The Chelsea defender had just scored the winning goal . . . a "brilliant goal", he agrees, the best of his career . . . against Tottenham Hotspur deep into injury time. The relief, the joy, the wild, unbridled jubilation. It was almost manic.

At the final whistle, seconds later, Gallas was last off the pitch. His celebrations continued. "It was amazing, yes, " he says. "I wanted to see my wife, my daughter and my father. I didn't get the chance to do that after the goal."

Ernest Gallas was there in the stands. The next day he was on a flight back to Guadeloupe. "He lives in the West Indies and sometimes he comes over for a special game, " Gallas says of his father. "He left on Sunday morning. I think he was very happy." Lea, his daughter by a previous relationship, was also pleased. "It was special, very special for her. She doesn't live with me and I was so happy to score while she was here." Gallas pauses, smiling when it's suggested she'll now expect him to repeat the feat every time she watches him.

"She doesn't really realise what my job is. She's just four."

The victory was important for other reasons. Three days earlier and Ernest had also been in Camp Nou when Chelsea exited the Champions League against Barcelona. "We lost, " says Gallas of the tie "and for two, three days the atmosphere was not good. We didn't play well and that was the problem. I don't know why.

"It's not the first time we played like that in a big competition. Last year against Liverpool (in the semi-final) we didn't play. Against Barcelona in the second leg, we didn't play. Maybe sometimes you don't know why.

Maybe the pressure is too high. But now we have the experience. I think next season we are going to do better."

Next season Gallas always does better. And better. "For me every player can be a good player for maybe one year, " he says. "But it's important to be a good player for 10 years."

Every week, Gallas adds, he wants to "push myself". "I want to give the maximum over the 10 years. Because, after football, when it's finished, it's finished. And I don't want to have any regrets."

Soon, Gallas believes, Chelsea will be the very best.

"If you want to be a big club you have to have ambition.

We can do it, we have good players and I think that maybe next season or in two years we are going to win everything. I think people are going to respect Chelsea.

They do now. We are big but not like Juventus, Milan because they have already won the Champions League."

That cannot happen for Chelsea this year but Gallas says retaining the Premiership title . . . they face Fulham today . . . and winning the FA Cup would represent success.

On Wednesday they face Newcastle United for a place in the semi-finals. Last season's championship and League Cup were the first trophies of his career, a wait that gnawed away at him.

"And when you win a trophy you want to win every year more and more."

FAPREMIERSHIP FULHAM v CHELSEA Craven Cottage, 4.00 Live, Sky Sports 1, 3.30