isthisbiblical

I really love international football.  Club footie is great but there is something so passionate, so gladiatorial about International games, particularly when the World Cup comes around.  Last night’s epic in Paris was as good as anything I’d seen this season, and was great credit to Ireland, who played magnificently.

I was most surprised, and impressed by Richard Dunne and Shaun St. Ledger.  The Irish centre back pairing dealt with everything.  Dunne was immense, St. Ledger surprisingly good and well able to deal with the talented Anelka and Henry, as well as the frankly awful Gorkuff and Gignac.  The Irish were set up well, Trappatoni is just brilliant, and they played well enough to win the game in 90 mins. Duff especially really should have scored when clean through.  Doyle, ex of Reading, ran his heart out.
But then came the hand of Thierry.  Oh dear.  It was obvious.  Pity as the referee up till then had been really good.  But the handball was blatant and terrible.  All the Irish appealed immediately.  The guilty look of Gallas after the goal was pretty telling.  As the game ended Henry went and sat with the majestic Richard Dunne who by then was distraught.  As they sat still together and exchanged a few words, I wonder whether he said sorry.  Rightly he fessed up to the camera’s - so what now ?

I have to say, I expect FIFA to do nothing about the Irish request for a replay.  They will say this is football, and I guess if they replay this, then many other replays may follow.  I’m thinking of David Platt and Ronald Koeman in 1993 in Rotterdam or the Spanish goal that wasn’t against South Korea in 2002.  This happens.

But I wonder whether the French might do something.  In 2000, Arsenal initiated a replay against Sheffied Utd, when the newly signed Kanu misunderstood the principle of giving the ball back when a team puts the ball out because of an injury.  I wonder whether, given Henry’s admission, they might feel they have to or should do …

I wonder….

The Irish FA have got something wrong though - ‘the wrong team is going to South Africa’.  Guys, even if Gallas hadn’t scored, it would have gone to penalties and then who know’s ?

Keane, Doyle and co vs Henry, Anelka at a penalty competition.

I have a feeling the result would have been the same.