Paul Parker Article

Time to end Gallas captaincy

Thu Nov 20 04:50PM

Following William Gallas's revelation of divisions within the Arsenal dressing room, the time has come for Arsenal to find a new skipper.

Gallas proved he was not the man for the job at Birmingham last season and his latest outburst has only added more weight to the argument that he should be stripped of the armband.

He was a poor choice of captain even before his infamous sit-in at St Andrews; nine months later and he is million miles from being an ideal leader. He is too much of a disruptive influence.

Arsene Wenger should have acted after the Birmingham game but now he has no choice: Gallas must be ditched as captain - and maybe even offloaded elsewhere in January - if Arsenal's season is not to fall apart.

The last thing Arsenal need - or any team for that matter - is a whistle-blower in the ranks, least of all the man who is supposed to gel the squad together and motivate the players to get the best out of them.

What is said in the dressing room should stay there. If there is a problem, no one else needs to know about it. It is not for public consumption.

Whatever happens needs to be contained there and dealt with in an appropriate way, either at the time or at a later date.

But once it becomes public, you have a big problem on your hands. Now everyone knows that Arsenal's current on-pitch problems - and by that I mean their inconsistency - is not just down to injuries or bad luck or the 'rough-house' tactics employed by opponents.

Their troubles are more deep-seated than that; as a team Arsenal are not united. And considering football is a team game, that will be perceived by opponents as a major weakness.

Gallas has betrayed his team-mates - whatever their faults - by using the international break as an excuse to go to the media and spill the beans.

He may be a vastly experienced player, but some of his decisions beggar belief. Put simply, the latest outburst lacks professionalism.

With the captain's armband comes a certain amount of responsibility for your team-mates. But Gallas has shown no sign of that - he has even admitted he is passing the buck because he does not want to accept the blame any more.

The disruption stemming from this could now have a knock-on effect on the team's performances on the pitch - and with Arsenal struggling to maintain a head of steam this season, that is the last thing they need at the moment.

Arsenal do not need someone like Gallas at the Emirates. In a way he is a selfish player, always looking after number one. His ego is suffocating Arsenal at the moment and not allowing the club to move forward.

Wenger needs to take a long, hard look at the situation and make a decision with the best interests of Arsenal at heart, and not those of individual players.

Comments91 - 120 of 221
First
Previous
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Next
Last

When are Yahoo going to monitor these pages to get rid of the baby's posts? I just wrote a message saying just that and they didn't post it, yet look at all the other crud being put on here!
From nickwillows on Fri Nov 21 12:55PM
Report abuse
i hardly can pick whose the best to wear the armband but certainly not gallas. afterall he came from chelsea. i guess arsene is quite bias when picking up his captain. veira, henry, then enter gallas..! a captain is a person who can be influence, give support, etc to team members not burst to public..!
From al_carlamms on Fri Nov 21 12:56PM
Report abuse
Both are whiners, but they should choose which one to stay by January: Wenger or Gallas. If not, Arsenal will spend another trophy-less season... and this time outside the top four.
From fedtransportaks on Fri Nov 21 12:56PM
Report abuse
hey, Shut up. I dont want to listen to you guys anymore anyhow!!
From mikemacd_2000 on Fri Nov 21 12:58PM
Report abuse
"Anymore" is a word in the dictionary and therefore completely acceptable. I do not want to read anymore about this. OK?
From sdestinyp on Fri Nov 21 12:58PM
Report abuse
why not give it to cesc,he is a leader,very mature for his age,he will thrive on the responsibility too.wait until tomas and eduardo return what a second half pf the season we'll have,on the up!!!!!! from rcg gooner
From rc_goodall on Fri Nov 21 01:19PM
Report abuse
Please,enough of this Gallas is the issue. Arsene should be held responsible.Yes, is youth policy is working but left us in a tight situation for lack of indepth. Prof. should move with the latest demand in the football world:Investment in skill,strength and talent, not just skill and talent. this will give the needed result. SALAMI ADEWALE FROM LAGOS, NIGERIA
From diti050974 on Fri Nov 21 01:21PM
Report abuse
I suggest you leave Paul Parker alone, it is a little know fact that prior to his football career, Paul Parker was a journalist who at the onset of his spidey senses tingling, donned some kind of all-in-one suit and a gimp mask and set about ridding the streets of his evil arch enemies! or so I'm led to believe, yu have been warned!
From mattie_west1972 on Fri Nov 21 01:26PM
Report abuse
yhh Kolo toure a captain ! , atleast
hes always calm and hard working and has a good influence
From playerjuliog on Fri Nov 21 01:27PM
Report abuse
gallas is not really fit as the captain.u shudnt blame him but wenger who was beclouded by national affinity.when a round peg was put in a square hole what do u expect.that is why he doesnt av answers 2 most of the questions after any loss by arsenal but always has recourse to crying like a baby.let gallas go and learn frm raul gonzalles who has been an inspirational captain 2 real madrid.conclusively, he shud be removed bcos due process wasnt follwed in appointing him.let wenger retrace his erroneous steps by appointing fabergas
From shittu4soccer on Fri Nov 21 01:30PM
Report abuse
we had a captain, GILBERTO he was a good captain with plenty of experience you dont get to be captain of Brazil for nothing, he would have been good for the young players coming through, and was always a steady player in the middle sorting things out. GALLAS WAS NEVER AN ARSENAL MAN FROM THE OFF.
jim an arsenal fan for 50 odd years
From joyce.parnell on Fri Nov 21 01:58PM
Report abuse
Mister Paul has his finger on the football pulse. When he talks the whole footballing world should listen.
From monkeylord on Fri Nov 21 01:58PM
Report abuse
Comment 246.
Jim, why is your email joyce.parnell? Are you a fan of James Joyce or don't you know if your Arthur or Martha?
From monkeylord on Fri Nov 21 01:59PM
Report abuse
Shut up Post 20, what you talking about is pure @#$% mate....you read to many papers!!! are you a spurs fan in disguise????
From glynmorgan2 on Fri Nov 21 02:00PM
Report abuse
I want us to believe that this moment is not for aportioning blame. Prof. Wenger should try to right the wrong for the best interss of the team
From diti050974 on Fri Nov 21 02:02PM
Report abuse
post 248.....well said mate, i pissed my pants wen i just read that....lolololol
From glynmorgan2 on Fri Nov 21 02:09PM
Report abuse
Their menstruation attracts bears
From matt_baker2109 on Fri Nov 21 02:25PM
Report abuse
lets frabegas take it.....but if its age and experience...i give to frabegas.......one day he will be the captain.mark my words
From deji_jaiyeola on Fri Nov 21 02:29PM
Report abuse
I think Gallas should be stripped of the captains armband and wenger should have a word with stevie GERRARD and let him do the job part time!!!! LFC4life
From ikingsleyi on Fri Nov 21 02:35PM
Report abuse
..maybe the whinger could find something positve to say about his team and then someone would want to be the captain?...the arsenal is very short of munitions as of late..they should really stop shooting themselves in the feet!...am sure that second rate team from manchester without a stadium will take gallas and the ballerinas down...an we shall laugh loud...
From stuartxland on Fri Nov 21 02:35PM
Report abuse
mr parker go HANG!
From tichanyateka on Fri Nov 21 02:37PM
Report abuse
gallas should have never left chelsea the facking idiot
From linyao21 on Fri Nov 21 02:38PM
Report abuse
Dear 'Lanegold'.
Capital letters come at the start of a sentence. Correct usage please.
From kesh_menon on Fri Nov 21 02:42PM
Report abuse
Arsenal should find the person with the loudest mouth and character to lead, if they don't want GERRARD P/t.. Gallas, Bendtner, AdeB(if he's still there), not Toure(Cause he's the best option), Definitely 100% Van P!!
From ikingsleyi on Fri Nov 21 02:49PM
Report abuse
Up gunners! William Gallas shouln't have come public to say such, it shows he is not matured enough to handle such. He can always be corrected instead of destroying his morale for the club. Besides, this is not the problem we need to face, but the management. Arsenal as a club, needs just few rugged players that will always finish the job on the pitch. Just take a closer look at the match against Hull City, you will discover that Arselal need strenght on the field, bcos that was being used against us. Well, i'm still hopeful for the club, the best is yet to come, it's at hand. UP GUNNERS! ARSENAL FOREVER! Bayo
From ayilara2k2 on Fri Nov 21 03:09PM
Report abuse
the problem of arsenal is that there are no longer french man in the arsenal squad that wenger can appoint as the captain since he (wenger) has made it apparent that it is only a frenchman that be captain of arsenal fc look at it- vieira, henry and now calamity gallas. its time to consider non french players. ooooooooohhhh!, there is one! the best defender in the arsenal's rank SILVESTERRRRRRRRRRR!
From dutyretope on Fri Nov 21 03:29PM
Report abuse
the best thing chelsea did was get rid of him, gallas was a whinger at chelsea and he has just continued this at arsenal.
From afcwasps on Fri Nov 21 06:29PM
Report abuse
ppl plz dont write essays write a comment a COMMENT short sentences now more then 3 lines and toura captin cause of his exprience and cesc vice
From skillfc on Fri Nov 21 09:50PM
Report abuse
As a Man Utd fan i honestly cannot see any leaders in the Arsenal squad at all,not trying to be disrespectful there,just honest! Fabregas i can see leaving in the close season to Barca' is the only one with the experience to be captain, winning the Euro's and all!! Maybe Toure , this is possibly all Arsenal are lacking at the minute ,their football is fantastic but have nobody on the pitch to give a good rollocking when needed! Get a leader and see the Trophies again!
From mufcseve on Fri Nov 21 10:03PM
Report abuse
How can Paul Parker, or anyone else for that matter, demand that Gallas be stripped of the captaincy? Admittedly he was a poor choice in the first place, but surely it is an internal matter for Arsenal to decide what to do. If they are strong they will admit their shortfalls, and retain Gallas. If they are weak they will bow to public and media pressure and give in instead of standing by Gallas and accepting that he has much right to free speech and opinions as anyone else. The comments on these forums are all about people's opinions and it seems a little incongruous that contributors feel it is right for them to mouth off on anything they please, but not Gallas. Weird!
From quatt47 on Sat Nov 22 01:35PM
Report abuse