I have got lots of confidence in my own ability and I know I have got to keep up my standards.
— Gervinho
Whatever player Arsene picks to play for Arsenal, I respect that and so should the fans.
I liked playing in England, I liked playing for Arsenal.
Jay Z, Thierry Henry, and President Obama are three people I really respect.
Thanks to football, I live a decent life.
Arsenal will always remain a large club.
Almost always being among the reserves was the worst thing for me and for my confidence.
On any given day a team can have a bad result.
In football you have to take risks if you want to win.
A group of artists in Ivory Coast recorded a song about me.
I have a lot of respect for Wenger. But a player needs playing time. And a coach has to put his faith in a player if he feels that he needs it.
When Arsene Wenger called me to tell me that he would like me to come to his club, I don't think you imagine the satisfaction I felt just after hanging up the phone.
In Ivory Coast it's very hard to have normal shoes, so just imagine football boots - they were considered a true luxury.
In China you have to be in peak form because you need to do well. You earn a lot - I had a huge salary - but then you have to prove you are worth it. Every match is a challenge and I played next to or faced some truly great players.
I lived a dream. Any kid who starts playing can't help but to dream to play at a club like Arsenal.
Dreaming costs nothing, no?
He had a sort of positive effect - you saw Salah and wanted to work harder. Talent and sacrifice.
At the academy the coaches would show us Arsenal games on TV and my idol was Thierry Henry. He inspired me. That's why I became an Arsenal fan.
It's a great club, for me, and I am still an Arsenal fan. Will I come back? Maybe, I still hope to.
In life you will always be criticised.
I grew up with very little - so material things have never been that important for me.
During the holidays, professional players would come and say hello to us in the academy and that really made you want to be a professional. When you saw what great conditions they lived in, it gave you even more desire.
I have always followed Arsenal in the Premier League. At some points they were really good, but also had some difficulties like a lot of big clubs do.
I left England because I was not playing.
The Premier League is a notch above. It's maybe the best league in the world.
The best risk to take is to look to score goals and to play a lot.
Football really has saved my family and it's true that it saves a lot of families in Africa. It gives us the means to be able to give a better life to our loved ones.
As a child I dreamed of playing for Arsenal, because I loved them. Now I hate them for the way Wenger treated me.
Each of my clubs made an impression on me, but Arsenal was special.
I was born in a tiny place in Ivory Coast, so being a protagonist in this life is a dream.
You must never forget where you came from.
Arsenal are the team that have left the biggest mark on me, without a doubt.
The academy at Abidjan was my school of education. At 16, they sent me the boots and jersey with my name on the back. You can imagine how I felt: in the clouds.
Salah is a tough guy. Always calm and strong, with the mentality of a hard worker. I'll never forget his training sessions: very high rhythm, pushed like a madman, you watched him in amazement.
Critics and criticism are part of the game and I've not been affected by it.
Everything's possible in football.
I like to relax in the South of France. The weather is so good, the food is so good, and it is perfect because we can all speak French.
Didier Drogba has been an inspiration to all of us in the Ivory Coast national team. He is a great motivator for all of us - and some of the talks he gives are like a president trying to motivate his country. It is not just what he does on the field - but also all he does for all of our people off the field.
When I went to the academy, we watched Arsenal because of Guillou's connection with Arsene.
When you are young, you always want to improve, to work with great managers - and Arsene Wenger is one of the best in the world.
You can have a bad day but that does not make you a bad team.
I'm going to Arsenal to play.
Thanks to football my family are able to live well.
When you get to a club and things are not going well, it's not easy to live.
I have good memories of my visit to China. It was a beautiful experience for me. I learned a lot of things. I hope Chinese football is still evolving, that they have the chance to sign other players to develop the league. We did our part of the job by bringing what we had to bring to Chinese football.
Many young players tell you that they want to play for Manchester United or Arsenal. My dream was to play for Arsenal and I realised it. When I arrived, I thought: 'Wow, I'm here!'
I started playing football in Abidjan, my African town, without even having shoes on my feet.
I didn't lose my smile from the first to the last match at Arsenal. I remember when I left I wanted to thank everyone, even the dressing-room staff.
I was not getting much time on the pitch and was in need of this time to improve and play my best football. Wenger was not prepared to give it to me. Also my position on the wing was not what I was expecting and I wasn't happy with it.
Entertaining those who come to see me is my objective.
