EPL News: Arsenal’s Samir Nasri talks about feud with Tottenham Hotspur’s William Gallas
While the entire world frowned upon the moment Samir Nasri did not shake hands with his former teammate William Gallas, the Arsenal player has revealed that his ‘feud’ with the central defender started during their time at Arsenal Football
Club.
The Arsenal number 8 claimed that the argument started when the former Arsenal captain bashed him in his autobiography and that his reluctance to shake hands with him wasn’t a product of mounting tensions in a derby game.
According to reports, Nasri avoided interacting with William Gallas for an entire year during their stint at Arsenal. Building on that, since relations were already sour between the two, Nasri believed that the former Arsenal number 10
joining Tottenham wasn’t a factor for the two not getting along that day.
Here is what the Arsenal Winger had to say about the social dilemma:
"I never said 'hello' to Gallas for a year in my own dressing room. Why should I have to shake his hand on TV just because he has gone to Spurs?”
The Arsenal man further added that his philosophy of being blunt and straightforward was what defines him. He commented:
"That is not me. I am not a two-faced so-and-so. When I don't like someone I tell them to their face and I don't shake their hand. We don't like one another, the entire world knows this, and he even wrote about it in his book.”
Some might argue here that being sportsmen and figures of great influence over their fan following, it might have been a more sensible option to be a touch diplomatic, at least on TV. However, owing to the fact that the former Arsenal
defender aimed to find ‘closure’ from a publication for the whole world to read, Nasri’s reaction in front of a packed Emirates stadium wasn’t entirely unjustified.
Nonetheless the battle of words and perhaps, egos didn’t end there as William Gallas responded according to Nasri:
"After the Spurs game I heard him saying it was 'my loss' that I hadn't shaken hands with him - My loss? What the h**l is all that about? He has forgotten how he bitched about me."
While to a neutral 3rd party, it might seem as everyday news reading two players not getting along with each other. However, owing to the fact that Gallas has been Arsenal captain, has gone on to join their bitterest
rivals and happens to be Nasri’s teammate on the France national squad, might be seen by sceptics as poor man-management on part of Arsenal and the French team.
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