Comments on: Don’t blame Gallas — he was trying to do a captain’s job

By: Lozza

Lozza — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:10:38 +0000

I think there is a difference between what Keane and Gallas did. Keane said nothing about what went on in the dressing room, which is something that is considered to be especially private, whereas Gallas did. Keane was also less inclined to be so specific about blaming individual players, again there is a difference between saying “one or two players have slackened off in training” and saying, as Gallas did, “people come up to me on the pitch and complain about a player…six years younger than me”. Doing a captain’s job is to either encourage or criticise the team as a whole, without revealing private details of goings on in the team dressing room, or directing criticism at an individual player. You would never find Keane sulking on the centre circle after the award of a last minute penalty against his side. On the contrary, Keane would have been the first to charge towards the goal ater the penalty was taken, determined to be the first to clear the ball should it be saved or hit a post, to recify the injustice. Whatever Gallas was doing, just as against Birmingham, it was not a captain’s job.

By: karim

karim — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 06:35:41 +0000

He should do his job as a captin and tell that at changing room not in front of the media

By: The press, on Cesc Fabregas’ captaincy | The Gunning Hawk: A blog about Arsenal F.C.

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 21:04:46 +0000

[...] blame Gallas — he was trying to do a captain’s job Full Article “There’s a lot of cover-ups sometimes and players need to stand up and be counted. I’m not [...]

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 20:10:28 +0000

My real issue with Gallas is not about his comments, calling out the squad’s commitment, rather it is the fashion in which he said them. Gallas goes away on an international break, then decides to spew his mouth about a lack of commitment, also calling out individual players. If Gallas was at an Arsenal press conference, and called out teammates without naming names, then I’ve got no problem, rather I would laud him for challenging his teammates in times of crisis. Furter, it’s apparrent that Gallas ran his mouth in order to promote his upcoming release of his French-language biography.

An unspoken rule in the dressing room is that conflicts stay within the dressing room, and are subsequently sorted in the dresser. Gallas did neither of these. Fabregas must be captain, and Gallas must be dropped and sold in January, even if we can’t get more than a pound for him. Personally, I wouldn’t be able to trust Gallas as a teammate if he has slammed me in public, calling me out as an individual.

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:42:34 +0000

well the latest is that Gallas has been permanently stripped of the captaincy with Fabregas taking over. However Gallas is set to play against Kiev. http://uk.reuters.com/article/sportsNews /idUKTRE4AN3HB20081124

By: gwto

gwto — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:00:15 +0000

I think we all know that Gallas wanted the publicity to help promote his book. It wasn’t the smartest thing to go public, but I agree that it’s not a big deal.

I think the more pressing subject is why footballers and managers are suddenly giving hints? Gallas talked about “a teammate, six years younger than him”" then Joe Kinnear talked about a “player at Roma who hasn’t seen much playing time” and “someone who has already scored against us this season” on his target list. It’s like you have to be Columbo to read the football gossip these days…

By: Steven bowell

Steven bowell — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:07:01 +0000

maybe french players think they are a cut above the rest.i dont think so, are gael friends lol need to take a lesson in putting their index finger to their lips after all platini with his controversy, cantona with his outbursts, and now gallas opening the can of worms learn to take a rear seat in the operation lads.

By: Julien

Julien — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:14:40 +0000

good point, Matthew, but: Gallas did not blab to the French press, but the AP and afterall, isn’t it all Wenger’s responsibility ?

By: Matthew

Matthew — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:57:41 +0000

Gallas should have complained to the coach, not blabbed to the French press. If he was unhappy with the response he got from the coach he should have quit as captain. These rules apply in every sport (and in fact in every walk of life). If Keane said otherwise he’s a fool.

By: Hans Moman

Hans Moman — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:54:34 +0000

“Gallas is no Keano”.

Says it all really.