he’d be prepared to strike in protest over the war:
"I'd be ready to stop playing as part of an anti-war
protest. Lots of sports people are against the war. And if
we have to stop playing to show we're against the war and
against the Americans, why not?"
However the Arsenal star soon retracted these comments:
"Despite my views on the war in Iraq, I remain totally
committed to playing for Arsenal and I have never stated
that I would stop playing for the club in a protest against
war."