Gallas pledges innocent
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Arsenal defender William Gallas has hit back at former club Chelsea's claims of 'own-goal' threats.
The French defender's acrimonious feud with Jose Mourinho degenerated into open warfare yesterday when the Chelsea manager authorised a club statement alleging the player had effectively blackmailed the champions into permitting him to leave.
Gallas issued a statement from the France training centre at Clairefontaine in which he rejected the assertion that he had threatened to make pre-meditated mistakes and had refused to take part in last season's FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool.
"I am surprised and shocked [by what Chelsea have said]," Gallas said. "I certainly never said I'd try and score an own-goal if I ever played for Chelsea again. I was very firm in my desire to leave - that's clear - and I've already explained why. But I never went that far. If people want to hide behind these ridiculous accusations to explain why I left to keep onside with their club's supporters, that's what they do. I don't think it'll fool anybody."
The French defender's acrimonious feud with Jose Mourinho degenerated into open warfare yesterday when the Chelsea manager authorised a club statement alleging the player had effectively blackmailed the champions into permitting him to leave.
Gallas issued a statement from the France training centre at Clairefontaine in which he rejected the assertion that he had threatened to make pre-meditated mistakes and had refused to take part in last season's FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool.
"I am surprised and shocked [by what Chelsea have said]," Gallas said. "I certainly never said I'd try and score an own-goal if I ever played for Chelsea again. I was very firm in my desire to leave - that's clear - and I've already explained why. But I never went that far. If people want to hide behind these ridiculous accusations to explain why I left to keep onside with their club's supporters, that's what they do. I don't think it'll fool anybody."
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