football internationals

[tankie]

Another great case for the introduction of TV playback last night when Henry handballed which resulted in a goal for France and Knocked out Ireland , the only people who never saw it were ALL the officials

[snowhole]

Well, the ref ruled out a good penalty earlier so when he ignored the handball he was probably making up for the French.

[tankie]

Well, the ref ruled out a good penalty earlier so when he ignored the handball he was probably making up for the French.

:) And therein i rest my case for TV playback , which would have shown the penalty claim , and the hand ball :))

[snowhole]

Yes, that'll definately help with fair play.

[tankie]

Yes, that'll definately help with fair play.

Certainly will , and in the process will show the overpaid prima,s for what they are ,,,,,,,,,,,,,FRAUDS

[Tarek Morgen]

He did not handball on purpose. He just wanted to raise his arms to surrender.

[tankie]

He did not handball on purpose. He just wanted to raise his arms to surrender.

The thing i cant understand is , the fact he was going FORWARDS



An unrepentant Thierry Henry refused to accept responsibility for putting Ireland out of the World Cup, insisting that he is "not the referee".




Q: It was difficult for France. Were you afraid?

Thierry Henry: Yes, because the Irish team played well. It was not evident before. We had said that they were a difficult team to play, but the win over there turned out to be dominant. It was difficult to press them: that was our purpose but every time they had a free-kick, the goalkeeper sent the ball deep into our half. It was not a beautiful game, it will not go down in history for its quality. The Irish team could have scored another goal two or three times: fortunately for us, we had a great goalkeeper (in Hugo Lloris) on Wednesday evening. We hope he will continue to play like that.

You qualified thanks to a goal of great controversy...

Yes, that is true. But what is done is done. I admit it: there was a hand. The referee did not see it.

Many Irish people are going to say that France qualified because they cheated.

I am not the referee. The ball touched my hand. I am honest, there was a hand.

Is that what you told Richard Dunne at the end of the game?

Yes, I told him. But he told me the exact same thing: "You are not the referee." As it all happened Sebastien Squillaci was fighting with two players, the ball came to me and touched my hand. I played it. And the referee gave the goal.

To qualify in that way is unusual. Is your pleasure spoiled by this?

We suffered for two years. We had problems with our supporters, the press... It would have been better to win our ticket for South Africa in a different way but, once again, I repeat: I am not the referee.

Raymond Domenech has spoken about subdued enjoyment in the dressing room.

This Irish team did not prove unworthy. In the end if they had qualified, they wouldn't have stolen the spot. Our enjoyment has been measured because we have a lot of respect for this team.

Is it in these kinds of game that a team is forged?

We've played quite a lot of games like this one since the beginning of qualifying. I hope that we can learn from it. After the victory in Ireland our performance was played down, journalists saying that they were not a good team. I kept repeating the opposite. You saw on Wednesday that it was true. I played for eight years in England, I can tell you that Ireland have a good team.

For your part, don't you think France played poorly over the last few games?

No. Ireland played well. We are not alone on the grass. Ireland played very well for over an hour and a half. You need to accept that. But the most important thing is qualifying.

[zara]

very gloomy at work today..

I dont get why everyone knows it wasnt a goal, yet its allowed to go ahead??

its a stupid game anyway

[tankie]

very gloomy at work today..

I dont get why everyone knows it wasnt a goal, yet its allowed to go ahead??

its a stupid game anyway

Well well well , hey zara ,maybe this news will cheer you up , just maybe ;)



The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) called on FIFA on Thursday to order a replay of the controversial World Cup playoff against France.



France booked their place in next year's finals in South Africa with a 1-1 second-leg draw in Paris on Wednesday after striker Thierry Henry handled the ball in the build-up to their goal.

"The blatantly incorrect decision by the referee to award the goal has damaged the integrity of the sport and we now call on FIFA, as the world governing body for our sport, to organise for this match to be replayed," read an FAI statement.

"The hand-ball was recognised (by) the FIFA commissioner, the referee observer and the match officials as well as by the player himself."

The FAI issued the statement as Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni was telling a news conference it would be impossible to replay the match. :(

"I cannot ask this because I know it is impossible," said Trapattoni after his team had gone out 2-1 on aggregate. "When a referee decides, it ends the game for me."

EXTRA TIME

The Italian instead criticised FIFA's late decision to seed the playoff draw and called on the ruling body to scrap extra time in similar games as it handed an advantage to the team drawn at home in the second leg.

"There are many doubts that remain that have to be eliminated. I will go to FIFA and advise them on what we think," said Trapattoni before adding video replays were likely to be brought in for the future. :)) must have heard me ;)

The FAI said there was a precedent for a replay to be staged, citing a decision to invalidate the result of a World Cup qualifier between Uzbekistan and Bahrain in 2005 on the basis of a "technical error by the referee."

"The Football Association of Ireland is hoping FIFA and its disciplinary committee will, on behalf of football fans worldwide, act in a similar fashion so the standards of fair play and integrity can be protected," added the FAI.

Earlier, Irish justice minister Dermot Ahern led calls for a replay, saying FIFA owed it to thousands of devastated fans around the country.

A spokesman for soccer's governing body told Reuters: "FIFA is not in a position to comment on decisions taken by match officials.

[Parihaka]

No chance, FIFA want France to go through, hence the seeding. TV revenue is all.

[tankie]

No chance, FIFA want France to go through, hence the seeding. TV revenue is all.

Which is why i say Iian , just maybe , but its causing big noises here , its been on the news all day , never mind the worlds conflicts ;)

[crooks]

No chance, FIFA want France to go through, hence the seeding. TV revenue is all.

Undoubtably - doesn't change the fact that the French football team/officials/establishment is/are scum though :)!

Boys in green (and the mighty Traps), you done your country proud, and deserve to be on that plane.

[zara]

Well at least weve got someone to HATE now, thats even more fun than having someone to support. Hopefully England will give them a pasting for us!

[tankie]

Football's world governing body FIFA has confirmed that the controversial France v Ireland World Cup playoff will not be replayed.

The Irish football association (FAI) appealed to FIFA for a replay after Thierry Henry handled the ball when setting up William Gallas's extra-time equaliser in Wednesday's 1-1 draw in Paris that sent France to the World Cup with a 2-1 aggregate win.

However, as was widely expected, FIFA wasted little time in rejecting the plea.

"FIFA has replied to the request made by the FAI to replay the World Cup play-off match between France and the Republic of Ireland," the body said on its website ([url=http://www.fifa.com]FIFA.com - Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) on Friday.

"In the reply, FIFA states that the result of the match cannot be changed and the match cannot be replayed. As is clearly mentioned in the Laws of the Game, during matches, decisions are taken by the referee and these decisions are final."

As predicted , never mind Paddies , ya,s were robbed :(

[zara]

As predicted , never mind Paddies , ya,s were robbed :(

Well, cant complain too much, we weren't the first, and we wont be the last.

I can just imagine the French outrage if it were the other way round though.