Gerrard must play for another NT, huh? Do you know who Klinsman is? How about Seedorf? Australia? What? Who even examines Australia's games looking for cheating, besides Australians and Asians? You're asking the wrong group.
If FIFA does not rechedule a replay of this game (they have previously replaid a game a few years back WCQ asian I think) then this will be a mockery of FIFA and the WC 2010, Ireland should appeal a replay and FIFA should overrule the goal and award the replay. Furthermore Video replays should immediatly be put in place to stop any further referee decisions, with todays technology and the impotance of this game, video replay should have been used and the goal dissallowed...
Genuinely sorry for the Irish that it ended like that. That hand ball stained goal also robbed most of us of any joy or pride... I really wished we scored a second to offset that but that match was probably the worse in 2 years for France. They should have scored another one but weren't even able of that...I think it might have eased things a little but since it did not happen. Our players brain just melted down while the Irish were playing the game of their lives. We won't go far anyway if Les Bleus are so fragile when things get tough.
I'm french and I feel sorry for the Irish team. They played well and better than our team. The french goal should not have been validated. Not a real victory...
Pretty gutted about the result, but we should have finished them off before it went to extra time. Had so many clear cut chances. Luck completely deserted us in this tie from the deflected goal in the first leg and a litany of missed sitters. Best team go out unfortunately. Thought we controlled 75% of the game over two legs. I dont want to make too much of the handball goal as I think the referee legitmately could not see it, but the linesman should certainly have clearly spotted it. Shit happens, but nice to see the french fans in here showing some class and humility over a controversial finish. Thanks guys and best of luck in SA.
the irish nt and fans have been pure class the entire qualifying campaign. be proud of yourselves and your team.
how funny. neither uefa or fifa websites match reports mention anything to do with an henry hand ball. hilarious.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/8367418.stm The BBC website sure does, though.
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1136804.html#gallas+breaks+irish+hearts i was thinking the same.
I am really livid after that. Very proud of all the Irish players but I had a feeling when O'Shea, Duff and Keane missed some good chances that France would get lucky again. But I did not except something like that. What a disgrace Henry is. I always thought he was a respectable player but it turns out he is just another cheat. Not just the double hand ball, but also the TWO offsides, Where was the assistant ref on that? If this doesn't mean instant replays for goals then it will never happen. It would take about 30 seconds(while the team is celebrating anyway) for the 4th official to check it and tell the ref wtf were you thinking? Do it now FIFA. I'm sure if it was Keane who did it and Dunne scored to put us through, I'm sure Platini would be calling for it. You know us Irish always joke around about Maradona's Hand of God goal, but now we know what the English felt.
I'm sure they don't want to talk about it but they will have to a some point. The Emperor has no clothes.
why implore fifa? they are the ones who dont ant technology. why would this be the case? couldnt be that with replays it takes referees inference out of the equation and leaves only fact. makes fixing matches a little bit more difficult.
I feel very sorry for all the Irish players out there tonight. Most of them were brilliant. However, I'm ********ing loving what happened to the one Scotsman on the pitch tonight. McGeady was garbage when he came on. His pain feeds my soul.
I'm very sorry for what happened today. I much rather have failed to qualify. The best team did not win today. It's very hard for me to root for my team now. You guys did great.
I noticed that as well. They also won't let you leave critical posts after the article on the FIFA website, censorship at its worst.
The uefa article seems to be a simple recap, and so won't judge it too much. I'm amazed particularly at the fifa article since that's a proper article covering everything subjective. They even talk about the penalty incident and how it was a dive basically. yet the much more important handball is completely ignored.
Is it Trappatoni's destiny with bad luck with bad refereing decisons, remember Korea 2002??? this ranks up there if not more...the ref was banned from refereeing and I see the same happening here.
poor trapatoni. 3 of the most questionable results in international history. the korea bullshit in 2002, the possibly stich up with denmark and sweden in 2004 and now this. no consolation for him tonight, but he remains one of the greatest coaches in the history of the greatest sport in human history.