Speaking to the Associated Press, Gallas said he is speaking out because “There are things that can't be said and can't be tolerated” – and that as the Gunners captain, he is finding some of his team-mates hard to get along with.
“When, as captain, some players come up to you and talk to you about a player, complaining about him... ” said the Frenchman, “and then during the match you speak to this player and the player in question insults us… There comes a time where we can no longer comprehend how this can happen.”
The Arsenal captain refused to specify which player he meant, but he did give an age and said that the incident occurred while Arsenal were on the attack. "I am trying to defend myself a bit without giving names. Otherwise I'm taking it all [the blame]. It's very frustrating," he said. "I'm 31, the player is six years younger than me."
* Check Talentspotter for the Arsenal squad’s ages, nationalities, positions and abilities
Gallas also revealed that he had to step into the middle of an argument in the changing room at half-time in the recent game against Spurs, which ended 4-4 after a spirited comeback from Arsenal’s bitter rivals.
"There was a problem at halftime," Gallas said. "The only thing that I could say at halftime was 'Guys, we resolve these problems after the match, not at halftime.'"
The admissions came as the skipper urged Arsenal’s young players to show their fighting spirit by battling against all adversaries. The Gunners lost at home to Aston Villa last weekend, after beating Manchester United the previous Saturday.
"We have to understand that to be champions, you have to play big matches every weekend and fight," he insisted. "We are coming up against teams who are not scared to play football against us, who are not scared to take us on at our place, and this is becoming dangerous for Arsenal.”
Gallas insists the youngsters will have to show their mettle. "We are not brave enough in battle. I think we need to be soldiers. We have to be warriors," he said. "There are teams who can do it well against us, and we have to be able to face up to these attacks.
"That is how they [Arsenal’s youngsters] will forge their character, and how they will get experience,” he added. “Even though they've played a certain number of matches, they're still young and still learning."
Gallas urged the young Gunners to emulate Manchester United’s famous ‘Fergie Fledglings’ in the best possible way – by winning trophies – and says they’re capable of it. "They can have [success],” he said. “The problem is that the Manchester youngsters have been through something, they have won something.
"I have to win something this year. I have to win something, Arsenal has to win something," said Gallas, who won two league titles with Chelsea. "It's four or five years since Arsenal won anything — 2004 [the league title]. That's nearly five years, and that's not good."
Gallas also wondered whether the larger contracts now available to young players boos their bank balance but hinder their development. “That makes the difference, perhaps,” he said. “You can rest on your laurels, that's for sure."
More Arsenal stuff in FFT.com's interviews section:
Web Exclusives- Cesc Fabregas
Q+A Theo Walcott, Cesc Fabregas
One on One Arsene Wenger, Thierry Henry, Ian Wright
Boy's A Bit Special Theo Walcott, Armand Traore
Perfect XI Ian Wright
What Happened Next Gus Caesar, Peter Marinello
