Sorry seems to be the easiest word…

Wow. Much drama from last night’s play-offs for the final *counts* six berths in the World Cup here next year. As if the entire Sudanese army turning out for the “Match of Hate” between Egypt and Algeria wasn’t enough (and according to reports, it actually wasn’t enough) we then had more drama in the dramatic France v Republic of Ireland match in gay Paris.

In case you’ve been in a hole somewhere listening to explosions in Sea Point, this is the extra-time goal that drew the match and won the tie for Les Bleus, sealing their place in the World Cup draw at the CTICC in Cape Town neeext Friday:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8woNGFj9fxM]

But *gasp* was that *gasp* handball by French Striker Thierry Henry? Well, yes it was.

Now, I wasn’t going to blog this. It’s been done to death already by angry Irishmen, angry Englishmen and everyone in between. Although actually, there’s mainly only sea between, but someone might have written from a boat or something. You can do that these days. But anyway, I wasn’t going to blog this – that is, until I saw Henry’s side of things:

Thierry Henry and Richard Dunne lay prone in the penalty area where just a few minutes earlier, a travesty of justice had thieved an Irish team their fleeting chances of glorious triumph.
Dunne knew he had cheated. Henry tried to explain. Words did not need to be spoken. But they were. “I handled it,” the French captain confided. His admission was superfluous. “I didn’t mean it,” Henry continued.

Dunne takes up the tale of woe:
“He told us we deserved to win. How is that supposed to make me feel? It makes me feel worse. He’s admitted he cheated. We should have won the game. He just said ‘that’s it’.
“He just said he handled it, he didn’t mean it. Looking at it, it’s quite obvious he did mean it. It’s there for everyone to see and they’re not going to change it now.”

Loving the first sentence from the entirely factual and wholly unbiased Irish Independent there.
Of course, the reaction of Thierry Henry after the goal shows just how terrible he felt about the whole thing as he ran off to celebrate with his French pals in a big heap on the right wing.

And then this on twitter:

hentweet

“im not the referee… but if i hurt some one im sorry”? “if”? Seriaas?

I wonder if he thinks that makes everything ok? (It doesn’t.)
Probably best to keep your mouth shut and your hands off the keyboard next time you cheat, Thierry.

The Irish do deserve that game to be replayed, because there was so much at stake last night. The Irish won’t get the game to be replayed, because there was so much at stake last night. From the moment FIFA announced the seeded draw for the European play-offs, it was clear what their motives were. Big clubs mean big viewing figures mean big money. Simple as. And while things have played (controversially) right into their hands, they’re happy and act like nothing ever happened –  in fact, their report on the game omits any mention of Henry’s left mitt.

So what sanction should Henry face? After all, he’s openly admitted that he cheated. And the implications of that naughty handball were huge.
Here’s my idea: ban him for three games. But not just three arbitrary warm-up friendlies against Lithuania, Iceland and Hungary. Ban him for France’s next three competitive games. Which now just happen to be in South Africa next June. Some sort of justice? Perhaps.

As for those that think that this sort of thing “doesn’t matter”, you just don’t understand.
I feel sorry for you.

UPDATE: Liam Brady: “For the integrity of the game, something has to be done.”

UPDATE 2: FAI lodge official complaint, and request/demand a replay.

There is precedent for the invalidation of such results. In 2005, the Bureau of the Fifa World Cup organising committee reached a decision to invalidate the result of a World Cup qualification match between Uzbekistan and Bahrain on the basis of a ‘technical error by the referee of the match.

Tasty!

25 thoughts on “Sorry seems to be the easiest word…

  1. I know it matters to you sports people 😛

    I’ll give my uneducated opinion anyway…screw the French. I prefer the Irish.

  2. Tara > You prefer the Irish, but you screw the French? That’s not much of an advert for your sexual prowess, you know…?

  3. Tara > I’m lost. Are you saying you’re good in bed, then?

    Emil > France’s record on penalty shootouts in big games is pretty ropey. But even if they had and they did – it would have been fair.

  4. Well, well, well…

    It continues, I see. Look, let me put it to you this way: I see Henry’s side of things. Honestly, what was he supposed to do, go shout at the referee for awarding him the goal? One never questions one’s luck. It’s the officials to blame for the mistake, not Thierry Henry.

    I guess the luck of the Irish ran out this time.

  5. Surely this game has to be replayed, there is too much at stake for it just to be brushed off.

    FAX number for FIFA! +41-43-222 7878

    We all know that if it happened up the other end that Platini would already have the rules changed and a replay organised!
    But I would like to point out that anyone that can read French will see that respect to the French people for their reaction of disgust to Henry’s actions, so for the people that France I hope that they go on to do well in the World Cup! I had a look at this link below that has some good football related Facebook Statuses for the World Cup in its Facebook Status Generator:

    http://www.theisbook.com/status-generator/

    Fair Play must shine through and FIFA have got a big message to send out now by banning Henry from the World Cup!

  6. Sipho so you’re saying the guy shouldn’t try and have some integrity or honesty about the whole business because a referee decided it was okay?

    I don’t give a toss about the sport or the game, but quite frankly what I understand from this whole saga is that Henry is a massive douche that should be held accountable in some nice way – like a great big fine and a lovely ban when it matters.

  7. Whatever the incident, it seems to me that technology is often more the cause of controversy than the answer to it.

    SA’s first try against Saracens – knock-on apparently. Slomo said.

    Second try – forward pass. Slomo said so. It was, to me, sheer poetry, but English commentator’s interpretation of slomo said no.

    The argument will go on and on………and on……..and on……..There is no answer.

    In any case, what is the question?

  8. The ref didn’t pick it up so tough, France go through , nothing happens to Henry. Remember Maradonna’s hand of god goal, blatant cheating but he got away with it. I don’t think Henry’s goal was cheating, just a reflex action.

  9. I was an angry little englishman this morning I’ll admit, and last night for that matter 😆 Suppose when my mums side has a surname O’Hare with Irish roots, I have a slight reason for hating Henry today haha! But what they did with the play-offs stinks mate
    .-= Wiggy´s last blog ..Irish cheated out of the World Cup =-.

  10. Sipho > Of course it continues. This is not going to go away quickly, whatever FIFA want.

    Ad Wiz > Slam dunk!

    Chris > Ban him for life, that’s what I say.

    Tara > Correct. It’s all about his reaction: immediate – when he pretends that nothing happened and afterwards, where he apologises. He’s got it all the worng way around.

    GaiB > And it was a knock-on. And it was a forward pass. So even when you have the benefit of technology, it doesn’t solve all your problems.

    Stan > Actually not so. What about a replay? As in Arsenal v Sheffield United in the FA Cup back in 99. Arsenal engaged in a degree of poor sportsmanship and scored. We asked for a replay, got it and lost (but fairly) to a sublime Bergkamp goal, charity benefitted from the replayed match receipts. (I’m sure GaiB remembers this.) Everyone’s a winner.

    Wiggy > The seeding of the playoffs was a very obvious sign of what FIFA wanted to happen.

    Delboy > I think so. 1-4 on tour? And plenty of handballs.

  11. I do indeed remember. No technology involved though.

    And that, in a way, was my point really…

    Bring back the Russian linesman, I say!

  12. The Arsenal v Sheffield United was different, but if Wenger hadn’t offered the replay, the result would have stood. If we are going to have replays everytime someone scores after a dodgy decision, we may as well stop playing soccer and take up chess.

  13. GaiB > Russian linesmen can be bribed just as easily as Martin Hansson of Sweden. If that had happened. Which it didn’t, obviously. Obviously.

    Henry Crun > Europe can be blamed for most things. I am, at least, allowed curved bananas here in Africa.

    Stan > Does chess have a lot of replays then? It was odd, Wenger doing the fair play thing. But it was very welcome and to be admired. I didn’t think Domenech would and he’s proved me right.
    Here’s an interesting article from before the first leg.
    (Highlighting by me)

    Brady, Ireland’s assistant manager, who was on the receiving end of refereeing decisions as player that prevented him from participating in a major championship, believes that the integrity of Germany’s Felix Brych and Sweden’s Martin Hansson, who take charge of the first and second legs respectively, could be central to the outcome. Fifa’s last-minute decision to seed the play-off draw has been interpreted in Irish quarters as an attempt to ensure that bigger nations such as France make it to the finals in South Africa next summer.

    “The focus is on the referees particularly as Fifa changed the seeding and made it easier for the more glamorous teams,” said Brady yesterday. “But the referees are at the top of their game. They are two Champions League referees and the spotlight will be on them. I’ve had experience of playing against the French going back 20 years and the one thing you didn’t get is a good referee.

    “We have to believe that’s the case this time because they will be thoroughly scrutinised. We expect better refereeing than when I was a player,” added Brady, who missed out on the 1982 World Cup after Ireland inexplicably had a goal disallowed before conceding from a dubious free kick in the final minutes of their infamous concluding qualifier in Belgium.

    Hmm.

  14. Have you seen what happened to that “Henry” twitter page? 🙂

    But I think the game is done. Yes, he handled it, but it happens. Refs miss big calls. You can’t be requesting a reply after every handball/offsides/or ball crossing the line. I do, however, think the refs need to be sharper and better. Maybe a couple of extra officials behind the net?

    I don’t think tech needs to be more involved, and I believe the same for cricket. Look how much a tiny bit is irritating in rugby.

    Yes, Henry played basketball, but no, he wasn’t going to go to the ref and say “Pardon, I think you should risk us not going through and disallow the goal”. Please.

    I would’ve liked the Irish to go through too, but this is it… Now just imagine the irony if France go on to win it…
    .-= BlindCripple´s last blog ..A Little Something About My Personal Space =-.

  15. BC > Good job I got the screenshot.
    Well – UEFA are trialling the extra officials in the Europa League this season. But you have to allow TMO decisions too. It might be a bit irritating, but this cost the Irish $50 million. Which is shocking.
    http://tr.im/fifact <-- FIFA to discuss 'playoff incidents, refereeing & betting irregularities' next week.

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