William Gallas

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William Gallas

Gallas in action for Arsenal against Watford
Personal information
Full name William Gallas
Date of birth August 17, 1977 (1977-08-17) (age 30)
Place of birth    Asnières-sur-Seine, France
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position Centre/ Left/ Right Back
Club information
Current club Arsenal
Number 10
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1995-1997
1997-2001
2001-2006
2006-		 Caen
Marseille
Chelsea
Arsenal		 034 0(0)
111 0(5)
159 (12)
052 0(7)   
National team2
1997-1998
2002-		 France U21
France		 011 0(0)
062 0(2)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of April 19, 2008.
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of June 3, 2008.
* Appearances (Goals)

William Gallas (born 17 August 1977 in Asnières-sur-Seine) is a French international footballer of Guadeloupian descent who currently plays for and captains Arsenal in the English Premier League. He is a defender who normally plays in the centre of defence, but he has also been played at full-back on either side of the pitch.

Contents

[edit] Club career

[edit] Early career

William Gallas is a graduate of the French Football academy at Clairefontaine. He started his professional career at second division SM Caen helping them to promotion as champions in 1996. He was subsequently transferred to Olympique Marseille in 1997. Gallas spent four seasons at Marseille, playing alongside Robert Pirès among others. He made his debut in the UEFA Champions League playing for Marseille, and he also played against Chelsea in that competition in 2000.

[edit] Chelsea

Former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri bought Gallas from Marseille in May 2001 for £6.2 million. He chose the number 13 shirt because it was his postcode back when he lived in Marseille. [1] Under Ranieri, Gallas developed centre-back partnerships with Marcel Desailly and later with John Terry; his partnership with Terry included a run of 16 games without conceding a single goal.[citation needed] He also played at right-back at times. It was with Chelsea and under Ranieri where Gallas obtained his first international cap.

Gallas was part of Chelsea's team which won back-to-back Premier League titles and a League Cup under Ranieri's successor José Mourinho. However due to a serious injury to left-back Wayne Bridge in 2004-05 Gallas was forced to play out of position. Despite the purchase of Asier del Horno from Athletic Bilbao for £8 million in the 2005 close season, Gallas found himself often playing on the left, a situation he got increasingly frustrated with.[citation needed] However Gallas scored some vital goals as Chelsea retained their title in the 2005-06 season at Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Manchester United. Gallas called the goal against Tottenham, a 25-yard injury-time winner, his "greatest ever" on Chelsea TV.[citation needed]

Gallas's contract with Chelsea was due to expire in May 2007. He refused to sign a new contract with Chelsea on improved terms after saying the club didn't offer him enough money and expressed a wish to play in Italy, with Juventus and AC Milan both interested. [2] Chelsea however did not agree to a transfer request by the player in May 2006, as they considered Gallas an important first team member.

After the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Gallas refused to turn up at Chelsea's pre-season American tour, [3] citing tiredness after the tournament. Upon assigning squad numbers the club gave new arrival Michael Ballack Gallas' number 13 shirt as a punishment for not turning up, an indication that his future at Stamford Bridge was in serious doubt. His reception at the club's membership day at Stamford Bridge was mixed, with sections of fans clapping him while some fans booed and other remained unmoved.

Despite reported links with several clubs around Europe, a move out of England looked unlikely. The 2006 Serie A scandal scuppered any interest from Juventus or A.C. Milan, and the only club to express an interest was Arsenal. In an implied admission that Gallas would be allowed to leave Stamford Bridge, Chelsea signed Dutch defender Khalid Boulahrouz. [4]

On September 1, 2006, Gallas transferred to Arsenal as part of a deal that took Ashley Cole to Chelsea[5] and Arsenal also received the sum of £5 million. The press reported that José Mourinho was furious Gallas had been allowed to move to their rivals and that the Cole-Gallas swap deal had been forced through by Chelsea executive Peter Kenyon. After the transfer, Chelsea issued a statement that Gallas threatened to deliberately score own goals if he was not allowed to leave Chelsea.[6] Gallas rejected Chelsea's claims and accused the West Londoners of lacking class and 'hiding behind false accusations'.[7] Claudio Ranieri, the former Chelsea manager who signed Gallas from Marseille said of the allegations; "I cannot believe these stories. 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." PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor declared that the whole episode has left a "bad taste in the mouth" and that Chelsea's statement should be taken "with a large pinch of salt."

Subsequently, a year before joining Arsenal, Gallas claimed that "things will no longer be easy for Arsenal, and that the future is Chelsea," in an interview with The Sun. [8]

[edit] Arsenal

Gallas applauding supporters.
Gallas applauding supporters.

[edit] 2006-07 season

Gallas signed a four-year contract with Arsenal, where he took the number 10 shirt vacated by the recently-retired Dennis Bergkamp. In an interview in the October 2006 issue of the Official Arsenal Magazine, Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger explained the rather peculiar decision to hand him the squad number 10 (traditionally a forward's number):

Number three was uncomfortable for him and I had given the rest of the numbers out. In the end I thought it might be a good idea to give the number ten to a defender, because a striker would suffer a lot with the comparison with Dennis. At first I was reluctant to give Dennis's number out, and especially to a defender, but overall I think it's better that way.

Gallas made his full debut for The Gunners at left-back in the 1-1 home draw against Middlesbrough on 9 September 2006 and scored his first goal against Sheffield United on September 23, 2006.

[edit] 2007-08 season

Gallas was confirmed as Arsenal captain on August 9, 2007, with Kolo Toure and Gilberto Silva serving as joint vice-captains. His first competitive game as Arsenal captain was on 12 August 2007 against Fulham F.C. which ended in a 2-1 victory for Arsenal. [9] Gallas suffered a groin injury in the game against Blackburn on August 19, but returned to play for Arsenal in their 2-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers on 20 October. In the traditional Arsenal vs Manchester United clash at the Emirates Stadium on November 3, he scored a last minute goal to give the Gunners a draw.

On November 24, 2007 Gallas scored against Wigan when Bacary Sagna crossed in and Gallas fired a header through the arms of Wigan's goalkeeper Pollitt to open the deadlock.

On December 16, 2007 Gallas scored against his old club Chelsea, which was to be the only goal in the match to secure 3 points for Arsenal. Gallas later reflected on his goal against former club Chelsea, claiming that "When Cesc sent the corner in for my goal, I saw Petr Čech come off his line and to be honest I was sure he would catch it. So I was surprised when he didn't take it, and it was just a reflex reaction to head it into the goal. I just happened to be there at the right time".[10][verification needed]

Gallas has come in for some criticism following his actions in a 2-2 draw against Birmingham City on 23 February 2008. After team-mate Gaël Clichy conceded a penalty in injury time at the end of the second half, Gallas walked into the Birmingham half, apparently in protest. He stood there as Birmingham striker James McFadden converted the penalty. He then had to be restrained as he appeared to confront the crowd in fury. After the final whistle, Gallas sat down on the pitch for two minutes as the rest of the players left the field, before being consoled by manager Arsène Wenger.

Gallas also scored for Arsenal against Bolton in a 2-3 win on 29 March 2008, starting the comeback which 10-man Arsenal ultimately completed.

Wenger said he would consider if Gallas will continue as Arsenal captain at the end of the season.[11] It comes after the tantrum incident earlier in the season.

[edit] International career

Gallas was a part of the France U-18 European Championship winning side. He also played for the France U-20 team in the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship.

He is now a regular member for France, forming Raymond Domenech's first-choice centre-back partnership with Lilian Thuram. He made his full France debut in a 5-0 demolition of Slovenia in a Euro 2004 qualifier on October 12, 2002, and was a member of the squad for the tournament's finals. He was in the 2003 Confederations Cup winning side, and more recently he was a member of the squad that reached the 2006 FIFA World Cup final. Following the 2006 World Cup, he criticised the Portugal team for diving, saying that when the French faced them in the semi-finals they needed to look out for their unfair style of play[12].

Gallas won his 50th cap for France in the 3-1 win against Italy on 6 September 2006 at the Stade de France in a Euro 2008 qualifying match.


[edit] Honours

[edit] With Caen

  • Ligue 2 Championship Winner 1995-96

[edit] With Chelsea

[edit] With Arsenal

[edit] References

  1. ^ Marseille is in the Bouches du Rhône département of France where all addresses begin with a 13
  2. ^ "Gallas drops exit hint", Sky Sports, 2006-05-01. Retrieved on 2006-09-05. 
  3. ^ "William Gallas statement", Chelsea F.C., 2006-08-01. Retrieved on 2006-09-05. 
  4. ^ "Reaction: Mourinho delighted with energetic Michael Essien", Chelsea F.C., 2006-08-20. Retrieved on 2006-08-21. 
  5. ^ "Cole moved after deadline", The Daily Telegraph, 2006-09-02. Retrieved on 2006-09-05. 
  6. ^ "Gallas 'issued own-goal threat'", BBC Sport, 2006-09-05. Retrieved on 2006-09-05. 
  7. ^ "Gallas denies Chelsea claims", Sky Sports, 2006-09-05. Retrieved on 2006-09-05. 
  8. ^ "Gallas dismisses Arsenal", Sky Sports, 2005-08-23. Retrieved on 2005-08-23. 
  9. ^ "Gallas named captain as Wenger looks to older heads", Arsenal.com, 2007-08-09. Retrieved on 2007-08-09. 
  10. ^ Arsenal matchday programme before Tottenham Hotspur game, December 2007
  11. ^ "Wenger to consider Gallas captaincy", BBC Sport, 2008-04-19. Retrieved on 2008-04-19. 
  12. ^ William Gallas warns France to watch out for Portugal (2006-07-05). Retrieved on 2006-09-07.

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Preceded by
Thierry Henry		 Arsenal F.C. Captain
2007-present		 Succeeded by
incumbent
v • d • e
France squad - UEFA Euro 2004
1 Landreau • 2 Boumsong • 3 Lizarazu • 4 Vieira • 5 Gallas • 6 Makélélé • 7 Pirès • 8 Desailly • 9 Saha • 10 Zidane • 11 Wiltord • 12 Henry • 13 Silvestre • 14 Rothen • 15 Thuram • 16 Barthez • 17 Dacourt • 18 Pedretti • 19 Sagnol • 20 Trezeguet • 21 Marlet • 22 Govou • 23 Coupet • Coach: Santini
 Flag of France
v • d • e
France squad - 2006 FIFA World Cup Runners-up
1 Landreau • 2 Boumsong • 3 Abidal • 4 Vieira • 5 Gallas • 6 Makélélé • 7 Malouda • 8 Dhorasoo • 9 Govou • 10 Zidane • 11 Wiltord • 12 Henry • 13 Silvestre • 14 Saha • 15 Thuram • 16 Barthez • 17 Givet • 18 Diarra • 19 Sagnol • 20 Trezeguet • 21 Chimbonda • 22 Ribéry • 23 Coupet • Coach: Domenech
 Flag of France
v • d • e
France squad - UEFA Euro 2008
1 Mandanda • 2 Boumsong • 3 Abidal • 4 Vieira • 5 Gallas • 6 Makélélé • 7 Malouda • 8 Anelka • 9 Benzema • 10 Govou • 11 Nasri • 12 Henry • 13 Evra • 14 Clerc • 15 Thuram • 16 Frey • 17 Squillaci • 18 Gomis • 19 Sagnol • 20 Toulalan • 21 Diarra • 22 Ribéry • 23 Coupet • Coach: Domenech
 Flag of France
v • d • e
Arsenal F.C. – current squad

2 Diaby • 3 Sagna • 4 Fàbregas • 5 Touré • 6 Senderos • 7 Rosický • 9 Eduardo • 10 Gallas • 11 van Persie • 13 Hleb • 15 Denílson • 17 Song • 19 Gilberto • 20 Djourou • 21 Fabiański • 22 Clichy • 24 Almunia • 25 Adebayor • 26 Bendtner • 27 Eboué • 30 Traoré • 31 J. Hoyte • 32 Walcott • 34 Gibbs • 35 Nordtveit • 36 Randall • 37 Rodgers • 38 Simpson • 39 Lansbury • 40 Mannone • 41 G. Hoyte • 42 Mérida • 43 Barazite • 44 Ogogo • 45 Dunne • 46 Gilbert • 47 Steer • — Vela • Manager: Wenger


Persondata
NAME Gallas, William
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Gallas, William
SHORT DESCRIPTION
DATE OF BIRTH 1977-08-17
PLACE OF BIRTH Asnières-sur-Seine, France
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH