Once a steel barrier of Chelsea, William Gallas suddenly became the focus of one of the most scandalous conflicts in Premier League history. The fierce conflict with coach Jose Mourinho, along with the threat of “bustle” in the FA Cup semi -final in 2004/05, made the French center -back with expensive price.
Golden stage and contradictory germ
When joining Chelsea from Marseille in 2001, Gallas quickly affirmed its position as one of the best defenders in the Premier League. He was one of the pillars in the defense that made an important contribution in the 2004/05 history when Chelsea won the first Premier League championship after 50 years.
With a solid gameplay, speed and ability to play many positions from the center -back to the defender, Gallas was a rare versatile card of the London team at that time.
However, the relationship between Gallas and coach Jose Mourinho is not as smooth as the appearance. The former French player has publicly criticized the Portuguese strategist as “weird” and constantly creates psychological pressure.
“He always knows how to make you feel never safe. Even if you play well, he still tries to remind you that you can lose your place at any time,” Gallas recounted.
The smoldering conflict began to explode in the spring of 2005. According to the information announced by the Chelsea later, Gallas refused to play in the FA Cup semi -final against Liverpool.
Not only that, he was also accused of “going to the house” or “deliberately making a mistake leading to a goal” if he was forced to play. This is a shocking allegation, causing his image to collapse in the eyes of many Blues fans.
Chelsea angry and Mourinho's cold punishment
Chelsea's reaction is very tough. The London Club leadership quickly publicized the case, confirming that Gallas's behavior was “unacceptable” and seriously affected the collective spirit. Mourinho at that time, with the famous iron and steel management style, did not hesitate to punish the French player.
“At Chelsea, no one is older than the collective. Once you threaten the team, you will not have a place here,” Mourinho announced a cold in a press conference after deciding to punish Gallas.
Since then, the relationship between Gallas and Mourinho has become unpredictable. The French defender was removed from long -term plans, though still playing in the last number of matches. Many sources believe that Mourinho actively sought to put Gallas into a exchange deal to strengthen the team, while eliminating the instability in the dressing room.
In the summer of 2006, this cult transfer officially took place. Accordingly, Gallas joined Arsenal, while Chelsea had excellent left -back Ashley Cole. This is a professional deal with professional benefits, but in the eyes of many people, it is a “exile” for Gallas.
New career and endless echo
At Arsenal, Gallas is considered the successor for the center -back position of Sol Campbell. He played well, suitable with Kolo Toure into an experienced midfielder. In the summer of 2007, Gallas was even awarded the captain of the Gunners.
However, the memory of the conflict at Chelsea always clung to this player. Many Blues fans consider him a traitor, while others sympathize, saying that Mourinho was too strict and liked to control absolutely.
Gallas once said to protect myself: “I never wanted to start an own or harm the team. I just felt rushing into the end. Everyone did not listen to the story from me.”
The British press then dissected the incident. Some experts believe that this is a typical example of how Mourinho uses power to maintain discipline. “He would rather lose a star even more to the collective to lose solidarity,” the former player Gary Lineker commented.
For his part, Mourinho never apologized or pulled back his statements. He affirmed: “When you train a team at the highest level, you must make difficult decisions. If not, you will lose control of the team.”
Many years later, when the two left Chelsea, the relationship between them was still very cold. In interviews, Gallas often avoid mentioning Mourinho, and “special people” only briefly said: “William was a good player, but Chelsea needed the team to put the team up first.”
The Gallas – Mourinho incident became a part of the Premier League history, which clearly proved the harshness in the top football environment. It is just a crack, all personal achievements can disappear after one night.
Mourinho used to “remember” Gallas?
In November 2006, coach Jose Mourinho had a statement that many people thought that he was “remembering” William Gallas after the French defender left Stamford Bridge. “Every team feels sorry and remembered when he broke up with his good players. Chelsea is currently playing well without Gallas, but I respect his qualities and contributions to Chelsea for the past 2 years. You always miss your good players and he is a good player,” Mourinho said quite “around”.
