The hand of Thierry, which sent France to South Africa in overtime against Ireland, instigated a big international incident in Europe. http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-world-cup-henry20-2009nov20,0,5392453.story <object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Wh4QS5RKhoY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Wh4QS5RKhoY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object> First the Irish's FAI demands a rematch and now the Irish Prime Minister says on TV he wants a rematch too. <object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DbiGQiGNIsY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DbiGQiGNIsY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object> Is there such a thing called fair play? Should the French act like a gentleman and accept a rematch? On another note, international soccer is beyond the scope of sports. I heard on the radio the other day that a Egyptian fan swore allegiance on behalf of his fellow 18 million countrymen to stand behind the national team to do something. Is this too much?
Some angry Irish fans posted this. :grin: <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZNengNsJUv8&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZNengNsJUv8&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
It's disgusting to win like that, especially since Ireland played much better than us during that 2nd match. Henry is a douche, always has, always will. Unfortunately, things like that happen. There are three referees for a small basketball court, only one (with 2 assistants, most of the time useless) for a huge soccer field. The guy is only human, and will miss calls. Either you put more refs, or start using video when necessary, or things like that will continue to happen. On a side note, it's not up to the French to decide to agree or not for a rematch, it would be FIFA's decision. And there is no way they would ever do so. Because if they start replaying that game, then what about that game 2 weeks ago when that referee missed a call? And that one, 2 years ago? And the one 37 year ago?
Henry on his twitter says sorry to Irish fans http://twitter.com/thierry_Henry French President Nicolas Sarkozy says sorry to the Irish Prime Minister in their EU meeting, but rejected Irish's rematch's request. http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Sport/Story/STIStory_456857.html
3 most talked about and still hated calls I can think of. 1. 1966 world cup final, England v. Germany, did the ball cross the goal line 2. 1986 Hand of God, see my sig 3. 1998 Beckham's red card.
Only 1 ref in soccer? Never knew that. Always just assumed there were a commitee of them or something. Including line judges, goal line refs, etc. But I do agree, there can't possibly be a replay. But FIFA does need to implement some more measures in the form of instant replay, challenges, etc. for big games to minimize the cheating.
It should stand as the final. Missed calls are part of the game. You can put your hand on the ball. You can travel. You can step out of bounds and come back in for the game winning play. You can be out and called safe. The rules are not absolute - if you can get away with it...or an official misses it, than that's that. You can travel in the NBA so long as no one calls it, or palm a ball. The incentive is that you might get caught so it's not worth doing. But heck, if you get away with, more power to you. France advances, Ireland does not. That's the bottom line.
I agree. I will even go as far as saying Henry didn't have to apologize. And get this, the French public is criticizing him too. I guess it's a culture difference. Here if you are not cheating, you are not trying. I think the beauty of these missed calls, and they are evened out over the time mostly, is that they leave bad tastes in fans mouth wanting revenge or vindication of justice. If everything is so fair in a sport game, it would be boring IMO. And of course, I would cry for every call for the Rockets.
you wanna see soccer taken seriously, go and check out the egyptian fans that attacked the algerian players
I really really really really really really wanted to see Ireland advance. Really. But as an Irish-AMERICAN, I have no context for world leaders making decisions or speaking to sporting events with this degree of seriousness. That's just odd to me.
A hand ball is not the same as a simple travel. Its more like clutching the ball and walking from half court to the rim. It makes the game meaningless... I can score against any soccer team on the planet if you let me use my hands to control the ball.
I think so too. However, my guess is that it was more of a politician's response to his constituencies. The whole country is irate at the call, and probably placing it over any other matter for the moment.
I admit if Canada was about to make the world cup because of my handball, then I would do it... FIFA already rejected the replay bid by Ireland, too bad, I think it would have been good for football to have the game played again. With the amount of fake diving that goes on in the game it would be nice they did something to preserve the integrity of the game.
I've played striker or wing for years and years -- i've done the exact thing a million times. This is a technique you learn after years of playing -- it's part of the game.
Damn, I don't even really car about soccer, but this kinda made my stomach hurt. IDK if you can let this just happen without taking a serious look at instant replay at least for high stakes games. To lose out on a World Cup bid by a handball in stoppage time is like a kick in the 'nads. Tough break Ireland
Soccer sucks and is incredibly boring. Oh, look at me running around a field and not using my hands. Whee! Ooops, I just got a red card. Oh My! I guess my offensive language gave the other players the vapors! For crying out loud, pick up the ball and run with it. Put a stiff arm on that defender. Clothesline that other guy.
As a MidS/HS soccer player I'd be totally pissed if this happened to us and as a team we would have demanded a rematch. Whether we got it or not, that's a different story, but the hand on the ball is like swinging a bat with a 20in circumference. You just cannot have the luxury. But as an adult I learned that if you can get away with it, jolly good for you. It sucks but that's the way it is nowadays. Plus, after watching the NBA, I'm kind of numb by the bad calls of officials and the way it's handled after the fact. So I'm just going to shrug my shoulders, sigh and shout, "Play Ball!"
If they replayed games based on players getting away with something that helped enable a victory, they'd replay a lot of games.
