William Gallas admits he has had to reassert his authority as Arsenal captain after conceding he 'flipped his lid' against Birmingham City last season.
French defender Gallas was given the armband by Arsene Wenger ahead of the 2007/08 campaign, but blotted his copybook in a 2-2 draw at St Andrews in February.
Birmingham were awarded a last-minute penalty and, in protest at the decision, Gallas retreated to the halfway line and sat down sulking.
The result was seen as a pivotal moment in Arsenal's faltering title bid and Gallas acknowledged he made a mistake with his actions.
He believes some of the criticism aimed in his direction was unfair, but is confident he still has the backing of his team-mates to be Gunners skipper.
Gallas told L'Equipe Magazine: "The controversy about my captaincy? People had to find a scapegoat as we didn't win any trophies last season.
"So, they talked and talked again about the Birmingham match. Indeed I made a mistake. I must admit I flipped my lid. We should have won that game easily.
"Before Arsenal, I spent six years at Chelsea. That team was capable of getting ugly wins. If we had an opportunity to win a cup, we would never miss it.
"There I became imbued with the winning culture, which doesn't exist yet at Arsenal.
"Of course, some of my Arsenal team-mates could not have appreciated my behaviour against Birmingham.
"I had to state my authority again and today when I motivate them before a match, they say; 'Capi, we need you, we are following you'.
"If I would have been an unworthy captain, they would have banned me.
"The critics went much too far. Maybe I put myself under too much pressure, like Arsene Wenger said.
"I believed I had a message to give to my team-mates and I could not find the right words.
"Our game made people dream, but we had empty hands. We have to show a more clinical state of mind. At the end of last season there was such a frustration inside me!"
Your Comments
aanan
"if the team does not have a "winning culture" ....stop whining and lead the team captain gallas its up to u what the culture is gonna be ...CAPTAIN"
Unspecial_One
"toure will always be a better captain with his maturity and composure in the game.. gallas? step aside!! not even close to the same player back in the blues days.."
kevoface
"Sorry Minter,hangover+rambling= bad punctuation!!I also take Joda and Andy's point,I totall agree,it was v.bad leadership but at the same time the media did go way over the top in their criticism which was my point."
sangoman
"funny how Cap'n courageous has been at fault for both our league defeats this season........"
liverpooljjb
"ok so gallas says theres no winning mentality but if he spent less time wining and more time on his football they might get somewhere, what chance do they have little i think arsenal is a great club(setting the michael thomas inciedent to back of mind)and their youth policy is the best around but witha all the very talented young gunners amazing but not enough expierience they will be looking towards willy for leadership but the man just screams loudly and kicks things hen things are going the gunners way so if he'd do a better job leading the youngsters i think they'd be a whole lot better"
andyt1110
"Kevoface, the point is while all those are good examples of footballers behaving appallingly, the media went crazy over Gallas because he abandoned his teammates when they needed him to lead. He distanced himself from his team rather than try to get their heads up. That's more than the petulance you usually see from Prem players, thats a complete lack of leadership qualities."
JODA
"KEVOFACE The essential difference between Gallas's behaviour and all the others was that he sat down and sulked on the halfway line while his team were defending in their own penaly area. How long would Ferdinand survive as captain of MU if he did that?"
minter67
"kevoface, for gods sake learn to punctuate your ramblings, I smoke twenty a day and that nearly killed me."
relegatethescum
"yes fla5hboy it it 4 years, but there are few clubs in the history of football that have gone through the changes that arsenal have in the last 4 years. write down the team members from the unbeaten season. they are all gone! combine that with the move to a new stadium after 93 years at highbury, the finance and construction of the emirates, david dein etc etc. what the club and manager have achieved during this period with a budget dwarfed by that of man utd, chelsea and even liverpool is quite amazing. arsenal are not a flash in the pan club but use long term strategy and stability to remain at the highest level. middlesborough have won precisely 1 trophy in 100 years. maybe all their players should leave? can i send you 10 pence so you can go to the post office and get yourself a life!"
kevoface
"Always thought the reaction to the Birmingham thing by the media was way over the top and I've no doubt that if it was John Terry the media would have fallen at the feet of an 'emotional,passionate leader who was overcome with emotion after an emotion-filled day in which an emotional team mate nearly had his foot taken off by an emotionally challened lummux of a centre half from the opposition and lead an emotional leader of men to act in an emotion-fueled but perhaps regretable way at the end of one of the most emotional matches an already emotional and passionate Premier League had ever seen'.Also,was Rio Ferdinands reaction coming off the field against Chelsea any better?Is Wayne Rooney running around every week swearing like a mad teenager with more asbo's then sense any less of a disgrace or that other vice-leader of men Jamie Crragher openly admitting in his booky wook that he considered unleashing his gang of thugs on Lucas Neill in a shopping centre over an on-field incident?Ashley Cole's behaviour toward's Mike Reilly against Spurs or the afore mentioned Sir J of T's constant harrassment and border line bullying of officials who dare go against his team?Answers on a postcard... "
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