He Ain't Bluffing, Roman

Arsenal new-boy William Gallas has reacted angrily to claims by his former club Chelsea that he threatened to score a deliberate own-goal if he was not allowed to leave. It is a humourous scenario, a world-class defender taking his employers hostage like that: "these are my demands, get me out of here, or Peter Cech gets it." But, after José Mourinho's tussle with the French national team over their "enslaving" of Claude Makelele, this incident suggests that among the new directors (or more appropriately, backroom staff) at Stamford Bridge, might be lurking the next Karl Rove. Gallas says they lack class and I am inclined to believe him.