Who is William Gallas? What is he to Arsenal?

No, this is isn't some philosophic, existential poser. William Gallas obviously does 'exist', and is a defender for the Arsenal and French teams.

No, it's more a poser in the light of these comments (partially my translation, I apologise):

With Thierry's departure, it's necessary that the club should explain itself to its players. I am not at Arsenal to play for third place; it is necessary to recruit well-known players, because, whilst the younger players have many qualities, a season is very, very long.

Will the departure of Henry influence your future at Arsenal?

That goes without saying. Today, I'm at Arsenal, but I don't know what could happen tomorrow. Everything happens so quickly in the world of football.... What is certain, is that several players are now asking questions about the future of the club. Around us, all the teams are recruiting; but what is planned to compensate for the departure of Titi Henry? The young players are thirsty for victories, but Arsenal has to get results and win titles to take hold in the long-term. Otherwise, we have to change our policy to that of other teams: recruiting with more means (ie, spending more on players).

He goes on to state that he recognises that the construction of the new stadium is limiting Arsenal financially at present, and that he will discuss the objectives of the club over the coming season, and what will be put in place to build a more competitive team, with Arsene Wenger and certain board members over the coming weeks.


This isn't the first time Gallas has mouthed off in public since joining the club. He's also a player who nearly came to blows with Jens in a match earlier this season.

So what is he to Arsenal?

On the one hand, he is probably the best all-round defender in the squad, with proven quality at international level and a title-winning pedigree. I maintain that the difficulties we had at the back last year were as much caused by Kolo having a poor season as Gallas, and that Willy has had to adjust from playing in a settled, experienced defence, to a largely youthful set-up. That's not as easy as many as his critics would have it.

There have been occasions when he has looked Arsenal through and through. He has celebrated with travelling fans after the game at Old Trafford, but also thanked supporters after a series of defeats - something not all our players have done. I particularly remember him clapping the fans after our defeat to West Ham, as the rest of our players skulked off the pitch. To say he doesn't care about the club, or that he is only here for the money and the easy ride, is simply not true. He does care about our club achieving success.

Moreover, there is perhaps a kernel of truth in what he is saying. Silence, as I've said on here recently, is the way Arsenal do business, but it is clearly a way that can frustrate not just fans but also players. Arsene has still not given a public interview since the departure of Thierry. Might one be an idea?

Yet there is also a hefty debit side to his presence at the club. He has rarely, to be frank, looked like the defender he has been in previous seasons, which cannot be entirely explained away by his unfamiliar and less experienced team-mates.

Moreover his rants, whether truthful or not, should not be aired so publicly. They feed into the current media portrayal of the club being 'in crisis'. The club, players and fans should be closing ranks at the moment; outbursts like this make this harder to achieve.

Ultimately Gallas has to decide soon whether he wants to stay at the club. If, like Thierry, he's no longer up for the challenge of babysitting a young team to potential success, so be it, but he should give the club the opportunity to recruit a replacement if he's not.

I hope he stays because he remains a terrific player who can do a lot for the team. However, if he does stay, he should perhaps start to think a little more before he opens his mouth.