Let’s get one thing straight before delving into the Ireland-France controversy.
I was rooting for the Irish. Big time.
Who doesn’t like an upset? And what the Irish lack in talent and technical ability, they commendably make up in heart. Paul McShane and Liam Lawrence are hardly standouts for their clubs, but there they were at the majestic Stade de France on Wednesday night, grafting to no end. Giovanni Trapattoni has truly moulded a `team.’
But please, don’t blame Thierry Henry or the ref for what happened.
In case you’ve been on another planet the last 24 hours, Henry twice used his hand – it was as blatant as they come – before setting up William Gallas with the winner in extra time. France advanced to the World Cup 2-1 on aggregate.
Some have suggested Henry should have stopped play upon using his hand or sauntered to Swedish referee Martin Hansson after the fact, telling him it was a deliberate handball. Thus, the goal would have been disallowed.
You must be kidding. Absolutely kidding.
No one would ever, ever do that. Ah, you say, but volatile Italian Paolo di Canio famously stopped play while with West Ham in 2000, spurning a sure goal when he saw Everton keeper Paul Gerrard lying on the turf with a knee injury.
That was simply, in the grand scheme of things, a relatively unimportant league game. If di Canio had been representing Italy, in extra time, and he pulled a Henry, would he have been so holy then?
You play to the whistle, which is what Henry did.
Was what Henry did worse than Eduardo’s clear dive against Celtic in Champions League qualifying this year? What of Wayne Rooney’s dive against Arsenal that ended the Gunners’ unbeaten reign a few years ago?
Is Henry more of a cheat because the stakes were higher Wednesday?
Hansson clearly couldn’t see the incident properly – there were too many bodies in his way. His only mistake was motioning to the Irish players in the aftermath that the ball went off Henry’s midriff.
The assistant linesman might have had a view, although Gallas appeared to be in his way, too.
Hansson was superb Wednesday, apart from missing the handball. He was unfussy, letting the game flow, and didn’t award a penalty when the tricky Nicolas Anelka went down when colliding with Irish keeper Shay Given earlier in extra time. Anelka cleverly allowed his trailing leg to make contact with Given – what any striker does nowadays – but Hansson, this time with a better view, didn’t budge.
No, if you want to blame someone, that’s easy – go for FIFA.
What more does FIFA need to start using video replay? They’re the real joke.
Use a challenge system similar to tennis for contentious calls. Each team gets one unsuccessful challenge per half. So it might add a few more seconds, or minutes to the game. If the call is right, that’s the bottom line. Irish fans certainly wouldn’t argue.
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I’m Irish and I’m a football fan. To say to me to not blame Henry is absolutely ridiculous. We have every right to blame Henry and every right to feel cheated because we were quiet frankly and it’s of no comfort that other footballers would of done the same I’m sure your right about most playing for guts and glory but most footballers wouldn’t handle the ball TWICE in the first place. Thierry Henry has insulted me and my nation so naturally I’m agitated and angry at him and if it was England I doubt this article would exist.
Very poor article indeed.
Ireland should be at world cup / henry is a cheat / henry could have admitted on the pitch and didn’t / liar / No morales and purely unfair. THE GAME HAS TO BE REPLAYED. how can it not??? where have the morales gone?? Henry has ruined his fantastic reputation – GOOD. will he enjoy packing his bags for the world cup – NO. does he feel good about the win – NO. Is he embarrased – YES i bet he doesnt watch his shameful celebration and conduct too often!. shameful and career breaking.
He will pay the price for this internally and so he should.
Thiery handled the ball. Fact.
The Irish team played better in the first and most of the second half. Fact.
Yet, with all the chances the Irish team has had, none but once could they put the ball into the net.
Honestly, I think the Irish team has no one to blame but themselves.
How many times had chances came and they shoot wide or high? If only one serious finishing power can be grabbed, the single away goal could require twice for Thiery or anyone to equalised.
Noel-John and James, you talked about blaming, cheating and confessing. If the tables were turned, and Keane handled the ball (as per three times in the same match) and netted those, would you be complaining here?
The Irish team let you down. Not Thiery. Not the French.
If playing as such, with both sides lacking in finishing power, I doubt either side could go past the round of 16’s in South Africa.
The Irish team just exit a little bit earlier.
So sorry for your lost.
There is no doubt football is the world’s game … but detractors always talk about diving and other unsportsmanlike behaviour. Henry’s deliberate double handball is not only a blight on his career, the french, but the game itself.
Eduardo’s dive, Rooney’s dive as mentioned in your blog, along with Henry’s and Maradona’s infamous handballs are just as bad as each other … bottom of the barrell.
As an Aussie, I feel for the Irish – Italian Fabio Grosso took a dive in the 2006 World Cup r16 … the penalty knock Australia out of the World Cup.
But I agree with the challenge system … but until then this match must be replayed – and may the best team win.
Cheating is cheating. If i rob a car i cant blame the cops for not catching me at it. Henry is privileged beyong belief because fans buy tickets, cable tv etc. He owes us an honest and sportmanlike game. Im Irish and Im glad that it happened at that end of the pitch because it would have disgusted me at any end. At least i dont have guilt on top of disgust. Id hate to be French right now because Henry has left them feeling both.
I agree that one cannot blame Henry. I live in the US and had no vested interest in the outcome of the game. If players did not cheat, there would be no referees. FIFA should have stood up and made a more fair decision to the obvious missed call.