Gallas reveals injury torment

Gallas: Happy to be back

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Arsenal captain William Gallas has revealed the torment he suffered during his time on the sidelines.

Gallas is hoping to put his injury problems behind him and play for France in their forthcoming Euro 2008 qualifiers.

The former Chelsea manf has not played a competitive match for the best part of two months following a groin injury suffered against Blackburn on 19th August.

Gallas is now back in full training and has joined up with the French squad for their Euro 2008 qualifiers against the Faroe Islands and Lithuania.

The 30-year-old believes he is ready to return and accepts it has not been an easy time working his way back to fitness.

Difficult

"Because of that I know it might have been difficult for the rest of the group as well because I wasn't always smiling when I was in the dressing room.

"It's difficult for everyone. I have experienced it before when I have been injured, and it's always the same.

"The first week or so you can deal with it, but three, four, five weeks later? Trust me it's hard to keep smiling.

"So I want to say sorry to all of the players, and also the staff at the training ground, because they could see I wasn't always happy. It's just that I really want to play.

"Hopefully now this is behind me, and maybe I will play for France."

Gallas will be joined by team-mates Bacary Sagna, Mathieu Flamini, Abou Diaby and Lassana Diarra in the France squad and he has backed Gael Clichy to win a call-up soon.

"He [Clichy] has to be patient now, and I know what he is feeling because I was in the same position as him when I was at Chelsea and all I can say to him is to be patient because it will come," concluded Gallas.