So basically, since Maradona there hasn’t been a ‘handball’ incident?
Everybody is talking about it, so I thought I’d join in. It has been dubbed the Hand of god II. As if the plot of this sequel is similar to the first one.
Before we can go into further debate, I’m not denying that it wasn’t a handball. It will be very difficult to suggest otherwise. The actual handball happened in two parts, the first seemed accidental but the second most definitely wasn’t.
The problem however is the manner in which people have disregarded other equally, if not more significant events, that happened either side of that incident.
From memory I can think of Duff’s one on one that the keeper Lloris saved, Keane rounding off the keeper before his ball control let him down and then Keane’s shot after he profited from a blind French pass. All these events happened before France’s goal and had either of those opportunities been converted, France would and should have been out of the World Cup.
Immediately after Henry’s handball, for a split second, the Irish players in synchronisation put their hands up in protest. They neglected the fact that Gallas had perfectly placed himself for a cross that he should never have come to him in the first place. Usually the goalscorer makes the headline doesn’t he? Poor Gallas does everything right and ultimately his efforts will be forgotten.
I disagree with people who have dubbed this the Hand of God II. Unlike Maradona, Henry didn’t have the last touch. He also admitted that it was a mistake which is more than Maradona ever did. The guilt on Henry’s face after the match was there to be seen.
Fifa have the opportunity to replay this game based on Henry’s admission but they are tied on the so called ‘laws. Well my friend, laws are there to be broken. Why not replay this game in a neutral venue? Winner takes all ?
Cheating, handball-cheating at that has happened many a time since the infamous Maradona incident. I can give you two incidents where the world saw it happening but forgot about swiftly. Co-incidentally both men got sent off but that is neither here or there. The focus is on the coverage given
1. James McFadden (Scotland vs Norway, 9th October 2004)
McFadden handled the ball when he was defending a corner from Norway. As he walked off after picking the red card, he was actually applauded. Why?
2. Paul Scholes (Man Utd vs Zenit St Petersburg, 30th August 2009)
United were trailing to Zenit and Scholes, rather more emphatically than Henry, scored a ‘handball’ goal. His hands were so high up yet it Ferguson ridiculously claimed that it was ‘instinctive’. And you can see this video on other football sites where it is seen as a bit of a joke.
Perhaps Henry’s biggest mistake was first to be French, then to be part of a “French-ish” Arsenal team and then to play against Ireland. It is a shame as I badly wanted Ireland to qualify as I think they are the best “team” in Britain and Ireland and also just so that they could embarrass England at the World Cup who incidentally have the largest contigents of cheats but rarely get the mention.
But people have some perspective, handball/cheating has happened before and you can bet your life it will happen again. Technology and more referees will not eradicate it completely.
Before Henry’s handball in that game, there was Robbie Keane’s handball. Did the media focus on that? I doubt it, double standards indeed.
It was a blatant handball and even Henry has admitted it. Why the media are going on as if he is refusing to accept it is beyond me. Had yiddo Keane and Duff finished off their bread and butter chances(which they would have done for their clubs) we wouldn’t be talking about Henry’s handball. I just read somewhere keane talking sh*t about Platini and Blatter clapping their hands celebrating Irelands demise. What a joke! They didn’t make u miss ur chances, it’s always easy to blame someone else. Look at yourself first Keano! U cost your team a place in the world cup.
when he went past the keeper, he really should have scored. that extra touch proved decisive in the negative for him and Ireland.
To be honest I couldn’t give toss who won that game as I don’t care too much for International football, especially as I’m not French or Irish.
As for getting the game replayed I’d be surprised if that happened. Look at the stink kicked up after SFA and media pressure forced UEFA to make a precedent after the alleged Eduardo dive. They let him off due to the can of worms about to be opened. But in doing that the media have dug a deep hole for themselves. No amount of media pressure now will force FIFA to go down the same road as UEFA at the risk of embarrassing themselves.
Video technology on major decisions is the only way forward and, until then, controversy will continue.
Video technology cannot eliminate every form of bad decision making on the pitch. In cricket where it is used, there have been some shocking calls and sometimes there are inconclusive calls which makes for frustrating viewing.
OH GET OVER IT YOU PEOPLE.
oooooh i just checked the Daily mail list of handballing cheaters. What ah disgrace. There be some surprise seeing 3 Argentina players (Messi and Aguero). can’t understand how Henry can join those players as he never scored. It was Gallas. Sorry Irish fans world over. But anyway, why talk about a Barcelona player? You get me. why?
You make some good points except you completely missed the real point. You people tell us Irish to just get over it that if our players had taken their chances then we would have won, that’s true, so is the fact that if England had taken their chances against Argentina they would have won. Those chances missed were legal and part of the game, if we’d lost on a legal goal we’d be less infuriated.
To say it’s because he’s French is bull, frankly the Irish don’t have any problem with the french at all, it is the English media that are anti-French and anti Argentinian.
I’ve been an Arsenal fan all my life and my image of Henry is not tarnished, because if it was an Irish player I’d be laughing. Nobody here blames Henry you need to stop looking at the bull your media outlets are spouting. It is the english media that are calling it hand of god 2 and all that crap. We have perspective we know it’s the ref’s job to stop this and it’s fifa’s job to ensure things like this can’t happen.
Calls in Ireland are for a replay and for Fifa to take action, not punish Henry for doing something that no player can deny doing. The English media have championed a cause that isn’t theirs and turned it into another hand of god crap, it’s sensationalist crap, look at all the interviews with our players and fans and you’ll see they all say we feel “cheated” not “henry is a cheater” it’s the English have turned this into baseless news story about “Henry’s career being tarnished beyond repair”
The only Irish people that use him as a scapegoat are man utd fans, as they’ve never had dirt on him before and man utd have never had a player like henry without a single black mark on his career.
First of all Bongo, thank you for the very good comment. It is good to have some Irish perspective on this.
I think you are spot on how the English media have jumped on this Henry-France bandwagon. It was incredible to see how the most acidic criticism came on this side of the coast rather than in Ireland.
Far from me telling the Irish to specifically move on (we as Arsenal fans can’t make that assertion as there are fans who still are upset over that Rooney dive in 2004 and Henchoz’s handball in 2001).
My intention was to explore whether sensationalising that one incident was on a par with the whole game which it wasn’t. And whether it really deserved to be compared with Maradona’s goal. Dare I say it, do the English media still have resentments over Henry’s departure to Barcelona? There were negative stories surfacing about how he has been a failure of sorts over there etc.
Would like to clarify a few things:
1) If Gallas’s goal is disallowed then there is still no guarantte that Ireland go through, France could have scored in extra time or won on penalties just like Ireland.
2) Anelka should have had a penalty and Given sent off – does this not ‘even things out’
3) How is handling the ball to set up a goal any different from a defender who drags a striker down and gets away with it as he is running through to goal. Why is it that handling the ball is so frowned upon where every player tries and does bend the ball to get an advantage, sometimes getting away with it?
4) Could it be that this was a square up for that game against CSKA Moscow?
Gooner thanks for making these points,
1) Indeed, Ireland had chances in extra time and could and should have gone for that killer goal.
2) You reckon that was a pen, personally I thought it was 50-50 to be honest.
3) Cunningham, a former Irish player made the same point as well I believe.
4) I remember watching that, it was stupid to say the least.