William Gallas

William Gallas, (born 17 August 1977 in Asnières-sur-Seine), is a France international football (soccer) of Guadeloupe descent who currently plays for and captains Arsenal F.C. in the England FA Premier League. He is a defender (football) who prefers to play in the centre, but he can also play at full-back on either side of the pitch.

Club career

Early career

William Gallas is a graduate of the French Football academy at Clairefontaine. He started his professional career at 2nd division Caen helping them to promotion as champions in 1996. He was subsequently transferred to Olympique de Marseille in 1997. Gallas spent four seasons at Marseille, playing alongside Robert Pirès and Peter Luccin among others. He made his debut in the Champions League playing for Marseille, and he also played against Chelsea in that competition in 2000.

Chelsea

Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri bought Gallas from Marseille in May 2001 for Pound Sterling6.2 million. He chose the number 13 shirt because it was his postcode back when he lived in Marseille. 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. 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 Premiership 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 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 he 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.. ,LIverpoolFC and Manchester United F.C.. Gallas called the goal against Tottenham, a 25-yard 93rd-minute winner, his "greatest ever" on Chelsea TV.

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 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 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 his future at Stamford Bridge (stadium) 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 scandal in Italian football at the time scuppered any interest from Juventus or Milan, and the only club to express an interest was Arsenal F.C.. In an implied admission that Gallas would be allowed to leave Stamford Bridge, Chelsea signed Dutch defender Khalid Boulahrouz.

On September 1 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 he 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 he was always a good professional on the pitch. Of course, I don't know what has happened in the last two years." 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."

Arsenal

Gallas signed a 4-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 F.C. on 9 September 2006 and scored his first goal against Sheffield United F.C. on September 23 2006. Gallas also scored in Arsenal's 3-0 win against Liverpool F.C] on November 12 2006.

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. Gallas is expected to return in October after suffering a groin injury in the game against Blackburn on the August 19.

International career

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

He is now a regular member of the France national football team. He made his full France debut in a 5-0 demolition of Slovenia national football team in a 2004 UEFA European Football Championship qualifier in October 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 World Cup, he criticised the Portugal national football team team for diving, saying that when the French faced them in the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup, they needed to look out for their unfair style of play.

Gallas won his 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 2008 UEFA European Football Championship qualifying match.

International goals

Honours

International

- UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship Winner 1996
- Confederations Cup Winner 2003
- 2006 FIFA World Cup Finalist

With Caen

- Ligue 2 Championship Winner Ligue 2 season 1995/1996

With Chelsea

- FA Premier League Winner 2004-05 in English football, 2005-06 in English football
- Football League Cup 2005
- Community Shield 2005

With Arsenal

- Emirates Cup 2007
- Amsterdam Tournament 2007