World Cup Play-Offs

[Thaumagurist*]

At least France were on our side.

Is that, like, a joke?

Do you realise, Kes, that we also have fought France at some point in our history?

[PurpleTurtle]

Le Cock Sport Thief!

[Sarah Star]

Since Henry's admitted the handball, won't this put more pressure on FIFA to replay the game? They're already accused of fixing it so that the bigger teams go through.

To my mind, they have to be seen to be fair or they'll never hear the last of it. Henry's now going to be tainted by this every time he plays.

[No Fixed Abode]

FAO Spacey - Will you be supporting the Ivory Coast now?

[Row Z Royal]

Since Henry's admitted the handball, won't this put more pressure on FIFA to replay the game? They're already accused of fixing it so that the bigger teams go through.

Nope.

[handbags_harris]

Since Henry's admitted the handball, won't this put more pressure on FIFA to replay the game? They're already accused of fixing it so that the bigger teams go through.

To my mind, they have to be seen to be fair or they'll never hear the last of it. Henry's now going to be tainted by this every time he plays.

No. The player may be banned or fined, although I'm not sure if there's a precedent for a deliberate handball incident. The game will not be replayed as it totally negates the other 120 minutes of play, and punishes the 13 other French players who also played a significant part in the game. There is also the issue of when it could be played.

[No Fixed Abode]

Since Henry's admitted the handball, won't this put more pressure on FIFA to replay the game? They're already accused of fixing it so that the bigger teams go through.

To my mind, they have to be seen to be fair or they'll never hear the last of it. Henry's now going to be tainted by this every time he plays.

Why don't we go back and replay that Watford game last season?

[Thaumagurist*]

FAO Spacey - Will you be supporting the Ivory Coast now?

I know I'll regret asking this, but why would I support them and what for?

[Stranded]

Since Henry's admitted the handball, won't this put more pressure on FIFA to replay the game? They're already accused of fixing it so that the bigger teams go through.

To my mind, they have to be seen to be fair or they'll never hear the last of it. Henry's now going to be tainted by this every time he plays.

No. The result as it stood would have mean penalties anyway and there is no guarantee that France wouldn't have laid seige in the last 10 and got a second.

Plus when would they play it? The draw is 2 weeks Saturday so would have to be done by then and with Champions League and domestic games to be played there will be no time (and clubs wouldn't have to release players so could end up with hotch potch sides for both) - they won't have the draw as France will have a higher seeding than RoI mucking up the groups. It simply won't happen.

[No Fixed Abode]

FAO Spacey - Will you be supporting the Ivory Coast now?

I know I'll regret asking this, but why would I support them and what for?

same flag dude!

[handbags_harris]

Henry, I felt, was a beacon of fair play during his time in the Premier League.

Even after his comedy dive against Spain in WC2006 that lead to a goal?

Exactly, what a crock of shit when people claim Henry's always been a fair player, when he's really a dirty cheating oxf*rd.

I'm racking my brains and I can't think of what happened with that incident and anyway, one incident in, what, 8 years in English football? The man was so good he didn't need to cheat.

[Sun Tzu]

Since Henry's admitted the handball, won't this put more pressure on FIFA to replay the game? They're already accused of fixing it so that the bigger teams go through.

To my mind, they have to be seen to be fair or they'll never hear the last of it. Henry's now going to be tainted by this every time he plays.

Rubbish.

Replaying the game wouldn't be 'fair' it would be bowing to the emotional blackmail from the Irish.

Are you suggesting that every single game is replayed until they get through 90 minutes without a controversial decision ?

Henry will be no more 'tainted' than Gerrard, Beckham, Keane or any of the other hundreds of footballers who have broken the rules.

[Sun Tzu]

No. The player may be banned or fined, although I'm not sure if there's a precedent for a deliberate handball incident. The game will not be replayed as it totally negates the other 120 minutes of play, and punishes the 13 other French players who also played a significant part in the game. There is also the issue of when it could be played.

It was a yellow card offence so hard to see how he can be fined or banned.

And if he was then Robbie Keane would be too given he was penalised 3 times for handball in the game ....

[Sarah Star]

Henry will be no more 'tainted' than Gerrard, Beckham, Keane or any of the other hundreds of footballers who have broken the rules.

What have they done that they've gotten away with in a game of this magnitude though?

[handbags_harris]

No. The player may be banned or fined, although I'm not sure if there's a precedent for a deliberate handball incident. The game will not be replayed as it totally negates the other 120 minutes of play, and punishes the 13 other French players who also played a significant part in the game. There is also the issue of when it could be played.

It was a yellow card offence so hard to see how he can be fined or banned.

And if he was then Robbie Keane would be too given he was penalised 3 times for handball in the game ....

Hence my italicised may. FIFA may try to impose something on Henry as a result of his cheating. Eduardo?

[Tony Le Mesmer]

The worst decision of the night didnt even take place in the France game!

No mention of the Russian player sent off for trying to score whilst be pushed in the face by a Slovenian. A cracking game as well, beats watching 2 uber defensive managers sending out 2 poor teams.

[handbags_harris]

Henry will be no more 'tainted' than Gerrard, Beckham, Keane or any of the other hundreds of footballers who have broken the rules.

What have they done that they've gotten away with in a game of this magnitude though?

In Keane's case, not so much the magnitude of the game, more the magnitude of the incident (Alfe Inge Haaland springs to mind). Beckham's sending off against Argentina. Gerrard being, well, Gerrard.

[Sun Tzu]

Henry will be no more 'tainted' than Gerrard, Beckham, Keane or any of the other hundreds of footballers who have broken the rules.

What have they done that they've gotten away with in a game of this magnitude though?

The laws of the game don't take the 'magnitude' of a game into account. Offences are the same at all levels. In fact punishments are often stronger in lesser games- get sent off for violent conduct in parks football and you can be banned for months, do it in a World Cup final and you get 3 games.

[Sun Tzu]

No. The player may be banned or fined, although I'm not sure if there's a precedent for a deliberate handball incident. The game will not be replayed as it totally negates the other 120 minutes of play, and punishes the 13 other French players who also played a significant part in the game. There is also the issue of when it could be played.

It was a yellow card offence so hard to see how he can be fined or banned.

And if he was then Robbie Keane would be too given he was penalised 3 times for handball in the game ....

Hence my italicised may. FIFA may try to impose something on Henry as a result of his cheating. Eduardo?

They'd be getting themselves into difficulties if they did I suspect.

Eduardo wasn't punished for anything was he ?

[Sarah Star]

Henry will be no more 'tainted' than Gerrard, Beckham, Keane or any of the other hundreds of footballers who have broken the rules.

What have they done that they've gotten away with in a game of this magnitude though?

In Keane's case, not so much the magnitude of the game, more the magnitude of the incident (Alfe Inge Haaland springs to mind). Beckham's sending off against Argentina. Gerrard being, well, Gerrard.

They all ended up paying for it then, didn't they? Henry hasn't. That was my thinking anyway.