Footballish.net is still under construction-therefore I have posted this Football related article here. Enjoy!

There has been a very negative-perhaps too negative, if you will, of a reaction to Ireland’s defeat to the French at the Stade de France in yesterdays World Cup Qualifying playoff. A lot of ignorant, irrational, and unneccesary negative comment about Thierry Henry’s handball and the referee’s treatment of a strong willed and relentless Irish side have angered me to the point….well to the point where I have to say, “Shit I better write some long ass article about this.”

That’s really not how it happens.

Nevertheless, Ireland did play fantastic, their coach led them in the direction of defensive football with strong left flanked counterattacks as well as a firm defensive midfield which held their own all game. This was the right tactic-but it was not enough as Henry’s 103 minute handball gave way for a William Gallas header to take the lead (agg.). Some are saying Thierry Henry is no longer a credible goalscorer or that he is a cheat. Others want video review to be brought to the game, or for the game to be replayed-and I can assure you that these ideas are ridiculous. they would be as unjust as the game itself-because football is a game played by humans, with human referees, and therefore an accepted level of human error.

Yet still people call for these drastic measures? I think fans are reacting out of line.

First of all- what the hell do you expect Thierry Henry to do? If you’re playing your heart out, trying to qualify for the most important competition in the world, and you are in the heat and pressure of that great moment, imagine the mixed emotions-

Then you commit a foul-it doesn’t get called-a goal is scored, what the hell do you want him to do? Do you want Henry to volunteer to be penalized? What can he do go and tell the ref he is wrong? This has nothing to do with Henry-he is just a player, and like all other players, he is NOT going to penalize himself NOR will he side against his team. Kevin Doyle said he would have acted the same way in a post match interview, “It is just instinctive on his behalf, but it is that obvious that I’m sure he expected the free-kick straight away,” the Wolverhampton Wanderers forward stated. He added, “I don’t blame him as much as… how it’s not seen, to be honest.” I think criticizing Henry is displaced anger.

Henry said it best himsefl when emerging from the locker room. “With cries of “cheat” ringing in his ears from furious Irish fans, the Barcelona and former Arsenal forward emerged from the dressing room to say: “I will be honest, it was a handball. But I’m not the ref. I played it, the ref allowed it. That’s a question you should ask him.”

Secondly, all of this anger towards France is just downright uncalled for. Throw my personal opinions out the window for a second. I’ll admit it- Ireland played great. Trappatoni did have the right tactics, and had the referee not made a mistake the game surely would have went to penalties. Ireland showed what true passion and heart can bring when facing such insurmountable odds. But this mistake can happen in any game, any time, any where-France did not ask for it to happen, and they did not cause the referee to make a mistake.

When Pique had a handball against Chelsea in the CL semi final, the ref missed it, and nothing happened. All the Chelsea fans called this person and that person a cheat, UEFA is plotting against Chelsea, they claimed Barcelona are cheats-NO. Referee mistakes and missed handballs happen all the time-have we forgotten that it COULD happen to Liverpool or Sevilla or Lyon or whoever your team may be like. (I think we all remember Stevie G picking up a few penalties that were not deserved, especially versus Atletico in the Group stages of CL last year)

Marcello Lippi, the manager of the Italian National squad, has steped up and stated that he believes ireland were cheated. he added that he hopes the “French fail.”

Of course Lippi is going to wish for French failure-since when is Marcello Lippi respectable? That man won’t even allow one of the most talented Italians play on his team because of a pesky grudge he holds with Antonio Cassano. We’re supposed to listen to Lippi on matters of objectivity and fairness when he can’t even get past personal problems with his own team?

I know I’m rambling but I have to mention something about the unsung heroes of this game. This controversy has entertained the masses-who love to express superficial benevolence for a cheated underdog-but because of it we have failed to recognize some fine displays of talent. How about Hugo Lloris? Only 22 years old and coming in only recently to make up for Steve Mandanda’s poor performances-and Lloris makes a stunning save to keep his team in the game halfway through the second half. How about Dunne? He held his own for the entire match, keeping French attacking midfielders at bay and keeping Anelka and Henry out of comfortable shooting range? How about Doyle? who worked the flank tiring out the defense, creating many offensive opportunities and leaving McGeady an easy job of taking over when Bakary Sagna was practically out of breath. It makes me sick that so many people can ignore the talent and only focus on the end result.

Ireland come out of the game with two victories: the French fans now have no pride and no reason to cheer, and they have performed so well that UEFA is now forced to examine a possible video review tactic.

(Although I completely disagree with that decision. Do we really want to have more referee intervention? It will only complicate matters further.)

I know they deserved to go through, France were not the better team today-but no team deserves the treatment or slander they are receiving. Henry will still remain an idol, as well as Maradona-because neither of them cheated, they just played their hearts out; perhaps FIFA is the true culprit. I would believe that Sepp Blatter imposed on the calls made on this game judging from his history of business oriented decisions. Robbie Keane seems to be on the right track. From Goal.com, “Ireland captain Robbie Keane reacted furiously in the aftermath of the match, claiming to Eurosport that FIFA didn’t want Ireland to qualify for the World Cup.”