the hand of le god

[skegsagypsy]

A great game being ruined by cheating ! Your happy with the cheating then I assume !

[leotheloin]

the good thing to come out of this in 10/20/30 years and so on henry will never be remembered for being a great player but for being a cheat. viva the henry gate

[whitewidow5]

We were robbed, plain and simple. The governing bodies didn't want the smaller nations to make it to the World Cup so they set up the seeding system to seperate the bigger nations from each other. It's a disgrace in this day and age that almost every other sport uses video replays for major incidents but football is still stuck in the dark ages. For one the refs wouldn't be getting all the abuse they're getting nowadays. I demand a replay or a penalty shootout at least :P

[ghostfox]

is it cheating or getting away with an unseen advantage ?
for me its the latter.

its fantastic when it happens for your own team and a killer when it goes against you,
cheating is when somebody or some team influence the officials and we all know who that is...
wher taking an oppertunity is luck.
thats what the other sports like rugby, tennis etc miss out on..
for example there would be no way on earth a team like blyth spartans would beat real madrid with super camera replay bollox technology and 6 officals covering the game,
but at this moment in time one dodgy oppertunist penalty might give blyth a chance.
and thats exacly what its all about, the butterflies, the praying and exitement it gives us.

[red devil]

stick to knitting matey, coz you obviously know sod all about a mans game.

replays because one teams loses, video evidence, more officials etc would kill the game,
shit happens....
thats why its the great game it is.

i played the game for over 20 years m8 and if henry did that against our lads he'd be off on a stretcher

paolo dicanio....now there is an honourable man he'd never do that
he got a fair play award as well....henry is a cheat end of story
and no amount of excuses will change that fact

[hideous.ape]

is it cheating or getting away with an unseen advantage ?
for me its the latter.

I've played and watched football for almost 30 years and in the last 10 its become less and less of a "great" game. Too many people are excusing this as just one of those things, well it isn't. This is one of the worst cheating moments in World Cup history, since Maradona's handball. To disregard this as nothing is not good enough. It was the deciding moment in two nations efforts for almost a year. If it was an Irishman that did this my opinion would be exactly the same.

These opportunities for a country the size of Ireland are extremely rare. It might be 10 or 15 years before we get another chance to qualify again. France should qualify for every tournament with the number of players they have, we can't! On the last night of the Champions League France had 40 or 50 players involved, we had one!

Getting to a World Cup is usually a once in a lifetime opportunity for countries like Ireland...its something all professional players hold as a major highlight of their career. To miss out in this way is not acceptable, has never been acceptable and should never be acceptable!

[billy2]

i wonder if it was ireland that did it wiuld there be a reply ???

as for fifa and there fair play rules


Fair-Play Code
The FIFA Fair Play Code for football encapsulates all of the sporting, moral and ethical principles for which FIFA has always stood and for which it will continue to fight in the future, regardless of the influences and pressures that may be brought to bear.

The ten golden rules not only serve as a credo for FIFA as world football's governing body, but they also reinforce the sense of fraternity and cooperation among the members of the worldwide football family.

1. Play fair
Winning is without value if victory has been achieved unfairly or dishonestly. Cheating is easy, but brings no pleasure. Playing fair requires courage and character. It is also more satisfying. Fair play always has its reward, even when the game is lost. Playing fair earns respect, while cheating only brings shame. Remember: it is only a game. And games are pointless unless played fairly.

2. Play to win but accept defeat with dignity
Winning is the object of playing any game. Never set out to lose. If you do not play to win, you are cheating your opponents, deceiving those who are watching, and also fooling yourself. Never give up against stronger opponents but never relent against weaker ones. It is an insult to any opponent to play at less than full strength. Play to win, until the final whistle. But remember nobody wins all the time. You win some, you lose some. Learn to lose graciously. Do not seek excuses for defeat. Genuine reasons will always be self-evident. Congratulate the winners with good grace. Do not blame the referee or anyone else. Be determined to do better next time. Good losers earn more respect than bad winners.

3. Observe the Laws of the Game
All games need rules to guide them. Without rules, there would be chaos. The rules of football are simple and easy to learn. Make sure you learn them; it will help you to understand the game better. Understanding the game better will make you a better player. It is equally important to understand the spirit of the rules. They are designed to make the game fun to play and fun to watch. By sticking to the rules, the game will be more enjoyable.

4. Respect opponents, team-mates, referees, officials and spectators
Fair Play means respect. Respect is part of our game. Without opponents there can be no game. Everyone has the same rights, including the right to be respected. Team-mates are colleagues. Form a team in which all members are equal. Referees are there to maintain discipline and Fair Play. Always accept their decisions without arguing, and help them to enable all participants to have a more enjoyable game. Officials are also part of the game and must be respected accordingly. Spectators give the game atmosphere. They want to see the game played fairly, but must also behave fairly and with respect themselves.

5. Promote the interests of football
Football is the world's greatest game. But it always needs everybody's help to maintain its greatness. Think of football's interests before your own. Think how your actions may affect the image of the game. Talk about the positive things in the game. Encourage other people to watch and play fairly. Help others to have as much fun from football as you do. Be an ambassador for the game.

6. Honour those who defend football's good reputation
The good name of football has survived because the vast majority of people who love the game are honest and fair. Sometimes somebody does something exceptional that deserves our special recognition. They should be honoured and their fine example publicised. This encourages others to act in the same way. Help to promote football's image by publicising its good deeds.

7. Reject corruption, drugs, racism, violence, gambling and other dangers to our sport
Football's huge popularity sometimes makes it vulnerable to negative outside interests. Watch out for attempts to tempt you into cheating or using drugs. Drugs have no place in football, in any other sport or in society as a whole. Say no to drugs. Help to kick racism and bigotry out of football. Treat all players and everyone else equally, regardless of their religion, race, sex or national origin. Show zero tolerance for gambling on games in which you participate. It negatively affects your ability to perform and creates the appearance of a conflict of interests. Show that football does not want violence, even from your own fans. Football is sport, and sport is peace.

8. Help others to resist corrupting pressures
You may hear that team-mates or other people you know are being tempted to cheat in some way or otherwise engage in behaviour deemed unacceptable. They need your help. Do not hesitate to stand by them. Give them the strength to resist. Remind them of their commitment to their team-mates and to the game itself. Form a block of solidarity, like a solid defence on the field of play.

9. Denounce those who attempt to discredit our sport
Do not be ashamed to stand up to anybody who you are sure is trying to make others cheat or engage in other unacceptable behaviour. It is better to expose them and have them removed before they can do any damage. It is equally dishonest to go along with a dishonest act. Do not just say no. Denounce those misguided persons who are trying to spoil our sport before they can persuade somebody else to say yes.

10. Use football to make a better world
Football has an incredible power, which can be used to make this world a better place in which everyone can live. Use this powerful platform to promote peace, equality, health and education for everyone. Make the game better, take it to the world, and you will be fostering a better world.

and new for 2010 world cup

rule 11 win By any means necessary Cheat all you want

[hideous.ape]

Clearly Robbie Keane did try to cheat by controlling the ball with his hand during the match in the French penalty area. I can say with almost certainty that had Ireland got the winning goal from that bit of cheating, FIFA would have announced a replay within hours of the final whistle.

[bluestar12]

i agree with most of people you were cheated i myself have been calling for video evidence for years those who say it will slow game down are talking through there arse so what as long as it stops the likes of this why cant they do what they do in tennis each captain has three challenges to approach the video ref

[andymc1s]

PARIS: France coach Raymond Domenech said on Thursday he was stunned to see his team treated as guilty men in the aftermath of the Thierry Henry


World Cup handball scandal.

Barcelona superstar Henry has been widely condemned after admitting he handled the ball which helped France beat Ireland and qualify for the World Cup finals.

"I don't understand why we have been judged guilty. On the pitch, I didn't see the handball. Since then I have seen the video and it's a mistake by the referee," Domenech said.

"I don't understand why we are expected to say sorry.

"We are not going to commit hara-kiri because the referee made a mistake and this time in our favour."

[hideous.ape]

Domenech appears to be the very sort of character that is wrong with football today.

How about football brings in two umpires on both lines of the penalty area. That way their would be coverage from four angles for anything that happens in or around the penalty area. FIFA wouldn't even need to introduce video replays as this would catch the most obvious issues like Henry's handball....or Domenech's magical French gravity defying force field that Henry seems to possess in his left hand.

Would have no effect on the overall pacing of the game but would prevent 60 or 70% of the current problems in the game that occur in or near the penalty area.

[billy2]

he would need to open his eyes and look at the video again there was 2 handballs by Thierry Henry

[andymc1s]

specy.jpg
~~~~er

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNJndFpgTEI"]YouTube- Thierry Henry is a Cheat (Parody Song) - Dublin's 98[/ame]

[leotheloin]

wonder what type of punishment fifa will dish out on henry after he admitted to the handball. FRANCE will give him there highest award the legion of honor for getting them there

[lfc4life]

BBC Sport - Football - Roy Keane has no sympathy for Republic of Ireland exit <<< talk about being bitter