"Nicking the No 13 off me to give it to Ballack was a flagrant lack of respect," said Gallas expressing his bitterness over the incident.

"I could have honoured the last year of my contract and been free at the end of the season. But that would not have been honest with Chelsea. In my head I was no longer there.

"I know people are still asking why I left. I will speak about it one day, I promise, when things are quiet. This is just not the right moment."

While not spilling the beans, he hinted that the dispute might have had something to do with the way he was repeatedly denied an improved contract until the final 18 months of his contract.

"I was fine there [at Chelsea]," he continued. "The squad was fantastic and I won trophies. Mourinho passed on his thirst for victory to me. His way of convincing you that you are the best is unique. But make no mistake, there is no difference between the Gallas of Chelsea and the Gallas of Arsenal. I have got over my turbulent departure now. In any case, I wanted to leave."

The French international had a tumultous final year at Stamford Bridge, punctuated by disagreements with Mourinho over the position he was played in. Having played third fiddle to John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho for much of the previous two years, Gallas finally demanded regular action at centre-back.

However, he was once again forced to spend much of the season playing at left-back. He was also denied an improved contract for two years, and it was only when he looked likely to leave last season that Chelsea spoke to him about a new deal. However, he declined the offer, in light of interest from clubs such as Barcelona, Real Madrid and Milan.

Mourinho refused to let him leave in the summer, insisting he would have to see out the final year of his contract even if he didn't want to, as relations between the two became more and more tense. It was only hours before the transfer window closed that a swap deal involving Ashley Cole was worked out between Chelsea and Arsenal.

Gallas has since criticized the Blues, at regular intervals, and the tirade looks set to continue in the new year.

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