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Friday 20 November 2009
Paris, the fallout. What next?
Do any of you really think we should be taking to the streets, and marching on Zurich, to demand a replay? There is nothing in the rulebook to say this is likely to happen - this is not Clare-Offaly in '98. Referees and linesmen make mistakes all the time, it just happens that the consequence of this particular calamity is that France are going to the World Cup, and we are not. Brian Cowen has no place getting involved - this is a populist move by him, just saying what he wants us all to hear. If anything good comes of this, there is now pressure building to introduce video analysis and the Henry incident might be the catalyst. If in addition FIFA condemned what he did, and then put their words where there mouths are by banning him for the next (say) six World Cup matches his team plays - then I think that would be a result. I am as gutted as anyone else at what happened, but let's be honest - there are plenty of other reasons to be taking to the streets in these times.
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13 comments:
McG with your last statement you and Ken Earley from Newstalk should be heading out for pints.
This is more than sport Dave, look around man, it means everything. We have been cheated by the bankers, property developers and politicians and now we have been cheated out of a legitimate chance to go to the world cup by Henri and FIFA. Enough is enough, we can not take it any more. It's time to invoke the spirit of Bill Shankley.
Henri needs to come out now and make a statement and call for a replay to have a chance of salvaging his career and reputation.
Why has Brian Cowen no place getting involved? Declan Waugh from the Green Party has got involved. I hope Mary McAleese, Gordon Brown and Obama get involved too. Anything that will make the old codgers at FIFA wake up and smell the coffee. They have been condoning cheating for years by denying video replay and world pressure needs to be continually applied to make them stop and bring in video replay like every other sport.
Immediately, I only want one result, a replay. If Henri apologises and calls for a replay I might be lenient with him.
Tom, I think you and I need a referee ;) Anyone else want to jump in?
There is precedent for Henri not passing the buck. The Irish Times today highlighted some:
Robbie Fowler
Arsenal v Liverpool
English Premier League 1997
Having taken a unforced tumble (ie, dived) in the Arsenal box, Fowler was aghast when the referee pointed to the spot and he asked the official to change his decision. Despite Fowler’s entreaties to Gerald Ashby, the penalty stood. The striker’s “sheepish” effort was saved by David Seaman – but the rebound was turned in by Jason McAteer.
Andrey Arshavin
Arsenal v Portsmouth
English Premier League 2009
The Russian won plaudits at the end of last season when he attempted to prevent a penalty being awarded against Pompey. After being tackled in the box by Sean Davis, Arshavin waved his finger at referee Lee Mason and pointed to the corner flag, but the penalty was awarded anyway. Portsmouth were left fuming as Nicklas Bendtner tucked away the spot kick.
Henry claims to have admitted to the ref he handled it. Yeah right, but when, after the game?
The media is the only chance to make FIFA agree to set a replay of Ireland v France and ultimately sanction some form of video replay. Let's keep the pressure high:
* Sign the petition at petitionspot
* Join the facebook petition
* Join the facebook cause FIFA Code of Ethics for Ireland
* Email FIFA - instructions at Declan's blog
* Post on blogs & write letters to the newspapers
I find it difficult to believe that we're still talking about this.
Doyle and Souness are correct, a split second instinctive reaction from Henry meant France scored - it's naive to think that we would have reacted any differently if one of Keane's handballs lead to a goal, or if an incorrect referee decision went our way....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf9fx4ipF4Q
We had plenty of opportunities to win, regardless of Henry's goal. We're turning into a nation of sour, whinging losers. It's devastating enough to lose the match, without becoming bitter about it. Move on!
Don't buy it blocker. Was the 2nd handball instinctive as well? No sour grapes, if we got beat on peanalties or a legitable goal fine, but we didn't, we were cheated by henry and the officals, that's actually a confirmed fact now.
The band might come out for an encore if we don't give up, put our hands in our pockets and shuffle off home like proper wee lads and not shout for what's just and fair in this world.
What about Georgia? We gained at least one point, probably three on a terrible refereeing decision - can't see anyone wanting to replay that. That had a massive impact on the qualifying group.
In sport, I hate (a word I don't use lightly) 'honourable defeats', bad winners, people that can't take a defeat and (probably from experience) when people blame circumstances for losing. We had plenty of opportunities to win regardless of the hand ball, the ball should have been in row Z - there's no way that Henry should have been able to get around McShane (it wouldn't have happened if it was O'Shea, Dunne, St. Ledger or Kilbane) - buy he did, we conceded a goal, it's sickening to lose but it's over and it's getting more than a bit embarrassing that we are still whinging about it.
Video evidence would be a massive improvement but it is not a cure-all. If it was a game of rugby and a forward pass resulted in a try, it would be allowed and the result would stand - video evidence is only used to check that the ball has been grounded for a try.
I had another look at the Georgia situation and it's not comparable at all, not 100% clear what happened and everyone in the box did not know what happened.
I detest honourable defeats as well and bad winners. I can take a defeat but not like this man, a line has to be drawn, it was a football match not a basketball match, it cannot be justified as legitimate sport.
Good point about the rubgy video situation right now. I believe that will be sorted in time. It was the same when instant replay was first introduced to the NFL, it was limited at the start with the current system beginning in 1999.
The premier league was on the box over the weekend and I found I had no interest. I'm not sure how long it will last, but I find myself saying now, what's the point playing these games/tournaments when results can be so random, why not just toss a coin instead or the captains play rock scissors paper at the half way line at the start and then blow it up.
In this week's Locker Room:
* Whinge (verb, intransitive): To whine persistently; to whine for more than three days and three nights; to whine collectively and therapeutically as a nation.
Fantastic to see Liam Brady standing up to Septic Bladder. So refreshing after all the many references to the Irish reaction being nonsense and embarrassing - that talk turns my stomach.
So now Septic Bladder backs Ireland receiving "moral compensation" for their elimination following the handball. Beyond a joke.
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