Premier League - Gallas loses captaincy

Eurosport - Sat, 22 Nov 10:34:00 2008

William Gallas has been stripped of the Arsenal captaincy and has not travelled with the squad for Saturday's match at Manchester City.

FOOTBALL 2007/08 Premier League William Gallas - 0

France Football report that France international Gallas, 31, has been dropped by Gunners manager Arsene Wenger after revealing comments the defender made about disharmony within the squad.

The respected news source also claims that either goalkeeper Manuel Almunia or full-back Gael Clichy will captain the side at the City of Manchester Stadium.

Gallas revealed in an interview earlier in the week several incidents where he has had arguments on the pitch and in the dressing room during matches, including at half-time during the 4-4 draw with local rivals Tottenham Hotspur in October.

"When, as captain, some players come up to you and talk to you about a player ... complaining about him ... and then during the match you speak to this player and the player in question insults us," Gallas told AP.

"There comes a time where we can no longer comprehend how this can happen.

"I am trying to defend myself a bit without giving names. Otherwise I'm taking it all (the blame). It's very frustrating," he said.

"I'm 31, the player is six years younger than me." The 25-year-olds in the Arsenal squad are Robin van Persie, Emmanuel Eboue, Bacary Sagna and Eduardo da Silva, who has been out injured since February.

Another incident occurred during the recent 4-4 draw at home to North London rivals Tottenham, in which Arsenal surrendered a two-goal lead in the dying minutes.

Those revelations from the centre-back - who arrived from Chelsea in 2006 as part of the deal that saw Ashley Cole move to west London - were then followed the release of a part of his autobiography detailing a row with a young member of the France squad during Les Bleus's failed Euro 2008 finals campaign.

Gallas wrote: "I was also 20 years old once. I would never have allowed myself to speak in this tone to a footballer who was older than me.

"The youngsters from the Euros seem cheeky, very sure of themselves. They think they know it all, but they don't know anything.

"Faced with his contempt, I raised my voice. The young player said: 'Lower your voice, speak less loudly'.

"I replied: 'How are you speaking to me? Who do you think you are? You are only 20 years old. I am not your friend.

"He said: 'Me neither, I am not your friend'."

Gallas was made club captain following the departure of Thierry Henry during the summer of 2007.

His captaincy was called into question the following February at St Andrews when - following striker Eduardo sustaining a horrific broken ankle and James McFadden's last-gasp penalty securing a 2-2 draw for Birmingham - Gallas slumped down in the centre circle at the final whistle and remained sat there, visibly upset.

Tony Mabert / Eurosport

Comment 149 - 168 of 168

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  1. who lives in a pinapple under the sea sponge bob square pants ha ha

    From geoffp, on Mon 24 Nov 8:01PM

  2. he only told it like it is, should have kept it behind closed doors, losing captaincy is enough punishment

    From ripped of, on Mon 24 Nov 5:03PM

  3. send him back 2 france hell fit in there usless, arrogant, 1 hell of a strange character and gives up at the 1st sign of a battle

    From Tina P, on Mon 24 Nov 4:44PM

  4. What happened to Arsenal is not Gallas faulth or captain but the manager,bcos has refuse to do the right thing at the right time.He should be very careful bcos this is jusy the begining.

    From ojeomokhai, on Mon 24 Nov 4:13PM

  5. Is this the Gallas that told Chelsea "if you don't let me go I'll score an own goal"?
    Galls was never brilliant and Arsenal were done by Chelsea with the Cole transfer saga. Wenger should never let him play again for the Gunners and get rid of him in January, mind you Wenger has probably already set the wheels in motion.
    God help whoever take him on, Gallas a man of gross self importance!

    From r.j.hall@..., on Mon 24 Nov 3:54PM

  6. Stevie G. - A True Definition of Captain

    From Horatiu, on Mon 24 Nov 2:34PM

  7. Football captains serve absolutely no purpose, the referee does not use them for team discipline and they have no input on tactics. It is a purely ceremonial position so who cares who the captain is, why not just do away with them altogether?

    From ovverbruv, on Sat 22 Nov 6:16PM

  8. DONT UNDERSTAND ALL THE NOISE ABOUT GALLAS, MAYBE HE SHOULD HAVE KEPT SOME OF HIS COMMENTS PRIVATE BUT AS THE CAPTAIN HE OUGHT TO SPEAK OUT WHEN HE IS NOT GETTING RESPECT FROM THE MATES, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNGER ONES WHO ARE MOSTLY OVER RATED.
    PROBLEM WITH TEAM ARSENAL IS THAT APART FROM GALLAS, FABRIGAS AND KOLO, THE REST DO NOT HAVE ANY FIGHTING SPIRIT.THEY THROW IN THE TOWEL MUCH TOO EASILY OR ARE STRETCHERED OFF.YOU DONT SEE THAT WITH MAN U OR CHELSEA. FURTHER MORE WHILE THEIR PLAY IS QUITE PLEASANT WATCH, THEY SHOULD LEARN TO PLAY INTELLIGENTLY. THERE IS NO SENSE HAVING 65% POSSESSION ONLY TO END UP LOOSING MATCH ON A SIMPLE QUICK COUNTER. THAT REMINDS OF MOHAMMED ALI 'ROPE A DOPE' TACTICS. YEAR IN YEAR OUT ARSENAL LOOSES TO THE LOWER STRUGGLING TEAMS APPLYING THIS TACTICS AND CONSEQUENTLY LOOSE THE CHAMPIONSHIP. FULHAM,BIRMINGHAM CITY, SHELLFIELD UTD AND SUCH STRUGGLERS. DONT UNDERSTAND WHY THE MANAGER CAN NOT LEARN. THERE SHOULD BE DIFFERENT TACTICS AND PLAYERS FOR DIFFERENT MATCHES. YOU PLAY GOOD FOOTBALL IF THE OPPONENT (LIKE MAN U OR CHELSEA) WANTS TO PLAY GOOD FOOTBALL. WHEN THE OPPONENT COMES ONLY TO DEFFEND, YOU ALSO MAKE SURE YOU DEFFEND. THATS HOW POINTS AND CHAMPIONSHIPS ARE WON. TACTICS

    From amaechi, on Sat 22 Nov 3:05PM

  9. Although I admire Gallas fort speaking out at what happens at Arsenal, perhaps he was a bity hasty in going public. Naturally he's got to think about his book sales but shouldn't he have waited untuil retirement before publishing it? Van Persie is a well known cry baby and in the mould of Drogba for falling over at the slightest push. I lay the whole sorry mess at the feet of Arsene Wenger for appointing Gallas as captain in the first place, a man eminently unsuitable for the job, instead of finding a true leder in the Arsenal camp. I bet he wishes he had a Terry or a Ferdinand there. As far as the lack of English players in the Premier League is concerenedf there are still a few clubs that nurture talent amongst the big boys, notable Manchester United who have several Englishment in the squad along with Irish, Scottish and welsh players. That's not from 'support', that's fact. We even have one or two at Wigan.

    From quatt47, on Sat 22 Nov 1:30PM

  10. all you phoney fans out there having at go at arsene wenger must your petty jealousy cloud your tiny minds
    all real fooball fans now he is a great manager so they have not one a trophy for a couple of years but he wont sacrifice entertaining proper football, but watch out the young players are maturing you utd. & chelsea fans?
    your teams are getting old and no young players to replace them you have to hope the money doesnt dry up or you will be finished, arsenal will have thelast laugh s for gallas spitting his dummy out send him back to france i am sure some team there will find a place for the baby , chris

    /

    From chris l, on Sat 22 Nov 1:27PM

  11. As an arsenal fan i believe the manager has to take the blame, for a while i have been complaining about arsene wenger.Since mentioning he can have the job for life he has been experimenting with players frustrating fans . I think usmanov should lauch a take over bid and buy the club and sack wenger. Mouhrino will bring us trophies. Am fed up.

    From garvin h, on Sat 22 Nov 1:24PM

  12. As an arsenal fan, i think it will be wise to blame the manger for all the chaos! he has lost the plot and has no more hunger left to continue. i pray usmanov will buy the club and sack wenger and bring mouhrino. we need trophies not kids.

    From garvin h, on Sat 22 Nov 1:20PM

  13. Re-comment 151, yea u are right, a good captain should speak out, but not outside. So he is not a leader.

    From joe, on Sat 22 Nov 12:29PM

  14. lol

    From emilio, on Sat 22 Nov 11:08AM

  15. Actually Luke S, you're the "numpty"...That's why it's AN OPEN FORUM, so ANYONE can comment, regardless of who they support!! What's the matter, are you scared that a fan from another club might say something that a "gooner" doesn't like?? Gallas is only interested in Gallas, no one else. Don't forget, this is the bloke that publicly stated that "he'd score an own goal" if Chelsea didn't give him a transfer, then you mugs went and made someone with that kind of an attitude your club captain?? You reap what you sow, mate.

    From stevjohn3715, on Sat 22 Nov 11:01AM

  16. angelsmart11, its got nothing to do with nationality, but judgement. Gallas seemed head strong. At the time Wenger was faced with a dilema of ither Kolo or Gilberto. He probably felt that Kolo was not ready and that Gilberto was on his way out and so given the youth of the team Gallas was the obvious choice, it almost worked, only probalem was that Gallas , like silvestre is a mercenary to arsenal, his blood is not arsenal blood ,like Henry, Viera, Keown, Adams , Seaman and other great captains. Arsenal. Kolo blod is arsenal , and if he is given the band this will herald a truely new era at arsenal. Also I feel that Kolo has a weakness because of Africa games that conside with a very crucial time in the premiership, that will be a big , big downside.

    From Paul, on Sat 22 Nov 10:50AM

  17. this is what happens when your team is full of french people,adios wenger,gallas andall you other french losers

    From martinol6, on Sat 22 Nov 10:43AM

  18. I admire Gallas for speaking out. This must be the sign of a good captain, and I think it would be unfair to strip him of the armband without trying to resolve the situation.
    As for who it is, it must be Van Persie - who is 25 and a sriker? Him and Eduardo - wwho has the reputation for being a diving ego?

    From MARK, on Sat 22 Nov 10:42AM

  19. I have read enough of all your **** comments.I support Good football,not a team.You die hard supporters are a ******* disgrace.Just go a source a gun !! Your attitudes are as bad as fundamentalists ??Get a life.

    From james, on Sat 22 Nov 10:42AM

  20. IS A PITY THAT A PITY CAN NOT PITY WHAT A PITY CAN PITY, WELL BEFORE THEY GAVE HIM THE CAPTAIN I SAID IT HERE THAT IT WOUN'T LAST. POLITICS IS BEEN DONE IN ARSENAL (FRANCE), IS TIME THEY FACE REALITY.SOMEONE LIKE TOURE OR FABREGAS SHOULD BE THE SKIPPER, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT FRANCE WENGER WOUN'T GIVE THEM. NOW IS CLICHY FROM FRANCE. PROBLEMS YET TO COME.

    From angelsmart11, on Sat 22 Nov 10:33AM
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