Ryan Smit

Thierry Henry handled the ball, and that is breaking the rules, so it is cheating.

Cheating is breaking the rules. But then we should call all players that break the rules cheats. Fouls, dives, foul-throws – all breaking the rules, all cheating – CHEATS!!!

But that is the issue. This is selective outrage. What about Anelka who handled the ball in the box and got caught by the ref. CHEAT!! no, there is no outrage here.

Calling someone a Cheat is like calling a girl a ****. You can say, “You have slept with a bunch of guys in your life” – ****!!!!

But it’s not right to do so, it’s just bitterness, bitterness when a team doesn’t go to the world cup, and bitterness when that **** won’t sleep with you.

I’m sick of selective outrage, and the number it is happening to current and ex Arsenal players.

I’m from South Africa, and I thank god for using Thierry’s hand to bring France to the World Cup and sparing me form having to watch Robbie Keane, Doyle, and the rest of those **** players.

Rufane

It’s soccer broe, thats the name of the game. Every soccer player know you play till you hear the wistle. In this case no wistle were blown

Dave

Whatever maan, what should he have done – stop the match & if so how? Did the ref ask him if handled the ball, if so did he lie then. Well if that I will understand your extremely weak and pointless observations. He is not a REF…finish & klaar

Roy

Yes, Henry handled the ball however…these things happen weekley in Club and International football and are let go by the ref’s…Maybe its karma for france not winning the last world cup because of the Zidane issue. Im an Irish fan but the ref let it go….us Irish should as well…running our traps isn’t going to change the result.

James

Ryan Smit,

What you talking about you twat? Ireland deserve to be in the world cup and it’s a bitter twist of faith that they’ve been robbed of justice.

“And the rest of thos ***” – yeah sure!

Eamon

@Ryan

You seem to lost persepective somewhere in your life. On paper France are a better team. Man Versus Man there is not one Irish Player that would make the French team. That said, last night Ireland out played France start to finish, and missed out on their chance to go to South Africa because of a blatant handball by henry. Also, South Africa will lose out here also. Check the statistics of Irish fans. With a population of less that 10% of France, they still would have sent twice as many fans to the world cup.

Chris

Surely this game has to be replayed, there is too much at stake for it just to be brushed off.

FAX number for FIFA! +41-43-222 7878 …fifa.com.Available from “Republic of Ireland Football site on here!

But I would like to point out that anyone that can read French will see that respect to the French people for their reaction of disgust to Henry’s actions, so for the people that France I hope that they go on to do well in the World Cup! I had a look at this link below that has some good football related Facebook Statuses for the World Cup in its Facebook Status Generator:

http://www.theisbook.com/status-generator/

Fair Play must shine through and FIFA have got a big message to send out now by banning Henry from the World Cup

Dexter Kunyavapa

I am happy the French are coming to the world cup, however they won won’t change that fact.

We are all celebrating and for that reason we should applaud Blatter for doing his job, even though its cheating.

Ahm Here

Ryan Smit you are obviously being selective and bias. You hypocritical ill-mannered. I hope you do not have tickets for the world cup… that would be a waste. Ireland deserve to go to the world cup and you saying otherwise is just embarrassing. And yes all those examples you gave are cheating, but it is getting away with cheating at the expense of the other team that is so wrong. There are different degrees of cheating and not all cheaters can be classified together, just as all criminals cant be given the same punishment as thier crimes vary. Thierry Henry has no honour, just like the the modern game of football and EVIDENTLY you mistah smit.

ArseNole

I wrote an article defending Henry today. I don’t think he deserves the response he has gotten from around the world.

http://arsenole.blogspot.com/2.....etter.html

Digger

I think you are being selective about the sportsmanship shown in Cricket and Rugby. I do remember the Strauss refusing Graeme Smith a runner when he was cramping and more importantly not every batsman walks when they know they have nicked the ball. That’s why Adam Gilchrist is so well respected because he is one of the few that have always been honest.

I think soccer in general needs an overhaul in terms of how people who dive, harass the referee and all sorts of other things. I think the biggest culprit in all of this is FIFA’s refusal to allow the use of technology in soccer. How many times should things like this happen before technology appeals are accepted.

cynical

replay the france-ireland game. france do not want this dishonourable reputation.

if france offer to re-play the game, they will regain honour. they will never get it back if they come to south africa.

the reputation of cheating will remain long after we are all gone.

it is better to let ireland go to the world cup than to have an almost-permanent reputation as cheats.

Toby

Henry is a Cheat!

If he was a professional golfer he would get a lifetime ban for cheating.

I for one would boo him if I ever see the cheating B**t*rd play again

Beau

Reporter: Mr. Henry, how do you think that the backlash about this Ireland game will effect you.

Thierry: As you now know and have seen, I can HANDLE anything that comes my way.

Chris

Surely this game has to be replayed, there is too much at stake for it just to be brushed off. We must bombard FIFA!

FAX number for FIFA! +41-43-222 7878

We all know that if it happened up the other end that Platini would already have the rules changed and a replay organised!
But I would like to point out that anyone that can read French will see that respect to the French people for their reaction of disgust to Henry’s actions, so for the people that France I hope that they go on to do well in the World Cup! I had a look at this link below that has some good football related Facebook Statuses for the World Cup in its Facebook Status Generator:

http://www.theisbook.com/status-generator/

Fair Play must shine through and FIFA have got a big message to send out now by banning Henry from the World Cup!

Mondello

Soccer is a sport and I was always brought up to be “sporting”. Adults cheat and lie all the time but FIFA have have now let our kids know its OK to cheat at soccer without repercussions..well done FIFA

Christoff

What a shamefull day for football this was. And destiny has it that Thierry Henry will now allways be remembered in history for the wrong things. Mr Shamefull Gillette. This surely must now be the turning point in history for football and to recocnise the need for them to make use of the technology of TV, as tennis, rugby, and cricket do. I am not a football fanatic, but football’s norms and standards should surely now get the uthmost attention to help get rid of blaming the ref and assist him like in this instance where if he was at an impossble angle to see the absolutely blatant and unquestionable shamefull deliberate act from Henry. Now Henry and the football rules pass the buck on to and blame the ref. What a shame on the rules of football. This is grosely an injustice done that once more let football reign the front pages of the papers in the world for the wrong reason. Let us hope that Foofball and world management will now grab the opportunity, now long overdue, to at long last make use of technology.

Mark

Looking at the footage, If he did not use his hand on the ball, the ball would have went out of play making it a gaol kick. NO GOAL. Right now that we know the facts that leaves the end result a draw. 1 of 3 things should happen. Either a reply of the whole 90 mins again which would mean more ticket sales or play the extra time out OR Fight it out with pens which i think would be a much better idea as that is what would have happened had the ref gone to specsavers 1st.

Digger

Oh please people, how many penalties are given for players diving. I think its natural in sport to push the line, rugby players will handle the ball while on the ground if they think the ref will not see them.

Players will stand offside … players will pull jerseys and so on. I don’t condone it but this has been in the making for a while, especially with FIFA’s refusal to use technology. Henry did what all players are doing, cheat and hope you do not get caught.

Bongo

Viva Le Bleu