GALLAS ????

Today, the transfer market was rocked by news that Arsenal defender William Gallas could be trading the red of Arsenal for the white of Tottenham. While rumours of Michael Dawson’s exit remain firmly lodged in cool water, the fitness of Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate remain urgent issues in need of a solution.

Harry Redknapp now has the trump card of almost guaranteed Champions League football, following their pairing with Swiss Premier League runners up BSC Young Boys, and as his future with Arsenal has remained a debatable issue for a while now, Gallas could well be off to their rivals.

There can be no denying that despite his advancing years, Gallas would be a valuable asset to Harry Redknapp’s team as they look to establish themselves among Europe’s elite. These negotiations are not just because of Tottenham’s defensive woes, but paradoxically, Gallas has hit some goals of great industry and importance over the years, despite full-backs being typecast as terrible shots – one memorable strike was a 25 yard curler in his Chelsea days, ironically against Spurs in injury time, to win the derby.

Apart from his offerings all over the pitch, Gallas has the European experience needed to get Tottenham through testing times in the Champions League, where any defensive naiveties are mercilessly punished. This knowledge of European attacking formations combined with an almost unrivaled passion (which sometimes boils over in ugly fashion) could be the making of Tottenham, especially when away goals begin to count for something.

Ultimately, the move for Gallas shows great shrewdness, since Redknapp is able to utilise Arsene Wenger’s alleged weakness of not being willing to play “older” players, seen by some as a reason why they have been without silverware for five years.

If, this time tomorrow, Gallas is holding a Tottenham scarf over his head with Redknapp and chairman Daniel Levy grinning by his side, then his live-on-Sky return to the Emirates Stadium on November 21st could make for one of the juiciest Premier League clash the world has ever seen.

Would you realy want a goon wearing the hallowed lillywhite shirt??

I don't care where they come from as long as they can do a job for our team, after all they are all mercenaries, so why should'nt we use them like they use us.
Gallas could do a job for us for this season which is a crucial one, if not the most crucial for many many years. He has great European and International experience. My only problem with him is he never seems to get on well with managers or players.
But I really don't see him coming to us.

Mikey M

DO YOU MEAN LIKE THIS?

I'm with Mikey, I'd take him like a shot but just can't see 'Man who sucks Lemons' weakening the goons to strengthen us no matter how much money. Particularly when they offered Judas another year. Goon or not, Gallas is a top drawer defender and it would be nice to weaken them in much the same way they did us when Judas went to them.

Personally I think it's more 'meeja' space filling.

ionman34 wrote:I'm with Mikey, I'd take him like a shot but just can't see 'Man who sucks Lemons' weakening the goons to strengthen us no matter how much money. Particularly when they offered Judas another year. Goon or not, Gallas is a top drawer defender and it would be nice to weaken them in much the same way they did us when Judas went to them.

Personally I think it's more 'meeja' space filling.

I think you are right ion, i find it amusing that every player is being linked to spurs by the media,
just because Harry hasnt signed anyone else apart from sandro as yet.

(Note the big YET!)

hes left arsenal now so they dont have a say. im not sure though as hes always caught out of poistion

I can see the logic of bringing in a Nayabet type signing but I'd rather it wasnt Gallas ...
Lets tap up Rio Ferdinand

The central defensive positions is where I like most to see experience , Vis ...Rio was said in jest hence the shades lol ...Rio is in the comfort zone and thinking more of his intrests outside of football ... I do feel that a, Puyol type would be great for us out on the field when Dawson and others may well need resting .... Corluka and or Kaboul may be ok if need be but not for me against the better teams ....

never red. no thanks

[quote="VisionarySound"]I see the point people are making for an experienced player at centre-half Arnie but is it worth (and all this is hypothetical as it's based on a meeja rumour) of bringing in a tempestuous player for one season only in defence ? Up-front, yes and midfield, yes. But in defence you need players you can trust and build a spring-board forward with . . . . . . . .

We have Walker and Caulker hopefully to progress into these positions in the next couple of seasons , Vis ...By then, Mr Tottenham Dawson will have lifted the major honours and be aged 28 -29 ........ An experienced center-half added to our squad in the mean time makes sense to me but please let it not be Gallas ....

The possibility of Tottenham signing William Gallas appears to have been put on the back burner, with the former Arsenal defender insisting on being granted a two-year contract.

Gallas joined Arsenal from Chelsea in 2006. Arsene Wenger reportedly offered the defender a one-year deal to stay at the Emirates Stadium this summer but Gallas demanded a longer contract. With Wenger having refused to extend the offer, Gallas has become a free agent.

Although the likes of Paris St Germain and Panathinaikos are mulling a move for Gallas, Tottenham have also reportedly been considering signing the centre-back. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is keen to add some experience to his back four, given the physical frailties of Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate .

However, according to UK media reports, Tottenham are as reluctant as arch-rivals Arsenal to give 32-year-old Gallas a deal for longer than a year.

I am strangely not as adverse to this as i'd have thought after pondering it for a while. Right lets start with the fact in his Chelsea & a*se-nal days he's covered every back position there is & is an old hand in the CL. So that has to be a real good selling point.

Then onto his on field petulance,,,,,,,,,, not for being subbed or fouled it was because they didn't win. Call me stupid but that's exactly the attitude i want at Spurs. Players that show there frustration when results don't go there way.

Right now for the fact he played for a*se-nal,,,,,,, well there's no getting away from the fact he has. But he's not exactly Mr Gooner is he he spent a lot of time with Chelsea as well. We have to get over this poor relation syndrome & accept a very good player when we get one regardless of who he "USED" to play for.

In my humble opinion he'd be a very good addition to the squad.

SuneJim wrote:I am strangely not as adverse to this as i'd have thought after pondering it for a while. Right lets start with the fact in his Chelsea & a*se-nal days he's covered every back position there is & is an old hand in the CL. So that has to be a real good selling point.

Then onto his on field petulance,,,,,,,,,, not for being subbed or fouled it was because they didn't win. Call me stupid but that's exactly the attitude i want at Spurs. Players that show there frustration when results don't go there way.

Right now for the fact he played for a*se-nal,,,,,,, well there's no getting away from the fact he has. But he's not exactly Mr Gooner is he he spent a lot of time with Chelsea as well. We have to get over this poor relation syndrome & accept a very good player when we get one regardless of who he "USED" to play for.

In my humble opinion he'd be a very good addition to the squad.

I was going to say the very same thing jim but thought i might get docked points for it.

Lew.

It's not so much the fact that Gallas is an ex Goon ...Its more the character that I dont like ....What about when at Chelsea and all that buisness about scoring an own goal and help to lose a game due to his unhappiness with the contract that was being offered to him , also refusing to play in a semi-final ....etc ..?

He is a great player but he does comes across as a rather contemptuous sort so for me could be a disruptive influence behind the scenes ..... I.e. not one for a harmonious dressing room ....

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/gallas-made-threat-to-score-own-goal-say-angry-chelsea-414706.html

On the other hand he could have a blinding season just to get back at Wenger and the players, who didn't seem to like him at all.
I have always said I would love to see Richards at WHL.I rate him highly but I don't think for a minute City would let him go.

Mikey M