Attention IFK and our Swedish Residents

[Row Z]

Apologies, should read IFK...

has there much said back in the Referee's homeland about his blunder last night?
or about the chances of the ref getting a World Cup gig now?

[jebus]

hopefully we start a petition to organise ourselves to send him some death threats

he had a good game, I'd put him on the plane to south africa anyway

[irishultra]

yeah very good referee. he showed real courage throughout the match. unfortuntately he couldn't see the handball. i'd give his performance 9/10.

[rambler14]

The ref had an excellent game up until extra-time. But such a huge mistake has to be punished.

[Noelys Guitar]

Swedish Newspaper report on the officials
Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet's report reading: "We guarantee they the Irish fans feel pretty bad today, but I sincerely hope there are three Swedes that feel even worse. They are Martin Hansson and his assistants. There will be no World Cup for Ireland and I assume that Team Hansson has also forfeited it's right to continue to take charge of major international matches. Anything else would be a further insult to the Irish nation."

[Metrostars]

I thought he let Lassana Diarra get away with too many fouls without giving him a yellow card.

[Maroon 7]

I thought he let Lassana Diarra get away with too many fouls without giving him a yellow card.

Yeah that was a bit ridiculous alright. He must have racked up 7 or 8 fouls over the course of the game.

[TheBoss]

I felt the ref was awful all night long, he gave too many free kicks for nothing in the game, he books McShane and Malouda for their first tackles in the game, he fails to book Anelka for diving, he fails to book Lassana Diarra who committed numerous deliberate fouls, he gives Henry cheap free kicks whenever he just fell to the ground. The French just had to fall to ground and he gave the free kick to them. I find it odd, that he starts giving Ireland a good few free kicks in the 2nd half of extra time.

[dynamo kerry]

hopefully we start a petition to organise ourselves to send him some death threats

he had a good game, I'd put him on the plane to south africa anyway
wumming

now on ignore, as much as you'll care.

[Splurge]

Diarra should have been booked for persistent fouling, how he could not book Anelka beggars belief.
I used to live in sweden and the press are critical, "Biggest blunder ever" was one headline, other saying he should never get a big game again etc.

[ifk101]

Swedish Newspaper report on the officials
Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet's report reading: "We guarantee they the Irish fans feel pretty bad today, but I sincerely hope there are three Swedes that feel even worse. They are Martin Hansson and his assistants. There will be no World Cup for Ireland and I assume that Team Hansson has also forfeited it's right to continue to take charge of major international matches. Anything else would be a further insult to the Irish nation."

Aftonbladet is the Swedish equivalent of The Sun. So I wouldn't heed too much notice to what they publish.


Apologies, should read IFK...

has there much said back in the Referee's homeland about his blunder last night?
or about the chances of the ref getting a World Cup gig now?

Yeah there is talk about last night's game here, sentiment is pretty much along the lines that you can read on this forum. I doubt he'll be getting a ticket to South Africa - he can't be given another high profile match after last night, surely?

[Ozymandias]

the ref had a good game. He missed the handball but might have been unsighted (Linesman wasn't). ref should have booked anelka for diving and Diarra for persistent fouling.

The linesman however was poor in relation to the Offside prior to the handball. He was in line to see the offside and deffo could see the handball....If the linesman had got the decision (offside ) correct we would not be talking about handballs now

[Ozymandias]

Aftonbladet is the Swedish equivalent of The Sun. So I wouldn't heed too much notice to what they publish.



Yeah there is talk about last night's game here, sentiment is pretty much along the lines that you can read on this forum. I doubt he'll be getting a ticket to South Africa - he can't be given another high profile match after last night, surely?

If the ref doesn't get chosen for south africa are FIFA in a quandry then as it would suggest that something untoward happened in the game. At the moment they are even accepting the ball was handled

[noisecontrol]

I'm giving the ref 0/10...he was excellent for most of the game but if he hadn't shown such balls to not award the home team a penalty this would all be irrelevant!!!:)

[Réiteoir]

If he misses out it won't just be because of this mistake. There was also the goal he failed to give to Brazil in the Confederations Cup and that shocking penalty decision in the Champions League when Gerrard threw himself at a defender, goes down and gets the penalty decision.

If he is not at the WC it is because he doesn't deserve to be there to be honest.

The one person who should take most of the blame is Fredrik Nilsson - the Assistant at that end of the pitch - he had a clear view of the Henry handball - should have seen it and done something about it.

[refjohn]

Did you know the man responsible for shortlisting the refs for South Africa is from Limavady, Co. Derry?

[cavan_fan]

I'm giving the ref 0/10...he was excellent for most of the game but if he hadn't shown such balls to not award the home team a penalty this would all be irrelevant!!!:)

I thought he was poor all game. The praise seems to come from the penalty decision but during the game he gave some poor choices on the smaller decisions. He seemed to struggle with players backing in where he tended to penalise the attacker backing in rather than the defender doing the holding. he also seemed oblivious to a lot of poor challenges, mostly from L Diarra but some from our players. Finally once he gave one yellow he started doling them out for all offences.

Thought the guy on Saturday was much much better all game

[monutdfc]

Apart from that Mrs Lincoln, what did you think of the show?

(although the linesman is more to blame)

[Stuttgart88]

Ref makes a mistake, fails to spot clear intent to deceive. No big deal, I'm sure he's a decent guy and feels bad, just like a player would when he makes a mistake. God knows enough of ours made key errors in front of goal.

[Emmet7]

the ref had a good game. He missed the handball but might have been unsighted (Linesman wasn't). ref should have booked anelka for diving and Diarra for persistent fouling.

The linesman however was poor in relation to the Offside prior to the handball. He was in line to see the offside and deffo could see the handball....If the linesman had got the decision (offside ) correct we would not be talking about handballs now


Even the linesman can't watch everything which is why there should be video replays too.

There was so much happening in the box. The linesman had to watch 4 or 5 seperate things. The players who were in an offside position and whether they were interfering. Then Henry came from up really quickly behind McShane and I'd say the linesman didn't see him. The linesman was probably watching something else such as to see if those who were offside touched the ball and he wasn't looking at Henry at all.

I blame Henry pure and simple. He has done this before, as shown in the Champions League in 2006. This was not a once off action from Henry, it's clear he has experience of doing this and he absolutely did it deliberately. You could forgive the first touch with the hand and say it was accidental, but the second touch was clearly to gain an advantage using his hand.

Maybe it's too late to do anything for Ireland. But for decades now there have been dodgy goals given, good goals disallowed, suspect penalties awarded, players sent off in the wrong, good penalties denied, and still they won't introduce video evidence. It happens in every country, teams denied justice because of the lack of video evidence.

FIFA will never have any credibility until they introduce instant video evidence. The fans are demanding it, players demand it, the managers demand it, even the referees are demanding it.

[Acornvilla]

Even the linesman can't watch everything which is why there should be video replays too.

There was so much happening in the box. The linesman had to watch 4 or 5 seperate things. The players who were in an offside position and whether they were interfering. Then Henry came from up really quickly behind McShane and I'd say the linesman didn't see him. The linesman was probably watching something else such as to see if those who were offside touched the ball and he wasn't looking at Henry at all.

I blame Henry pure and simple. He has done this before, as shown in the Champions League in 2006. This was not a once off action from Henry, it's clear he has experience of doing this and he absolutely did it deliberately. You could forgive the first touch with the hand and say it was accidental, but the second touch was clearly to gain an advantage using his hand.

Maybe it's too late to do anything for Ireland. But for decades now there have been dodgy goals given, good goals disallowed, suspect penalties awarded, players sent off in the wrong, good penalties denied, and still they won't introduce video evidence. It happens in every country, teams denied justice because of the lack of video evidence.

FIFA will never have any credibility until they introduce instant video evidence. The fans are demanding it, players demand it, the managers demand it, even the referees are demanding it.
and who is going to pay for it thats the major issue i think and also the possibility it will ruin the flow of matches. which it does sometimes in other sports.. i want it to happen too thou
now emmet go to bed :)

[OwlsFan]

Was at the game and didn't realise anything was untoward with the goal until I saw half the Irish team running to the referee. We then chanted "cheat" for the rest of the game without knowing what exactly had happened as we were at the other end.

Perhaps the referee should have gone to the linesman, pretended to have a chat and this would have given the 4th official time to review the tape and whisper in his ear "handball and offside".

Frankly, I knew when Duff missed the chance that we were doomed. That for me was the decisive moment. I haven't seen Robbie's 2nd chance (when he rounds the keeper) yet on video so I don't know how good that was but Duff reminded me of Houghton's last couple of minutes mis in Wembley.

Take that goal and we're through. Miss at best penalties, at worst the French will score. Seen it all before.

Replay? Lightening doesn't strike twice. We'd be beaten, probably 2-0.

Damien, Damien, Damien, why hast thou foresaken us? C'est sera sera.

[gspain]

In fairness to the referee he was straight. If he was corrupt he could have bought Anelka's dive.

It was a poor decision by a badly placed official. The linesman was worse as he had a perfect view and also missed the offside. The goal remember was also offside.

We lost and tough as it is to take the game is over. We won't be getting a replay but some day we'll benefit from a bad refereeing decision in a really crucial game.

Henry should lose his lucratuve marketing contracts. Blatter got what he wanted but at what price to FIFA's reputation.

[carloz]

The ref showed very poor judgement for the goal. All he had to do was buy himself more time. When all then Irish players came streaming out towards him to protest he could have simply gone over to his linesman to buy some time. Then maybe he might have made the right decision.

[OwlsFan]

We won't be getting a replay but some day we'll benefit from a bad refereeing decision in a really crucial game.

We got one against Georgia but in crucial games, I can't recall one. The fact is we failed to win it on the pitch when we should have. Holland 1-0 at home is the only qualifying game where I remember us doing what we HAD to do. Even without the Gallas "goal", it would still have been only 50/50 on penos.

[Innishvilla]

The ref had a pretty good game - should have booked Anelka and Lassana Diarra, but they are just two bookings, won't really change a game much.

I think the grief he's getting for the handball is unfair - referee's are clearly told that if you don't see it (and by implication your assistants) you can't award a free for it. So regarding the handball unless he could see the ball hitting Henry's hand or his assistant tells him, he can't make an assumption based on players reactions.

Speaking of referee's I thought the ref from the first leg Felix Brych, was outstanding - allowed teams to play and to tackle. Too many referees seem to have forgotten the idea of a "hard but fair" tackle...

[BigfeetBigsocks]

The ref showed very poor judgement for the goal. All he had to do was buy himself more time. When all then Irish players came streaming out towards him to protest he could have simply gone over to his linesman to buy some time. Then maybe he might have made the right decision.

Why did he need to go over to the linesman they have radio's to communicate with.... he probably already asked him did he see a handball or anything to disallow the goal and he returned saying no... so need to go over.

i personally think FIFA are going to be hypocrites as one there rewarding cheating and secondly they supported the use of video evidence in sending off Zindane in last world cup when it was the fourth officail who told the referee about the headbutt...if the fourth official had done this on wednesday we wouldn't have this injustice...

I am still sick to the stomach about what happened