ after the American tour, this was thrown back in the Chelsea manager’s face,” the statement continued. “The manager told him that, even if he did not agree a new contract but returned to the ‘family’ and abided by the rules, he would still select the best players available and would not punish him playing wise.
“However, despite meetings to try and resolve the problems, Gallas made it clear to José Mourinho he would never play for Chelsea again.”
Claudio Ranieri, the former Chelsea manager who signed Gallas from Marseilles for £6.2 million in 2001, was astonished that a player he regarded as a “good professional” could be guilty of such actions. “I cannot believe these stories,” Ranieri said. “It is absolutely incredible. I signed William and he was always a good professional on the pitch. Of course, I don’t know what has happened in the last two years.”
Gallas contends that his decision to leave Chelsea was not about money, but centred on his perception of not being valued by the club. The 29-year-old has felt underpaid in comparison to Terry for several seasons and was particularly aggrieved at being frequently played out of position.
Gallas will be paid £80,000 a week by Arsenal, though after these revelations Arsène Wenger may wonder if it will be worth the trouble.
timesonline.co.uk