William Gallas

William Éric Gallas (born 17 August 1977 in Asnières-sur-Seine) is a France footballer who plays for English Premier League club Arsenal F.C. and the France national football team. Regarded as a highly capable player, William Gallas primarily plays as a centre-back.

Gallas began William Gallas career in France, before being signed by English club Chelsea F.C. in 2001. William Gallas transferred to rivals Arsenal as part of an exchange deal in 2006. While William Gallas career has been marked by both individual and team successes - including Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006 - William Gallas has also encountered controversy as a consequence of William Gallas on-field behaviour and friction with other personnel. In 2007, William Gallas was named Arsenal's captain, but was removed from the role during the 2008-09 in English football after criticising team-mates in a media interview.

Club career

Early career

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

Chelsea

Former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri bought Gallas from Marseille in May 2001 for £6.2 million. William Gallas chose the number 13 shirt because it was William Gallas postcode back when William Gallas lived in Marseille. Marseille is in the Bouches du Rhône département of France where all addresses begin with a 13. Under Ranieri, Gallas developed centre-back partnerships with Marcel Desailly and later with John Terry; William Gallas partnership with Terry included a run of 16 games without conceding a single goal. William Gallas also played at right-back at times. It was with Chelsea and under Ranieri where Gallas obtained William Gallas first international cap (sport).

Gallas was part of Chelsea's team which won back-to-back Premier League titles and a Football League Cup under Ranieri's successor José Mourinho. The Blues also made the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League that year, but were knocked out by Liverpool 1-0 in controversial circumstances when the ball was shown to have been cleared off the line by Gallas and never have fully gone in. Due to a serious injury to left-back Wayne Bridge in 2004–05 in English football 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 William Gallas got increasingly frustrated with. However Gallas scored some vital goals as Chelsea retained their title in the 2005-06 in English football season at Tottenham Hotspur F.C., Liverpool F.C. and Manchester United F.C.. Gallas called the goal against Tottenham, a 25-yard injury-time winner, William Gallas "greatest ever" on Chelsea TV.

Gallas's contract with Chelsea was due to expire in May 2007. William Gallas refused to sign a new contract with Chelsea on improved terms after saying the club didn't offer William Gallas enough money and expressed a wish to play in Serie A, with Juventus F.C. and A.C. Milan both interested. 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, 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 William Gallas future at Stamford Bridge (stadium) was in serious doubt. William Gallas reception at the club's membership day at Stamford Bridge was mixed, with sections of fans clapping William Gallas while others booed or remained unmoved.

Despite reported links with several clubs around Europe, a move out of England looked unlikely. The 2006 Serie A scandal stopped any interest from Juventus or A.C. Milan, and the only club to express an interest was Arsenal F.C.. In a move which further crowded the ranks of defenders at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea signed Netherlands national football team defender Khalid Boulahrouz (though it should be noted that Boularouz had already been loaned out away from Chelsea by the summer of 2007).

On 1 September 2006, Gallas transferred to Arsenal as part of a deal that took Ashley Cole to Chelsea 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 William Gallas was not allowed to leave Chelsea. Gallas rejected Chelsea's claims and accused the West Londoners of lacking class and 'hiding behind false accusations'. 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 William Gallas was always a good professional on the pitch. Of course, I don't know what has happened in the last two years." However, it should be noted that Gallas frequently voiced William Gallas distaste both for the club, and the position William Gallas was playing there in the weeks prior to William Gallas move, at one point vowing that William Gallas would never again play for Chelsea whatever the circumstances. Among the Chelsea faithful Gallas's acrimonious departure turned William Gallas almost instantly from a cult hero into an object of betrayal and hatred. Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor (football) 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." It should also be noted that Gallas's reputation as a professional would later suffer serious damage because of William Gallas actions when William Gallas was handed the captaincy at Arsenal F.C..

Arsenal

2006-07 season

Gallas signed a four-year contract with Arsenal, where William Gallas 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 William Gallas the squad number 10 (traditionally a forward's number):

Number three was uncomfortable for William Gallas 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 William Gallas full debut for The Gunners at left-back in the 1-1 home draw against Middlesbrough F.C. on 9 September 2006 and scored William Gallas first goal against Sheffield United F.C. on 23 September 2006.

2007-08 season

Gallas was confirmed as Arsenal captain on 9 August 2007, with Kolo Touré, serving as vice-captain. This caused some controversy as Gilberto Silva was expected to receive the captain's arm band. Many people have questioned Wenger for this decision. William Gallas first competitive game as Arsenal captain was on 12 August 2007 against Fulham F.C., which ended in a 2-1 victory for Arsenal. Gallas suffered a groin injury in the game against Blackburn on 19 August, but returned to play for Arsenal in their 2-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers F.C. on 20 October. In the traditional Arsenal F.C. vs Manchester United F.C. clash at the Emirates Stadium on 3 November, William Gallas scored a last minute goal to give the Gunners a draw.

On 24 November 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 16 December 2007 Gallas scored against William Gallas old club Chelsea F.C., which was to be the only goal in the match to secure 3 points for Arsenal. Gallas later reflected on William Gallas goal against former club Chelsea, claiming that "When Cesc sent the corner in for my goal, I saw Petr Čech come off William Gallas line and to be honest I was sure William Gallas would catch it. So I was surprised when William Gallas 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".

Gallas attracted some criticism as a result of William Gallas actions in a 2-2 draw against Birmingham City F.C. on 23 February 2008 -- a game in which William Gallas teammate Eduardo da Silva had William Gallas leg broken following a challenge by Martin Taylor (footballer). When Gaël Clichy of Arsenal conceded a penalty in injury time at the end of the second half, Gallas walked into the Birmingham half, apparently in protest.William Gallas stood there as Birmingham striker James McFadden converted the penalty. William Gallas then had to be restrained as William Gallas appeared to confront the crowd in fury. After the final whistle, Gallas sat down on the pitch 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.

Amid speculation that Gallas would be replaced as club captain following William Gallas behaviour during the Birmingham City game, Wenger said that William Gallas would consider the matter at the end of the season.

2008-09 season

In August 2008, it was announced that Gallas would remain the club's captain for the 2008-2009 season. As of the 2008-09, Gallas has proved especially prolific in the UEFA Champions League. William Gallas has scored 5 goals so far in Arsenal's campaign, 2 against FC Twente and an equaliser against Dynamo Kiev and a header against Spurs.

On 19 October 2008, William Gallas scored William Gallas first league goal of the season against Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium, scoring Arsenal's second goal in a 4–4 draw.

On 8 November 2008, in a 2–1 victory over Manchester United, William Gallas received praise for William Gallas display whilst playing alongside former United defender Mikael Silvestre. It was claimed William Gallas outshone United defenders Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidić.

In November, Gallas gave an interview to the Associated Press in which William Gallas revealed tensions within the squad which were disruptive to team morale, and suggested that Arsenal's younger players needed to show more courage if they were to be successful. William Gallas was dropped from the squad for the next match, against Manchester City F.C., and was reported to have been fined two weeks' wages. Reports that William Gallas had been stripped of the captaincy permanently were confirmed by Arsenal on 24 November; William Gallas was succeeded by Cesc Fàbregas. Wenger confirmed that Gallas still had a future with the club, contrary to media speculation, and Gallas played in the following day's Champions League match.

On 17th March 2009, Gallas scored the winner in a 2-1 win against Hull City in the quarter finals of the FA Cup.

On 10th April 2009, it was confirmed that Gallas would miss the remainder of the season after damaging the medial ligament in William Gallas right knee during the UEFA Champions League 2008-09 quarter-final first leg tie against Villareal CF. The match finished 1-1 with Gallas only lasting 43 minutes of the first half.

International career

Gallas was a part of the France U-18 European Championship winning side. William Gallas also played for the France U-20 team in the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship along with fellow Frenchmen Willy Sagnol and Thierry Henry.

William Gallas is now a regular member for France national football team,forming Raymond Domenech first-choice Defender_(football) Centre_back partnership with Lilian Thuram during the World Cup in Germany and Euro 2008. William Gallas made William Gallas full France debut in a 5-0 victory over Slovenia national football team in a 2004 UEFA European Football Championship qualifier on 12 October 2002, and was a member of the squad for the tournament's finals. William Gallas was in the 2003 Confederations Cup winning side, and more recently William Gallas was a member of the squad that reached the 2006 FIFA World Cup final. Following the 2006 World Cup, William Gallas criticised the Portugal national football team 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.

Gallas won William Gallas 50th cap for France in the 3-1 win against Italy national football team on 6 September 2006 at the Stade de France in a UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying.

Gallas is still eligible to represent Guadeloupe national football team internationally as well, as they are not FIFA affiliated. William Gallas cousin, Ludovic Quistin, has represented Guadeloupe.

International goals

Honours

Caen

- Ligue 2 (French football Division 2 1995-96)

Chelsea

- Premier League (2004–05 FA Premier League, 2005–06 FA Premier League)
- Football League Cup (Football League Cup 2004–05)
- FA Community Shield (2005 FA Community Shield)

International

- FIFA Confederations Cup (2003 FIFA Confederations Cup)

Individual

- PFA Team of the Year (PFA Team of the Year 2003, PFA Team of the Year 2006)