Now even his own country France is branding Henry a CHEAT

• zocoss

  20 Nov 09, 00:01

  REPUBLIC LODGE OFFICIAL COMPLAINT

  

  
  
  France & Ireland to replay World Cup Playoff match?

   

  The Football Association of Ireland have lodged a formal complaint with world governing body FIFA over the Republic of Ireland's controversial World Cup play-off defeat to France.

  The FAI said the integrity of the game has been damaged after French forward Thierry Henry blatantly handled the ball during extra time in the lead-up to the winning goal scored by William Gallas.

  "The handball was recognised by the FIFA commissioner, the referee observer and the match officials, as well as by the player himself," the FAI said.

  Ireland's Justice Minister Dermot Ahern and assistant Republic of Ireland coach Liam Brady have both called for the game to replayed.

   

  The FAI said there was precedent for the result to be struck out. FIFA ordered Uzbekistan to replay Bahrain in a play-off for the 2006 World Cup in Germany after the referee made a mistake after a penalty had been awarded.

  The governing body described it as a "technical error".

  However, in that instance, the referee was guilty of wrongly applying the rules rather than missing an offence. An indirect free-kick was awarded against Uzbekistan when one of their players encroached on the Bahrain penalty area as the Uzbeks successfully converted a penalty. The correct interpretation would have been to order the penalty to be retaken.

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

   

  The FAI hit out at the referee, Swedish firefighter Martin Hansson, who failed to spot Henry use an arm to control the ball before squaring for team-mate William Gallas to score.

  "Conclusive video evidence of a deliberate hand ball by Thierry Henry, which led to France's additional time goal, has been seen by millions of football fans worldwide," the FAI said.

  "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."

   

• divingutd

  20 Nov 09, 00:06

   

  If FIFA reverse the game, then every club that feels injust will also ask for re-play...

• youyayu

  20 Nov 09, 01:40

  fifa wanted this result.

  why would they want to?

• iceFatboy

  20 Nov 09, 02:02

  can go CAS??

• dragg

  20 Nov 09, 08:13

  it was reported henry told the referee about the handball but he ignored him.

   

• the Bear

  20 Nov 09, 08:33

  if Henry did, then this ref ought to be fired...

  reminds me of the incident where Fowler was supposedly "fouled" by Seaman... he got up and immediately told the ref that there was no foul but the ref insisted anyway...

   

• zocoss

  20 Nov 09, 10:08

  

   

   

   

   

  THE world turned on Thierry Henry last night - with even his own country France branding him a CHEAT.

  Irish football chiefs have written to FIFA demanding Wednesday's World Cup tie is replayed after the striker's blatant handball led to William Gallas' decisive goal.

  The game's governing body insists there will be no replay.

  But Henry's former Arsenal and France team-mate Emmanuel Petit said: "The feeling among the French public is one of embarrassment.

  "More and more often we see people cheating to reach their targets so Thierry's handball will not send out a good message."

  French legend David Ginola added: "I do not feel very proud to be French at the moment. Something should be done. The whole world saw it was handball. I am very embarrassed."

  Henry's stomach-turning act meant France won the World Cup play-off 2-1 on aggregate to reach next summer's finals.

  Petit and Henry were team-mates when France lifted the World Cup in 1998. Another '98 winner, Bixente Lizarazu, slammed France coach Raymond Domenech on live radio.

  Domenech refused to answer questions about the handball and invited Lizarazu to attend a qualification party hosted by the French FA.

  But the former defender replied: "France have done nothing. I'm in no mood for a party."

  A FIFA spokesman dashed hopes of a replay, saying: "The rules of FIFA are absolutely clear and the referee's decisions in the game are final."

   

• Short Ninja

  20 Nov 09, 10:11

  Seriously for the love of football and playing in the World Cup who wouldnt cheat to book the last ticket for your country???

• Short Ninja

  20 Nov 09, 10:12

  It was the 'Kayu' referee who should be under heavy fire here.

• ^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~

  20 Nov 09, 10:16

  i'm looking forward to the next match france gonna have against... It will be the whole stadium and playing field against them...

• Short Ninja

  20 Nov 09, 10:22

  Originally posted by ^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~:

  i'm looking forward to the next match france gonna have against... It will be the whole stadium and playing field against them...

  No lah soccer is not like that one and fans move on.

• Rooney9

  20 Nov 09, 10:28

  france national team problem is the coach. the coach is the problem, with his stale tactics and all. also the national team is in transition, with a mixture of old and young players, like henry and benzema and nasir. france may be knocked out of first round.

• Short Ninja

  20 Nov 09, 10:37

  Originally posted by Rooney9:

  france national team problem is the coach. the coach is the problem, with his stale tactics and all. also the national team is in transition, with a mixture of old and young players, like henry and benzema and nasir. france may be knocked out of first round.

  As we have seen over and over again at the finals anything could happen at any of the stages by the way I have always rooted for Argentina and they have a bigger headache now.

• zocoss

  20 Nov 09, 10:49

  Originally posted by dragg:

  it was reported henry told the referee about the handball but he ignored him.

   

  
  I think it was when after everything was over and the the final whistle have been blown... There was not much the referee could have done by then other than stick to the original decision as the final score have been settled... 

  To be honest, there was really no point in doing so anymore but only to defend himself for the post match as it was so clear that he knew he couldn't get away... This was worse then Maradona's, cos at least that one was done at a distant, the camera view was wide, so the actual incident was quite small on the screen, had to zoom in to get a better view, but it was still able to be seen.

  Here, he was in the corner, nearer to the side cameras... And modern technology made it clear as daylight what he did... So there was no way he way going to come off after the match and said it wasn't a handball...

  The thing here is, this isn't your average league match... It wasn't even a derby between Arsenal and Spurs or Chelsea... It was not even close to a battle of Britain (Eduardo)... This was a very very big match which involve a place in the WC finals and the world watching... Had he not ran off to celebrate and made the handball known to the referee at that moment the ball went in... Then I think we can say he was honest... Other than that, I guess we have to say he have deceit the referee as well as the whole world... And honestly, The French pulbic aren't going to be happy either having this stigma hanging over them for years to come...

   

• zocoss

  20 Nov 09, 11:06

  Thierry Henry is no longer a national hero in France - the cheat should hang his head
  

   

  

  Pilloried: Henry

   

   

  French fans have condemned Thierry Henry’s handball against Ireland, seeing it as one of the lowest points in the history of Les Bleus.

  Janine Robert, from Lyon, said: ‘Thierry has been a national hero for years, but no longer. What he did was awful — it was so obvious he was cheating. He will need to be at his best in the finals if he’s to restore his reputation.’

  Supporter Louis Dufour, of Paris, added: ‘Thierry knew what he was doing and should have owned up to the ref. Many of us who were at the game felt as cheated as the Irish. Thierry should be hanging his head in shame’.

  France’s national broadcaster TF1 led news bulletins with references to the ‘Hand of God’ and the ‘Hand of Deliverance’ as sports commentator Jean-Michel Larqué spoke of a ‘national malaise’.

  Sports daily L’Equipe said : ‘It was a miracle to have survived for so long through such a void, through these little boys’ passes and through these fears of average players.’
  Describing ‘the most mucked-up game in the history of the French team’, L’Equipe referred to Ireland as a ‘giant’ of the game.

  Le Parisien’s headline was ‘Miraculous’. They said: ‘The Blues proved to be incredibly unlikable and incapable of even pretending to play football and to pass the ball from one player to the other.’

  Even French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who was at the game, admitted that his country’s football World Cup victory over Ireland had been ‘painful’.

   

• SGporkz

  20 Nov 09, 11:06

  i just feel sad for ireland being ' bullied ' this way .

  its not possible to re-match..

  i only hope france get knockout asap .

• zocoss

  20 Nov 09, 11:57

  Henry handball controversy

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_C7Yc7T2yE

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prjSvvCfZe4

   

  Henry's Interview

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7pbKT37QjY

   

  French and Irish coaches speak after controversial match

  Domenech does a Wenger... lol

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYqfFfD_Dj8&NR=1

   

  Theirry Henry Handball Song...

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pUbtXBaqek

   

• the Bear

  20 Nov 09, 13:03

  Originally posted by zocoss:

  Thierry Henry is no longer a national hero in France - the cheat should hang his head
  

   

  

  Pilloried: Henry

   

   

  French fans have condemned Thierry Henry’s handball against Ireland, seeing it as one of the lowest points in the history of Les Bleus.

  Janine Robert, from Lyon, said: ‘Thierry has been a national hero for years, but no longer. What he did was awful — it was so obvious he was cheating. He will need to be at his best in the finals if he’s to restore his reputation.’

  Supporter Louis Dufour, of Paris, added: ‘Thierry knew what he was doing and should have owned up to the ref. Many of us who were at the game felt as cheated as the Irish. Thierry should be hanging his head in shame’.

  France’s national broadcaster TF1 led news bulletins with references to the ‘Hand of God’ and the ‘Hand of Deliverance’ as sports commentator Jean-Michel Larqué spoke of a ‘national malaise’.

  Sports daily L’Equipe said : ‘It was a miracle to have survived for so long through such a void, through these little boys’ passes and through these fears of average players.’
  Describing ‘the most mucked-up game in the history of the French team’, L’Equipe referred to Ireland as a ‘giant’ of the game.

  Le Parisien’s headline was ‘Miraculous’. They said: ‘The Blues proved to be incredibly unlikable and incapable of even pretending to play football and to pass the ball from one player to the other.’

  Even French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who was at the game, admitted that his country’s football World Cup victory over Ireland had been ‘painful’.

   

  
  even Sarkozy for all his ranting against this.. i ask him this: will he pull France out of the World Cup?

  if he doesn't, it says a lot...

  about what, i don't have to elaborate

• MaNyZeR

  20 Nov 09, 14:57

  Actually its the linesman fault... how the fuck can he miss the handball?? He has a direct view, there was no one blocking his view..

  I doubt FIFA would replay the match, because by replaying one match, then all matches can be replay if the same situation arises in the future... I think what they will do is to install cameras to help the referess. They have no choice about this... This will prevent future complications and also help saves the referees ass.

  Henry is a good player as we all know, it is not frequently that he cheats. This may be the only time that he really cheats. Footballers are all cheaters and many of them cheat. Ronaldo and Drogba, the diving kings. Ngog of liverpool recently dived against birmingham. Wayne Rooney dives as well, Eduardo da Silva dives as well.... Everybody does cheat at some point of their career.

  Even if you are honest by telling the referee I dived, I handled the ball.. if the referee chooses not to believe you but in himself, then its really the referees fault. Some referees believe too much in themselves, whereas some are easily influenced by the players. I believe some referees took bribes as well. It could have been in this case, but we never know.

  I feel sorry for the Irish people (but not robbie keane, he deserves it). But this is a lesson that they should learn. Kill off the teams when you have a chance. Irish people can recover from this, I am sure.

  And what is a World Cup without Portugal and France? Would you prevent to see Bosnia and Ireland? I believe the French will be boo-ed throughout the tournament, but then its up to them to use this "ill-treatment" as a form of motivation, but I dont see them going far in the competition especially under their current coach. Thierry Henry may even be banned from taking part in the world cup after his "heroics".

  Lastly, this is analogous to the Montreal Screwjob, when the Heart Break Kid Shawn michaels stole the WWF title from Bret the Hitman Hart in front of thousands of WWF fans, when Vince McMahon ruled that Bret Hart tapped out to Michael's submission hold - the Sharpshooter. So take it like Bret, be sore about it and then revenge!!!

  I believe France and Ireland will end up in the same group during the Euro 2012 qualification.

• Rooney9

  20 Nov 09, 16:23

  wont rematch one lar, if rematch, FIFA will be opening a can of worms. that means ref mistakes then the opposing team complain of cos error, then imagine how many teams will ask for replay? then there is the logistics to take into consideration of a rematch as well.

  when clubs see FIFA reply matches cos of ref error, then they will ask their country FA and UEFA for replay matches due to ref errors. then if they grant it,  the club will petitioned it to FIFA if UEFA or their FA doesnt agree to it. all this are endless man.

• stellazio

  20 Nov 09, 16:51

  i am surprise, how come platini is so quiet now?

• brokenluv

  20 Nov 09, 19:17

  Originally posted by stellazio:

  i am surprise, how come platini is so quiet now?

  Secretly he is happy his beloved France qualify but they won by a handball, ownself sure paiseh. Henry imo, did a dirty job for the team, depends on how ppl want to look at it.

• stellazio

  20 Nov 09, 21:53

  why some reporter never go ask platini bout this..

• zocoss

  21 Nov 09, 00:46

  Originally posted by MaNyZeR:

  Actually its the linesman fault... how the fuck can he miss the handball?? He has a direct view, there was no one blocking his view..

  I doubt FIFA would replay the match, because by replaying one match, then all matches can be replay if the same situation arises in the future... I think what they will do is to install cameras to help the referess. They have no choice about this... This will prevent future complications and also help saves the referees ass.

  Henry is a good player as we all know, it is not frequently that he cheats. This may be the only time that he really cheats. Footballers are all cheaters and many of them cheat. Ronaldo and Drogba, the diving kings. Ngog of liverpool recently dived against birmingham. Wayne Rooney dives as well, Eduardo da Silva dives as well.... Everybody does cheat at some point of their career.

  Even if you are honest by telling the referee I dived, I handled the ball.. if the referee chooses not to believe you but in himself, then its really the referees fault. Some referees believe too much in themselves, whereas some are easily influenced by the players. I believe some referees took bribes as well. It could have been in this case, but we never know.

  I feel sorry for the Irish people (but not robbie keane, he deserves it). But this is a lesson that they should learn. Kill off the teams when you have a chance. Irish people can recover from this, I am sure.

  And what is a World Cup without Portugal and France? Would you prevent to see Bosnia and Ireland? I believe the French will be boo-ed throughout the tournament, but then its up to them to use this "ill-treatment" as a form of motivation, but I dont see them going far in the competition especially under their current coach. Thierry Henry may even be banned from taking part in the world cup after his "heroics".

  Lastly, this is analogous to the Montreal Screwjob, when the Heart Break Kid Shawn michaels stole the WWF title from Bret the Hitman Hart in front of thousands of WWF fans, when Vince McMahon ruled that Bret Hart tapped out to Michael's submission hold - the Sharpshooter. So take it like Bret, be sore about it and then revenge!!!

  I believe France and Ireland will end up in the same group during the Euro 2012 qualification.

   

  Well, we can argue that it's the assistant referee's fault, or the referee's fault, or even Platina's fault... But ultimately, it's Henry's fault! And if anyone asked, Why? Simple, cos he made it happen... He was the main culprit that brought everything together... Without him, this whole incident wouldn't have even materialized...

  The point here isn't whether other players have also cheated in other matches of lesser significance... Its just narrow down to this match, a world cup qualifier, winner get a place in SA... The money for their association, players dreams, careers and something to tell their grandchildren about in later years... Do you see the importance of it? Like someone here mentioned the hopes of an entire nation... An entire nation was cheated by his act... Not a club side.

  We are talking about this match and not others... Whether referees are on the take is not relevant here... I have watched the clip a few times over and I believed from his position, his view could have been block. I am not sure if the referee will allow the goal had Henry ran towards him immediately after the incident and inform him he handled the ball... Of course, this would be being honest... But running away and celebrating the way he did... Where is the honesty? 

  And I am not sure about this being the only time he cheated... I recalled he dived again Wigan some 3 yrs ago in a league match... And I am not sure if some still remember this, but he tried to get Puyol sent off in a match between France and Spain... Puyol and him ran for the ball and Puyol didn't even touch his face but he went down holding his face as though he was elbowed in his face...

  The way i see it now is, he probably regret a little what he did... Cos he realised his reputation is forever gone... He will probably be mentioned along with Maradona and the other cheats even after he retires... But at least for Maradona, he was a world talent and once considered the best and is also thought of as probably the best player ever to play the game... For Henry, he will never reach that height... He is not even seen as Zidane's equal... So I guess he will try to make up by saying some nice stuff about the Irish...

  If Thierry Henry is really sincere about redemption and Fifa does not call for a rematch... Then the only saving grace left for him is to retire from international football and not play in the WC2010... That would at least show the Irish people of his sincerity... But, looking at his behaviour, even coming out as close to blaming the referee for not spotting it... I doubt very much he will do so...

  But I think almost every French players could now be insulted during a heated match by their opponents calling them cheats... Their fans too will be mock at by opposing team supporters... Henry has done something really stupid...

   

• reyes

  21 Nov 09, 09:23

  i think the irish should just accept the referee decision and stop using the media to attack the french players. In fact, if FIFA allows reply, it will only open a can of worms and added more calls for reply in cases of playing diving for a penalty, referee miss a handball and etc.

   

  the irish FA or UEFA should attack FIFA and exert pressure for television evidence during a game. Stop all this dubious call once an for all.