Chelsea Football Club has the following statement on William Gallas to
explain the circumstances behind his departure. These include his refusal to
play for the team, and if selected, a threat to score an own goal.



The statements says:



Chelsea FC believes it is important for our supporters to be made aware of
the full facts regarding William Gallas and the lack of respect he showed to
the fans, the manager and the club.



Despite leaving he continues to attack José Mourinho and this cannot be left
unchallenged.



Chelsea made William Gallas a very substantial and attractive new contract
offer to stay towards the end of last season. This was rejected.



The issue was purely one of money, despite his public comments that he
wanted a new challenge, to play abroad and so forth. These were just a
smokescreen to cover up the fact he was hawking himself to the highest
bidder.



Having failed to secure his demands, his position became increasingly
intransigent and unacceptable.



He initially refused to play against Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-final last
season in an effort to force an increased contract offer.



As is now well documented he refused to join up with the team in Los Angeles
during pre-season, despite agreeing the dates for his return as the other
World Cup players did, with the club.



When José Mourinho generously offered him a way back into the "family" after
the American tour, this was thrown back in the Chelsea manager's face.



The manager told him that, even if he did not agree a new contract but
returned to the "family" and abided by the rules, he would still select the
best players available and would not punish him playing wise.



However despite meetings to try and resolve the problems Gallas made it
clear to José Mourinho he would never play for Chelsea again.



Before the first game of the season against Manchester City, when only four
defenders were available and John Terry was doubtful with an injury, he
refused to play.



He went on to threaten that if he was forced to play, or if he was
disciplined and financially punished for his breach of the rules, that he
could score an own goal or get himself sent off, or make deliberate
mistakes.



Clearly this was a totally unacceptable situation for the manager, the team
and the club. So a collectively agreed solution in Chelsea's interests had
to be found, hence his departure.



Chelsea has a wage structure in place that is valued not only on the
contribution of the player to the manager and the team, but also on a player
's respect for the club and contribution to the promotion and image of the
club off the field. Every player is expected to play their part in this.



William Gallas rarely recognised these responsibilities. He also failed to
recognise the role José Mourinho and Chelsea played in helping him become a
double Premiership champion for a player whose only league title prior to
that had been in the French Second Division.

b wrote:
<snip>

Blimey - is Stamford Bridge spinning on is axis at the moment?!

b wrote:

Hilarious. The Chelsea players will go to any lengths to escape from
Stamford Bridge and join the great Arsenal. a

" cupra" <NOcupra.sSPAM@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:4m3bc3F4b2beU1@individual.net...

Bleedin' joke ain't it?!!!
Why the hell didn't they deal with this when he was still there?
Enjoy.....
;-)

ps. The fucker was responsible for Liverpool's first goal in the FA Cup semi
last season, makes you wonder......

b wrote:

It's certainly a press release worthy of Nu-Labour


Oh, we will - don't you worry!


lol - was there a 'Sithcast' in force at the time?

"b" <billy@thefridge.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:Jq_Kg.205193$9d4.151098@fe2.news.blueyonder.c o.uk...

Yes, but that's Kenyon for you.

If you want to know why Arsenal have class and history on their side and why
Chelsea will never be anything more than a rich man's play thing then this
statement says it all.

I don't expect you to understand though.

"aaa" <arminsson@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1157396968.036749.225020@m79g2000cwm.googlegr oups.com...

The ironic thing about this statement is that Chelsea have just signed
Ashley Cole on the sole and open basis of money.

b wrote:

Even if that were true, it seems to me that the classy thing to do would
have been to say nothing and let the truth out itself in the end. It
always does.

Of course "classy thing to do" explains why it didn't go down that way at
Chelsea, I suppose.

In message <Jq_Kg.205193$9d4.151098@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk>
"b" <billy@thefridge.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:


We are better off without him.

[snip]


--
Kev Wells http://kevsoft.topcities.com
http://kevsoft.co.uk/
ICQ 238580561
In England's green and pleasant land.

"Robert Moir" <robspamtrap+usenet@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:8z0Lg.7476$G72.3582@newsfe3-gui.ntli.net...

Exactly.