Kolo Toure: Gallas made me quit Arsenal

Kolo Toure has revealed that his rift with William Gallas made him leave the Arsenal. He spent seven years at the North London outfit and will be returning to the Emirates stadium today for the first time in almost a year.

The ex Arsenal defender spoke his mind on the topic - and to a large extent I believe he has succeeded in dispelling the numerous rumours trailing his £16m summer switch to City.

Kolo said: "I was at Arsenal for seven years and everything was fantastic. But the last two years were difficult.

"I had a few problems with a few people there and wasn't feeling happy, I was looking for somewhere else and a new challenge.

The Ivory Coast international cleverly refused to expantiate on the nature of his feud with the ex Arsenal captain, but judging from his utterances - it is crystal clear that Gallas took his respect for granted: "Gallas and me misunderstood each other at certain times and one of us had to leave. As a player I had great respect for him as he was older than me," The Ivorian said.

"In Africa when someone is older you have respect for them, but I think sometimes he took advantage of that in someways.

"That was it," he continued. "I think Arsene understood that. I didn't want to make any trouble for Arsenal because I'd had a really good time there and they gave me my chance.

Toure said of his relationship with Arsene Wenger and why he refused to communicate with William Gallas: "There was no problem with Arsene and me. I have huge respect for him. But me and Gallas? We didn't talk to each other at all.

"It really came down to me, because I didn't want to leave the team in a difficult position and I was the one who said I wanted to go."

Toure stated in unequivocal terms that he left Arsenal because he was bullied, and for the simple reason that he thought Arsenal has lost the winning mentality associated with them. Toure, added that he joined Manchester City to further his blossoming career: "At the end of the last few seasons we were without any trophies," he said.

"That was difficult for me because I was getting used to winning trophies with players like Patrick Vieira and Dennis Bergkamp, so after four years without that it became difficult.

"Everytime we got to the end of the season and had key games, we always seemed to have injuries or were unlucky."

Although Gallas and Toure, might not have buried their hatchet yet, the latter still believes in the Arsenal and expects Wenger to turn things around next season: "It's been like that for a few seasons now at Arsenal but Arsene is a really intelligent man and for next season he will change a few things," he concluded.

Ex-Gunner advises Adebayor

Arsenal's former defensive enforcer Kolo Toure has warned his City team mate Emmanuel Adebayor to refrain from his antics ahead of Manchester City's make/mar encounter with Arsenal.

Ade left the North London outfit for a mouth-watering fee of £25m last summer, although he denied vehemently that he left the London giants because of monetary issues, his actions against his former club speak otherwise.
The Togolese ex-International incurred the wrath of both the FA, and Arsenal faithfuls for racing down the length of the pitch to celebrate his goal in front of his former fans and well wishers. He was also handed a three match suspension by the FA for maliciously stamping on former team mate Robin Van Persie in the same match.

Toure, who deliberately turned his back on Wenger and the club that shot him to limelight at a time they needed his services most, sensationally told Sky Sports News that he has advised his team mate [Adebayor] to respect himself at the Emirates: "I had a word with him, Patrick had a word with him as well," he said.

"The most important thing for him is to play and to give everything for our club Man City.

"I told him just to calm down and focus on the game because that's the most important. If we start to be emotional that's when we can drop some points.
For us the most important thing is to win the game."

Toure, believes he will escape the attention of the Arsenal boo-boys at the Emirates because he had an outstanding relationship with them before leaving alongside Ade: "I have always had a great relationship with the [Arsenal] fans. Now I am in a new family and I think they are all fantastic," he enthused.

"I think it is going to be a great, great day for all of us because we are all looking forward to going back and playing against our old team."

Toure charged his team mates to take advantage of the Gunners precarious injury situation: "I think it's a great time to play against them, because they have a few injured players and maybe we can come back with some points," he concluded.