The Longest Road Within The City: Gallas Signs For Tottenham.

The unwritten rules of football say this is not supposed to happen. Players are not supposed to leave one rival team for another, even if the list of those who’ve broken this rule is as long as the list of rivalries themselves and happens more often than one would think.

William Gallas is not afraid of the potential repercussions as he signs his contract with Tottenham, fresh off the bus from the Emirates. There’s no place like home.

This is now Gallas’ third stint with a London club, blazing a new trail from Chelsea to Arsenal to Tottenham, with a leering eye at West Ham or Fulham when his one year gig with Spurs is at its end. This allows us to safely say Gallas has at least held strong with his loyalties, even if those loyalties unconventionally lie with a city, rather than a club.

And while this is a big deal, if not quite to the level of Sol Campbell’s switch back in the day, it’s always important to remember one thing: William Gallas probably didn’t grow up an Arsenal fan. There are certain circumstances when players should just say no to swapping sides of a derby – Luis Figo, step on down (though he’s guilty for his transfer dealings in general) – but ultimately, he’s just swapping competitors within a certain industry, which happens all the time with normal folk. People go from Microsoft to Google and they don’t get booed in the local coffee shop. (Or maybe they do.)

But he best be ready to hear some boos, because though his loyalties may lie with London, it’s going to become a decidedly less friendly place.

Most notably: November 21st, Arsenal v Tottenham, Emirates Stadium.

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Category: English Premier League