Now we can sit and debate about cheats, refereeing decisions, replays and the injustice of the Thierry Henry goal all day long. Yes, there was no question about a handball, but 5 minutes previous, France should have had a penalty. So I looked at the game and thought justice had been done.
Ireland were unlucky, no doubt about that. They also played magnificently and showed Scotland how to fight and play good football. However they got beaten, simple as that. They are out of the world cup and no matter how much moaning and gurning the Irish FA does, the result will stand.
Yet what’s intrigued me in all this has been the Scottish media reaction. Between 8 and 10 pages devoted to this game, involving two nations from distant shores, in most of our newspapers. Indeed, some of the so-called Scots have been in meltdown and calling for the rules to be changed after the game. If I didn’t know better, I would swear these journalists were taking this result too seriously for Scots.
Did these same people call for rule changes when Henry pushed the ball over the line with his hand for Barcelona against Rangers in a Champions league game in the Catalan city? Why no implosion from the Scottish media for the exact same crime?
Rule changes, stopping the game for replays and replaying the match have all been put forward by the disgruntled Irish and their friends in the Scottish media. However I have another idea, although one which may not go down too well with our Gaelic friends and the media.
When you have 6 or 7 good chances to score a goal, put the ball in the net and put the result beyond any doubt. Stop moaning like the Irish have been doing and Celtic did after the Eduardo penalty incident and win the game by your own means.
Accept that sometimes you get the breaks and other times, lady luck is not on your side. The serial moaning after every defeat and the playing of the picked on card, is now becoming very tiresome to most football fans.
The entire basis of the Irish-French morality tale is false. The idea that Henry’s hand alone cost Ireland its rightful place in the World Cup is pure fantasy. For all the talk of what was ‘done’ to Ireland in Paris, the ;chains’ in which it was bonded by the wicked French, in truth the decisive factor on Wednesday night is that Ireland lost rather than France won.
Yes Ireland had a pretty good first half and Robbie Keane’s goal in the 33rd minute was a paragon of footballing precision and simplicity. But it was downhill from there. The blonde bombshell (Lawrence) had already missed an open goal in the first half, and in the second half both Keane and Damien Duff duffed Ireland’s chances of scoring again.
Breaking News...those paragons of virtue, Sinn Fein have called for fair play. As someone once said, You couldn't make it up! http://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/17780
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5 comments:
Its hard to believe the Media in Scotland have spent so much time and energy girning about the Irish Republican team getting put out of the world cup. The Ulster people are delighted that this pariah Statelet are not going to South Africa and given their history they have some neck on them to complain about anybody cheating.
The usual suspects I'm afraid Bluesnout. When Celtic are beaten, it's someone else's fault, never there's. When Ireland are beaten, it appears to be the same. Henry did handle the ball, but Ireland had the dodgiest penalty ever against Georgia.
Evens itself up as they say.
Well UV its the usual Irish reaction and they can't take getting beaten with any dignity. It is interesting to watch all the Irish Republican sympathisers within the Media go beserk and try to intimidate people into giving them a replay. It is interesting that FAI didn't ask for a replay against Georgia after the Irish Republican team were awarded a dodgy penalty and as someone rightly suggested the Irish and their supporters and the Media should get over it!
Roy Keane talks sense!
"They didn't take them, but it's the usual FAI (Football Association of Ireland) reaction - 'we've been robbed, the honesty of the game...' It's rubbish."
And Keane pointed out that controversial decisions went Ireland's way in the qualifying campaign, not least a harsh penalty award against Georgia which helped them to clinch a 2-1 qualifying win in February.
"There was one match against Georgia where Ireland got a penalty and it was one of the worst decisions I've ever seen which changed the whole course of the game.
"I don't remember the FAI after the game saying we should give them a replay."
To the author of the article: well done on remembering the Barca Rangers game. Football fans have long memories. Fans are rivals but the one common denominator in all fans and clubs is that decisions go against and for them - just don't bleat about 'integrity' (which is what one FAI offical did).
The Irish supporters are now calling for a boycott of all things connected with France and they held a protest outside the French embassy in Dublin today. The French people will be treated the same as the Irish Protestants who suffered as a result of their boycotts. It is little wonder that there are no Protestants playing for this sectarian country and this sectarian team as they are one nasty and bigoted lot.
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