Le Hand of God

[rob]

The outrage of this world cup qualification: a proud and competent Irish team eliminated by an offside+hand goal.

Debatable?

[Nicktalopia]

Nope.

[samlbronkowitz]

a total heartbreaker for the Irish who totally deserved it. The only pleasure I take from France going thru is that they will win ZERO games in the world cup and Domenech will be out.

CHEATERS!!!!

[[IN]Head-Kay]

I really never expected this from Henry the tenth, shameful indeed. Ireland played world class football, the type that gets you to WC finals any day, and I would say even further. France seemed lackluster all the match. What a hollow win after what couldve been a historic day for the boys in green!

[TranceFusion]

For the first time i'm calling that french team FROG EATERS... they don't fuckin deserve it and just like Kay said i'm also SHOCKED and ASHAMED that the King of Arsenal did that... i really hope that France will end up with less than 3 points in the group phase !!

[Genesis]

Another disgraceful day for football...... nothing new, nothing shocking.

[tarantula]

I would've loved to see those French gays out damn it. And Henry did not just handed the ball one but two fucking time, what a shame.

[A-Cube]

As a France fan, it's definitely far from being one of my proudest moments. The team played like headless chicken, Domenech was outplayed by Trapattoni, and everyone in the field was standing still waiting for the ball to bounce into their legs. In the end, it went down to a dirty play by one of the greatest strikers to ever grace a football pitch. Let me just ask you something, if you put any player in Henry's position and in the same conditions, wouldn't they do the exact same thing?? Of course they will, because when so much is at stake, you do just about anything to get your team through. Am I defending this blatant act of cheating? No, absolutely not. I just hate to see Henry becoming the scapegoat. We witness acts of cheating on a daily basis in football, whether it is diving, hand-balling or faking injuries. Henry did it at the most flagrant time. At a time where a spot in the world cup was at stake. So don't blame the guy, blame the human nature that gets you to do whatever possible thing you think would look reasonable at the time. Blame a great Irish team, that can embarrass any top-10 team on its day, because they failed to capitalize on their heavy domination throughout the 120 minutes. Blame the refereeing and the neanderthal laws that prevent the insertion of extra referees on the pitch or the use of technology to prevent similar accidents from happening. The story here is much bigger than Henry's hand. France just squeezes through to the world cup. At the end of the day, it's them that will head to Pretoria in a few months time, and there's nothing that me, you or anyone can do about it. Dark day for football indeed. And to everyone that has already buried the French team, I can only say that I'm not too optimistic myself with the current coaching staff. But it's usually when France is written off that it pulls off its greatest performances. June 11th is just around the corner, let's wait and see.

[rob]

Wise words Cubey, This is exactly why I avoided pointing fingers at France or Henry in particular, so many players wouldn't have missed jumping on the occasion. I think it is about frkn time they introduce video-refereeing.

« vive la vidéo dans le football!» Domenech,10 Jul 2006

[TranceFusion]

Video won't be introduced if old people like Blatter and Platini rule the football world. Those are people from the old generation who don't want to evolve. Blatter keeps talking about fair-play... what a hypocrite grandpa.

I don't think that the Irish team should be blamed. In the penalty shootouts they could have a 50-50 chance of getting qualified, France too. The French could have a chance of winning FAIRLY. And anyway, so what if Henry admitted that he did it? Once the game is over you're free to do whatever you want because you know that nothing will change. Here it's also about human nature.

I have a lot of respect for Arsene Wenger, in a League Cup game he decided to replay the game because Arsenal won unfairly. No one else has the guts to do that. But if Arsene did it, then others can also do it. I'd replay this game. France, i wish you the worst in South Africa because 1- You qualified after average qualifiers and terrible playoffs, and 2- You didn't have the guts to fire Domenech after Euro 2008.

[Fawzi]

"Ce qui me gene, c'est que Henry s'assoit près d'un joueur irlandais lors de la conférence de presse d'après-match et essaie de le consoler. Cela en dit long sur l'état d'esprit du joueur français. Si j'étais Irlandais, Thierry Henry ne reste pas trois secondes à mes côtés"

Eric Cantona

[Night Stalker]

If they introduce the video reff, then you and million others wouldn't have something to cry about, now would you?

now man up... Henry did the footballing world a favour.. who the fuck would wanna see Ireland play in the world cup anyways? and especially instead of France!!