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I tolerate Gallas for the good of the team, says Toure
James Olley12 Mar 2009
Kolo Toure today revealed he is not friends with William Gallas but the pair are committed to maintaining a professional relationship for the good of Arsenal.
The Ivory Coast defender handed in a transfer request in January after falling out of favour at the Emirates Stadium but insists the breakdown in communication with his fellow centre-half did not make him want to leave the club.
Speaking after the Gunners' dramatic penalty shoot-out win over Roma last night in which he partnered Gallas at the back, the 27-year-old said: "Many problems occurred and made me want to move on.
"Is it because of Gallas? Not at all. At the start of the season I didn't play a lot and I felt that it was the right moment to go.
"There were some problems between the players but this must remain an internal matter because I'm not the kind of man who creates controversies.
"I have changed my mind and I hope I will stay at the club, for sure.
"Wearing the Arsenal shirt gives me huge pride and I hope I will stay. I am under contract until 2011 and we will see at the end of the season [about a new deal].
"My relationship with William has improved but it's just a professional relationship. Once we are on the pitch we try to keep a professional attitude and to communicate.
"We never got on well together. You see, I'm friends with Johan Djourou, with Emmanuel Eboue, with Gael Clichy, but it's not the same with William. It's the same within every company, you can't be friends with everybody."
Gallas was stripped of the captaincy earlier this season after rumours of a dressing room bust-up preceded a public attack on his team-mates' attitude in the 4-4 draw against Tottenham last October.
Last season, Gallas caused uproar during the 2-2 draw at Birmingham in which Eduardo suffered his horrific ankle injury and Arsenal saw their Premier League title hopes start to fade.
The Frenchman walked to the other end of the pitch as the Blues took their last-minute penalty to secure an unlikely point and then sulked on the St Andrew's pitch for several minutes at the final whistle.
Reader views (3)
"There were some problems between the players but this must remain an internal matter because I'm not the kind of man who creates controversies.
You could have fooled me.
- A, N London, 12/03/2009 23:01
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Proves one thing.....one of them has to go at the end of the season! Need to keep Toure as he is Arsenal through & through and he is 27yrs old where Gallas is turning 32yrs of age! Swap deal with PSG for Gallas and we get Sakho, buy Bassong from Newcastle and bring back Senderos from AC Milan. Gives us 5 center backs, Toure, Djourou, Bassong, Sakho, Senderos! Buy Cabaye to strengthen the midfield and Silva with the money from Adeybaor sell...£20mill. With Almunia, Toure, Sagna, Cesc, Rosicky, Arshavin, Eduardo, Van-persie we have a good mix of experience with the youth of Lukasz, Djourou, Clichy, Walcott, Nasri, Denilson, Diaby, Ramsey, Bentdner, Vela.
- Newmy, Milton keynes, 12/03/2009 16:35
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Plowing the old ground... Certainly, credit to both parties for keeping their professionalism (ridiculous defending yesterday, though), but still - is it worth talking about it, again?
- Nick, Coin, Spain, 12/03/2009 15:39
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