Another ridiculous Ref decision...

[AndrewG]

I've just seen this story, and I'm shocked - a footballer CHEATING?!! You'll be telling me next that the managers tell the players to roll around on the floor PRETENDING to be injured, even when there is no contact with the tackler !! Or that kicking a ball around isn't worth millions of pounds a year and an effective 'untouchable' status from the rules of society that you or I have to play by...

Colour me disillusioned...

 

[StuartD]

Can't seem to find a photo of McGeady's wee greetin' face, but I'll keep looking.

Superb!!!!!!

 

[Fyldewhite]

The media are loving this aren't they ? Phone ins, headlines, interviewing anyone with a connection to France or Ireland.

All the comments are based on the very slow motion replays and even so I can't believe many of the comments I'm hearing are based on the same footage.

What happened was this. The ball skipped up off the turf at speed. It hit Henry's lower arm just above the wrist. His hand then made contact with the ball too in a classic "double hit" a small fraction of a second later. The officials didn't see this and the goal was allowed.

There was therefore no "handball" at all. Football is as popular as it is because it is simple to play and the rules are simple to understand. The rules are all based around the referee's opinion and frankly nothing else matters. Henry is not a cheat, he didn't do that deliberately he simply took advantage of his good fortune just like any team does every time they are awarded a dodgy penalty. In such cases we can argue till the cows come home but if the ref thinks it's a penalty then it's a penalty. I never thought I'd ever agree with Roy Keane but his comments today as well as being a dig at the FAI are absolutely 100% correct.

 

[StuartD]

Keane commented on the Ireland penalty against Georgia. Had a look at it on Youtube and have no idea at all what it was given for.

Ireland were 1-0 down at the time. Why did the FAI not offer to replay this game? Robbie Keane also controls the ball with his hand a la Henry. Cheat!!!!

 

[doublebogey7]

Just because they all cheat doesn't mean they are not cheats. Henry knew it was handball but didn't own up to it, if a simlar thing happedned in golf they would be called a cheat and almost certainly drummed out of the game. But football is a much different game, all players/managers do it so we have become reliant on the referee to make the decision without the help of players. So referee's are much maligned because occasionally they get it wrong and everyone can then blame them for all the problems in the game. And they call this the beautiful game. Don't get me wrong I love, it is such a simple easy game to understand yet full of passion, but it is being spoilt by overprotected players, managers and club officials

 

[Tommo21]

I thought Henry controlled it very well. It looked like ball to hand to me.

Is this a Northern Irish point of view or are you just at the wind up CC? I agree the first handball was ball to hand but the second HB was intentional.

Away you go, the first one was intentional as well, you can see him bring his hand out to meet the ball, then control it because he didnt do it right first time. He knew he cheated, he was holding his head in shame.

 

[viscount17]

apparently this is just as big a story in France, if not more so.
henry, in certain circles - primarily political, has become a real blot on the landscape, enfant terrible par excellence.
the glorious republic is tarnished etc etc

 

[DMC]

Can't seem to find a photo of McGeady's wee greetin' face, but I'll keep looking.

Superb!!!!!!

You would think there would be plenty of pics him greetin,its pretty much all he does.

 

[Pants]

And they call this the beautiful game.

I've never understood that saying.

To me, it's anything other than beautiful and, at the higher levels, definitely not a game.

Technical ability 5/10

Artistic impression 9/10, based on a starter of 1 x number of times they roll over in agony.

I wouldn't be averse to seeing rugby (union or league) style refereeing brought in, sin bins, video replays, citing, meaningful bans including life bans, etc. We might then get rid of all these cheating bar stewards of players, managers, coaching staff etc.

I might then start watching football again, not the rubbish that is currently broadcast ad nausium.

Rant over.

 

[Robobum]

And they call this the beautiful game.

I've never understood that saying.

To me, it's anything other than beautiful and, at the higher levels, definitely not a game.

Technical ability 5/10

Artistic impression 9/10, based on a starter of 1 x number of times they roll over in agony.

I wouldn't be averse to seeing rugby (union or league) style refereeing brought in, sin bins, video replays, citing, meaningful bans including life bans, etc. We might then get rid of all these cheating bar stewards of players, managers, coaching staff etc.

I might then start watching football again, not the rubbish that is currently broadcast ad nausium.

Rant over.

Well done Pants, only a matter of time before someone compared it to that bastion of fairplay and sportsmanship that is Rugby..................

Now, where is my blood capsule?? Okay so it was a little bit of cheating but at least they confessed to it when questioned..............ah, maybe not

Although the parties will be good down @ Bath, good game of Rugger then a couple of grams of charlie up your hooter.

 

[kid2]

Hey folks,
Seeing as im 100% irish ill try to give a fairly unbiased review of my thoughts.....

Fifa will never give into a replay especially as there top man is french ( Platini )

Why did Henry go and celebrate after the goal was scored knowing that he had handled the ball twice to set up gallas?

Why has he now publicly apologised for what he has done when he celebrated the way he did?


Why wasnt the off side flag raised as the free kick was taken before the goal was scored....?

Why did gallas as he ran back to his own half of the pitch keep lookin up at the big screen in the stadium after he scored the goal only to seee that there was no action replay of the goal and the seconds leading up to it.?


Why was that donkey MacShane not goalside of Henry before he squared the ball to gallas?

Why was a ball that travelled the best 50 yrds allowed to bounce in the Irish 6 yrd box without MacShane attacking it or Shay Given attacking it?


And last but not least if Keane Duff and Doyle had takin there earlier chances professionally we would have put france to bed in 90 minutes.


All could've should've would've's.

France are a bad team and i dont think they'll pose much of a threat to anyone!

 

[vig]

Get the gallows up


FFS can anyone on here name me ONE player, currently playing the game that would have gone to the ref and said "don't give the goal ref, i hand balled it, oh and by the way, \i should be booked as well"

NONE!!!!!!
Even with an extra official, I'm not sure it would have been picked up given the errors that have occurred in europe with the extra official.

Maybe now we can put the hand of god away, it has been superceded by the hand of frog!!!

Henry is NOT a cheat

 

[Dodger]

Errrr sorry but he is a cheat...he was caught in the act of handling the ball!

I take it you think that what Maradona did was fine? (mind you I do)

The sad thing is though every player that plays the sport is a cheat.

 

[Pants]

Now, where is my blood capsule?? Okay so it was a little bit of cheating but at least they confessed to it when questioned..............ah, maybe not

Point taken Robo, but my main point was the quality of the refereeing in that they make the decision, and any dissent is instantly penalised. They have respect from the players. There may be some occasional sniping at a ref's performance after the game, but nothing like the public slagging off after virtually every match (or so it seems) from the manager of the defeated football team.

I've yet to see a rugby player fall over at the slightest touch and roll over half a dozen times (in agony ). If a player goes down injured, play usually continues around him unless it is immediatly apparent that the injury might be serious.

Just my view

 

[vig]

Errrr sorry but he is a cheat...he was caught in the act of handling the ball!

I take it you think that what Maradona did was fine? (mind you I do)

The sad thing is though every player that plays the sport is a cheat.

Dodger, it wasn't a premeditated act. I'm not sure every players reaction would be as quick but given the chance, I reckon ALL would do the same to get their country through to a WC finals.
No I don't think what Maradona did was fine. I hate him with a vengeance but life goes on. They won't replay the game. If they did, where would it stop.

BTW i'm NOT an Arsenal fan but can't remember him doing the dying swan too often. Of all the imports to play in this country, he is one of the most sporting.

 

[kid2]

Maybe now we can put the hand of god away, it has been superceded by the hand of frog!!!

Henry is NOT a cheat [/quote



Answer me this then Vig....
1.If he's not a cheat what would you call a player that keeps a ball in play with the 2ND touch of his hand to give him an advantage of being able to square the ball for the goal?

2.What would you call him for running and celebrating after this episode?

3.what would you call him for sitting alongside Richard Dunne at the end of the game consoling him after what he'd blatently done.

4.And why did said player publicly apologise for what he'd done the following day if it was " something a cheat would not have done"


Im baffled ....... Bit of a ridiculous statement to make i think!

 

[Dodger]

Vig,I havn't got an issue with what he did really only that the ref missed it,it is his and his 2 pals job to spot it and they missed.As I said he cheated,may not have thought about doing it before the chance to do it came but he still cheated.As previously said tho I aint surprised or blame him for doing it as every other player tries to get away with everything they can in the game.I did the same when I played,quick shove of the defender at a corner to lose him,a pull of the shirt here and there....aint any difference in my opinion but it is still cheating by the letter of the law.

 

[vig]

Ok, if we are going strictly by the laws of the game it was.

IMO it was no worse the shirt pulling, diving, feigning injury, waving imaginary cards etc... etc...

Lets get back to some contact in the game and push the pussies out!

 

[kid2]

I agree with you fully.
I play football myself . Im still playing at 34 and have done since i was 8 yrs old..
I play at centre back and i cant abide by that nonsense... Diving in my opinion to be stamped out should get a red card. Treat it the same as a professional foul.Players will think twice about it if there's a chance they can be sent off for it..
Bring back the vinnie jones's alan hansens steve bruce's roy keane's hell id even stoop as low as john fashanu those type of physical players that brought edge to the game are not mimicked with any team of today.....

And in my opinion i think Referees are only compounding the problem.

 

[Parmo]

Ireland = the new sheffield Utd of football in terms of moaning.