Henry handball, 5 years to the day!

Idbatterim

just came across the below on facebook. An absolute disgrace that still p*sses me off to this day.

https://www.facebook.com/thisisiradio/photos/a.188173064577111.49310.179573255437092/801182336609511/?type=1&comment_id=801254393268972&notif_t=like

The Irish players should simply have walked off the pitch, they werent going to equalise with the few seconds left, I would only advocate that action, because of that despicable, scum bag act... That was way below the belt!

refusing to finish out that match, may have helped our cause at a replay or some remedy, it may have blown the issue up big enough, that the powers that be were forced to do something...

djPSB

Time to get over it.

Life goes on.

GLaDOS

T'was ball to hand

F1ngers

Quality player, got to hand it to him.

alchemist33

ScienceNerd wrote: »

T'was ball to hand

Then hand to ball, a couple of hops, spinning it on his finger for a bit and finally ending with a between-the-legs pass to Gallas.

bucketybuck

The hysterical wailing and gnashing of teeth was bad enough at the time, please don't tell me we are going to have to hear about it all over again?

He got away with a handball, get over it ffs. The really sad thing is that I bet for Henry it is just a minor memory of little significance, while for some Irish fans it still seems to be important.

gandalf

It's in the past at this stage. My french in laws still apologies about it to this day.

GavRedKing

I was over at.

First we heard about it was when we got txts from back home, made worse by seeing the highlights and replays on French TV that night at the hotel.

We only had ourselves to blame anyway, Mcshane should have dealt with the free kick better, and before it bounced by McShane to Henry, Dunne was caught underneath the ball, justling with a French player.

Even had it finished 0-1 to Ireland it would have went to penalties and Lloris had a very good game, nothing to suggest we would have actually k/o'd them.

CSF

GavRedKing wrote: »

We only had ourselves to blame anyway

Probably Henry and the officials too, no?

Idbatterim

He got away with a handball, get over it ffs.

A "handball" yeah several of them. Sure it only robbed us of a chance a qualifying for the 2010 world cup... Forget the effort to get that far, all the fans that attended the matches, home and particularly away...

No we should just say, we were likely cheated out of a good chance at qualifying for the world cup, sure if it was the other way around, the French would have simply said fair play lads, we were beaten cheated by the better team...

I will revise my original post, there were 17 minutes left to play...

CSF

bucketybuck wrote: »

The hysterical wailing and gnashing of teeth was bad enough at the time, please don't tell me we are going to have to hear about it all over again?

He got away with a handball, get over it ffs. The really sad thing is that I bet for Henry it is just a minor memory of little significance, while for some Irish fans it still seems to be important.

It will always be important. Our small nation with little hopes of ever achieving much in international football had hopes of an epic World Cup adventure stripped away by cheating.

eyescreamcone

No one mentions Damian Duff's miss while one on one with the keeper. A goal at that stage would've put us 2-0 up. The French would've needed 2 in normal time to put us out.

intellectual dosser

Take a look at how France got on at the World Cup, it should help you get over it. They drew with Uruguay and got beaten by Mexico and South Africa, had a ton of internal bust ups and Anelka was sent home - this is a team we couldnt dispose of easily over two legs.

Rikand

CSF wrote: »

Probably Henry and the officials too, no?

We had more than half a dozen really good chances to score in that game and couldn't take them. We should have had it in the bag well before Henry got to have a hand in the game

GavRedKing

CSF wrote: »

Probably Henry and the officials too, no?

I'm just being critical, had we dealt with Maloudas frankly poor ball in, we'd have been home and dry and not have to rely on poor officials or an even more embarassing 33rd team bo**ocks.

greendom

intellectual dosser wrote: »

Take a look at how France got on at the World Cup, it should help you get over it. They drew with Uruguay and got beaten by Mexico and South Africa, had a ton of internal bust ups and Anelka was sent home - this is a team we couldnt dispose of easily over two legs.

This is true. The result probably had a worse impact on France than it did Ireland. It took years to recover from the disaster that was South Africa. Domenech would have been out the door that bit sooner as well - no bad thing.

bucketybuck

CSF wrote: »

It will always be important. Our small nation with little hopes of ever achieving much in international football had hopes of an epic World Cup adventure stripped away by cheating.

You are right, we will never achieve fuck all unless we shed the small nation mentality that is happy to wallow in past injustices.

Billy86

It was awful but I think it is long past time to get over it - had Keane or Duff done it at the other end we would have been a bit embarrassed, but taken the goal. McShane is largely to blame for typically awful defending that allowed Henry to do what he did.

But the handball for me wasn't the real travesty of the event. Instead that was deciding to seed the playoffs at the last minute rather than before qualifying began for purely corrupt and financial reasons, and then FIFA/UEFA clearly pretending a handball never happened (can't remember but I am quite sure there were quotes from some higher ups at the time saying they felt there was no handball) and the actual FIFA match report referring to it as a 'headed pass' rather than what it was. It was an important turning point I feel from FIFA turning from being corrupt and weasel-like to just flat out coming and and good as de laying "yes we are toxic, no we don't care what you think, now if you'll excuse me I have some elections to rig and bribes to take."

And the "33rd team" comments, which were blatantly nothing other than an attempted cash grab by Delaney & co and which was possibly the single most humiliating moment in the history of Irish football.

Let's be honest too, while hardly enough to offset what happened, France making fools of themselves at the World Cup with 3 losses to average sides and the whole team revolt/fallout thing, we at least got a share of the last, bitter laugh.

GavRedKing

Billy86 wrote: »

Let's be honest too, while hardly enough to offset what happened, France making fools of themselves at the World Cup with 3 losses to average sides and the whole team revolt/fallout thing, we at least got a share of the last, bitter laugh.

I wouldnt call Uruguay or Mexico average and they drew with Uruguay who came 4th :pac:

Diabhal Beag

Duff missing the sitter that would have put us 2-0 up on the night was even more costly

Billy86

GavRedKing wrote: »

I wouldnt call Uruguay or Mexico average and they drew with Uruguay who came 4th :pac:

Forgot it was a draw! At the time they were not very highly rated though, which made it entertaining on the day. Mexico were nothing special at that world cup. Exciting to watch, but far from anything special.

Blue giant

I don't care how many people say it's time to get over it I'm still bitter about the whole thing and always will be.

kfallon

We couldn't beat Italy in the group and couldn't get past France in the play off, the first two teams eliminated from the World Cup.

We saw what happened to us in the Euros 2 years later, might have been for the best that we didn't qualify.

kfallon

kfallon wrote: »

We couldn't beat Italy in the group and couldn't get past France in the play off, the first two teams eliminated from the World Cup.

We saw what happened to us in the Euros 2 years later, might have been for the best that we didn't qualify.

That's the spirit!

Should really pull out of all future qualifications too

adox

kfallon wrote: »

We couldn't beat Italy in the group and couldn't get past France in the play off, the first two teams eliminated from the World Cup.

We saw what happened to us in the Euros 2 years later, might have been for the best that we didn't qualify.

Such an awful attitude. Can never understand it.

thebaz

5 years on , have we not moved on ?


Anyone who has played or watched football down the ages know rules have often been broken in the cause of victory. I would have loved if Ireland had qualified , but never vilified Henry for what he did , he bent the rules , and wasn't caught , such is life - luck usually balances out , and I'm sure we have had our fair share

kfallon

rarnes1 wrote: »

That's the spirit!

Should really pull out of all future qualifications too

The Euros set us back big time, we've not put in one decent performance since before the finals. That's a fact!

adox wrote: »

Such an awful attitude. Can never understand it.

What's an even worse attitude is the people who still bring up Saipan/Henry all the time, they are over, finished, it serves absolutely no purpose to keep revisiting these incidents.

Say Your Number

I thought it was Keane that had that chance to put us two up, but took the ball too far past Lloris and it went out for a kick out, I do remember Robbie nearly taking Lloris' head off with his boot when taking a shot in the first half and shaking hands with him after it.

I don't remember feeling so sickened after a sporting event, Henry acting like Richard Dunne's pal after was nearly worse than the handball itself, I can't say I'd have been as polite in the same situation.

CSF

bucketybuck wrote: »

You are right, we will never achieve fuck all unless we shed the small nation mentality that is happy to wallow in past injustices.

Eh we are a small nation, this is literally just buzzwords. We qualified for the tournament afterwards. 2010 has no bearing on us being a generally bad football team.

efb

Remember when the tramp pįssed on the Cuisine de France rolls in protest???

CSF

thebaz wrote: »

5 years on , have we not moved on ?


Anyone who has played or watched football down the ages know rules have often been broken in the cause of victory. I would have loved if Ireland had qualified , but never vilified Henry for what he did , he bent the rules , and wasn't caught , such is life - luck usually balances out , and I'm sure we have had our fair share

He should be vilified for what he did. He cheated to qualify for the World Cup.

Say Your Number

efb wrote: »

Remember when the tramp pįssed on the Cuisine de France rolls in protest???

That was an urban myth.

efb

Say Your Number wrote: »

That was an urban myth.

Irish plasterer urinated on French loaves in protest at Henry handball, court told

BY KEVIN BRADY

A drunken unemployed plasterer who was found urinating on the French loaves section of a large supermarket in protest at the infamous handball incident in the France vs Ireland World Cup qualifier, was this week given a suspended sentence, fined and bound over to keep the peace.

Frances "Smokie" Larkin, The Meadows, Killareagh, Co Roscommon pleaded guilty to the incident at Maher's ValueStore supermarket, Killareagh, one week after the match which Ireland controversially drew after the French goal was deemed to have scored despite a blatant handball by French striker Thierry Henry.

Staff found the 46-year-old urinating on the Cuisine de France section of the bread shelves in Maher's, shouting "this will teach ye, ye cheating French bastards," before he was taken away by local gardai.

Gardai Anthony Flanagan told the court that he had been called to the store at 11.15 on the morning of November 25.

"When I reached the shop, I was informed that Mr Larkin was causing a disturbance in the bread section and when I got there, he was urinating on the French bread section and stamping on a loaf. I later ascertained that the loaves were brioches, a sort of French bread.

"When he saw me, he tried to run away but I apprehended him and grabbed him by the arm. He said 'that's for Thierry Henry, guard. If you have any pride in your country, you'll let me go.

"Then he said 'that'll teach them, the cheating French bastards."

Addressing the court, Angela Roche, solicitor for the defendant said that her client had a problem with drink and that normally he was a placcid character.

"It is when he mixes alcohol with his passion for sport that he gets himself into situations like this.

She said that Mr Larkin had become quite agitated with the result of the World Cup match and had worn an "I shot Thierry Henry" t-shirt that was made up in a local t-shirt shop," she said.

In evidence, Mr Larkin apologised to Mahers store and said that he "had no axe to grind with them," but that they had been caught up in what he said was "friendly fire."

He said that he wanted to make a grand gesture to show that the Irish were not going to take the controversial incident lying down.

"The French loaf is the symbol of France and so by doing what I did, I was standing up for Irish pride," he said.

Mr Larkin had a previous conviction for setting fire to a tennis club shed in his teens, an incident from which he had earned the nickname Smokie.

In his summary, Judge Fergus O'Halloran said that what Mr Larkin had done was despicable and was also a threat to public hygiene.

"You did this without any thought to the consequences for the unfortunate shoppers who had to buy that bread.

"If it was in my power to recommend that you seek help for your alcohol addiction, I would do so and also suggest that you take some responsibility for your temper and inappropriate behaviour.

"We cannot have louts like yourself with half-baked ideas about national pride carrying out acts like this," he said, before sentencing Larkin to six months in jail, suspended on condition he doesn't breach the peace for one year, fining him �500 and ordering him to pay �1,000 to Michael Maher for the clean up of the bread shelf areas.

efb

http://youtu.be/fLUxMRYJAso

Say Your Number

I'm pretty sure I heard somewhere that it didn't actually happen, that someone just made it up, it sounds too stupid to be true.

efb

Say Your Number wrote: »

I'm pretty sure I heard somewhere that it didn't actually happen, that someone just made it up, it sounds too stupid to be true.

Well it is

Hulk Hands

Dont know why people keep saying we should get over it. Any Ireland trip or game ive been at over the past 3 years ive never heard it mentioned, or by an media etc recently whatsoever. Fairly natural that it might be brought up by someone exactly 5 years later, given what a big story it was at the time.

We might have had a better chance of defending it also was Dunne not being blocked off by an offside player. Given how Dunne was playing that night he'd likely have dealt with it. Cant understand people blaming Duff either for missing a chance. You may aswell bring up countless other mistakes during the qualification campaign if bringing up that

salmocab

In fairness if Robbie Keane had done it we would have been delighted and laughed at the French if they were complaining about it or if someone else done it to England we would be chuffed. The reality is he cheated and got away with it, its really no different to any other cheating like diving or even fouling someone deliberately. Yes he cheated but soccer has a long history of cheating which is probably getting worse.

Say Your Number

efb wrote: »

Well it is

I've never heard of the 'Valuestore' chain of shops and Killareagh seems to be fictional too, more than likely it's some bullsh1t someone made up as a joke.

Diabhal Beag

salmocab wrote: »

In fairness if Robbie Keane had done it we would have been delighted

They would've still complained that he couldn't do it against better sides

chopperbyrne

Robbie Keane handballed in the French box twice in that match.

If either of them had not been caught and led to a goal for us, I doubt anyone would have been on here saying we should off France a replay..

It happened, it was a **** buzz, but it wasn't the end of the world.

LeBash

Idbatterim wrote: »

just came across the below on facebook. An absolute disgrace that still p*sses me off to this day.

https://www.facebook.com/thisisiradio/photos/a.188173064577111.49310.179573255437092/801182336609511/?type=1&comment_id=801254393268972&notif_t=like

The Irish players should simply have walked off the pitch, they werent going to equalise with the few seconds left, I would only advocate that action, because of that despicable, scum bag act... That was way below the belt!

refusing to finish out that match, may have helped our cause at a replay or some remedy, it may have blown the issue up big enough, that the powers that be were forced to do something...

Made it worse that the whole team and management threw a strop from the moment they got to South Africa.

grenache

Why are people still going on about this?! This whole "justice for ireland, we were wronged, we demand a replay" mentality was embarrassing at the time and the fact that people still feel the need to bring it up shows that we haven't learnt or grown up any bit since.

Fair play to Henry, he saw his opportunity and got away with it. Had Robbie Keane done the same thing and scored, would we have been offering France a replay?! Would we fcuk!

Shanotheslayer

Still one of my favorite players ever. At the end of day if I was playing for my country and could do It I would. Sh1t happens. Wonder are the ghanians still moaning about Suarez handball ffs. It's instant reaction. Anybody who played knows the will to win.

roanoke

Shanotheslayer wrote: »

Wonder are the ghanians still moaning about Suarez handball ffs.

Probably.

It seems the aggrieved side in these incidents has the energy & the willingness to go on about it for years, whereas the offending side have probably more or less already forgotten about it as soon as their next game kicks off.

I guess every country probably their own version of this story to tell, even France. For instance, they arguably missed the chance to play in a World Cup final thanks to the Battiston v Schmacher incident:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3byTNRoxujo

thebaz

CSF wrote: »

He should be vilified for what he did. He cheated to qualify for the World Cup.

and no one else ever CHEATED playing football ?

move on , many if not most Irish players would have done the same in the same circumstances - it was disappointing we didn't qualify or the referee or linesman didn't spot it , but Henry is a professional footballer who will do what it takes to win, its the referees job to spot foul /illegal play.
5 years later its time to move on

CSF

thebaz wrote: »

and no one else ever CHEATED playing football ?

move on , many if not most Irish players would have done the same in the same circumstances - it was disappointing we didn't qualify or the referee or linesman didn't spot it , but Henry is a professional footballer who will do what it takes to win, its the referees job to spot foul /illegal play.
5 years later its time to move on

I never said nobody else has ever cheated playing football.

That doesn't negate any offence though. Imagine using that as a defence in any sort of proceedings, and you'll see how nonsense an argument that is.

And nobody else has ever ROBBED a bank?
And nobody else has ever CHEATED on their wife?
And nobody else has ever BEAT up the lads with the water meters?
And nobody else has ever LOCKED Joan Burton in her car?

Pointing out that other people might do the same is neither here nor there and is equally nonsensical, there are loads of things that a number of people might do, that should still be vilified.

Shanotheslayer

CSF wrote: »

I never said nobody else has ever cheated playing football.

That doesn't negate any offence though. Imagine using that as a defence in any sort of proceedings, and you'll see how nonsense an argument that is.

And nobody else has ever ROBBED a bank?
And nobody else has ever CHEATED on their wife?
And nobody else has ever BEAT up the lads with the water meters?
And nobody else has ever LOCKED Joan Burton in her car?

Pointing out that other people might do the same is neither here nor there and is equally nonsensical, there are loads of things that a number of people might do, that should still be vilified.

Completely different scenarios. It doesn't negate the offense, but if people would stop contradicting themselves that would be great... I'd be willing to bet that if your team had done it to win you wouldn't be moaning about it.

Cheating in a SPORT being compared to robbing a bank and beating up lads? Cop on the fck.

How many people still laugh at England because they go on about Diego Maradonas handball? It's pathetical

Macavity.

This was the incident that resulted in one of the most humiliating moments in Irish football - Delaney requesting we be allowed go to South Africa as the 33rd team.

thebaz

CSF wrote: »

I never said nobody else has ever cheated playing football.

That doesn't negate any offence though. Imagine using that as a defence in any sort of proceedings, and you'll see how nonsense an argument that is.

And nobody else has ever ROBBED a bank?
And nobody else has ever CHEATED on their wife?
And nobody else has ever BEAT up the lads with the water meters?
And nobody else has ever LOCKED Joan Burton in her car?

Pointing out that other people might do the same is neither here nor there and is equally nonsensical, there are loads of things that a number of people might do, that should still be vilified.

5 years later and you haven't moved on - sad really