Poll please

[OwlsFan]

Should there be a replay?

(a) Yes

(b) No, the referee's decision is final.

[MeathDrog]

Yes.

But there is a difference between 'should' and 'will'.

[pineapple stu]

You know what? Let's not have a poll.

Let's get out of this mindset of Sky text ins and radio phone ins and "We want your opinion". Let's instead get into a mindset that if you're wrong, you're wrong, and your wrong opinion is worthless.

The rules of the game are quite straightforward. We weren't crying out offering Georgia a replay when this happened -
Jf9fx4ipF4Q
- so the notion of demanding one from the French is utter hypocrisy. Why can people not accept this?

[Junior]

Yes.

But there is a difference between 'should' and 'will'.

NO Replay.

Henry Should be sanctioned.
Officials Should be moved back down the list

[onenilgameover]

You know what? :et's not have a poll.

Let's get out of this mindset of Sky text ins and radio phone ins and "We want your opinion". Let's instead get into a mindset that if you're wrong, you're wrong, and your wrong opinion is worthless.

The rules of the game are quite straightforward. We weren't crying out offering Georgia a replay when this happened -
Jf9fx4ipF4Q
- so the notion of demanding one from the French is utter hypocrisy. Why can people not accept this?

its not the same situation because of intent. its simple

[jbyrne]

You know what? Let's not have a poll.

Let's get out of this mindset of Sky text ins and radio phone ins and "We want your opinion". Let's instead get into a mindset that if you're wrong, you're wrong, and your wrong opinion is worthless.

The rules of the game are quite straightforward. We weren't crying out offering Georgia a replay when this happened -
- so the notion of demanding one from the French is utter hypocrisy. Why can people not accept this?

the french goal came about after the clearest case of cheating you will ever see exacerbated by a poor ref decision. the penalty in the georgia game came about by a poor refs decision full stop.

us asking for georgia to be allowed replay is like expecting henry to go up to the ref just after the handball to tell him what he did. never going to happen.

[OwlsFan]

You know what? Let's not have a poll.

We weren't crying out offering Georgia a replay when this happened -
Jf9fx4ipF4Q
- so the notion of demanding one from the French is utter hypocrisy. Why can people not accept this?

What Irishman cheated for the penalty?

Should is different to will. I think we all know there won't be a replay.

I don't think there should be. I am embarrassed by the politicians getting involved. Referee's decision is final. Terrible and all as it is, I wouldn't favour a replay (apart from the fact that we'd lose it). Where do you draw the line?

Should there be a replay?

(a) Yes

(b) No, the referee's decision is final. 1 vote

[jebus]

No, the referee's decision is final

You can't go changing the rules of the game to suit us, simplez

[pineapple stu]

If we were that interested in fair play (and the fair play statutes haev been quoted here I don't know how many times), we'd have acknowledged it was never a penalty and deliberately missed.

The referee's decision is final, and it has to be final to avoid mayhem. It really is as clear-cut as that.

[elroy]

If we were that interested in fair play (and the fair play statutes haev been quoted here I don't know how many times), we'd have acknowledged it was never a penalty and deliberately missed.

The referee's decision is final, and it has to be final to avoid mayhem. It really is as clear-cut as that.

I think magnitude of the decision and also the cheating element here are different to the georgia situation. The Fair play argument is similar, without the cheating element.

I vote for a replay.

[Metrostars]

As much as it pains me to say this but I'm fine with the no replay. It would start a dangerous precedent for the game.

I would happily trade a no replay for some serious action by FIFA on this. Something must be done to prevent this from happening again in such an important game. FFS, if other sports can effectively use technology to prevent such mistakes from happening, then why can't soccer? Either that or put an extra Ref in the box.

[OwlsFan]

Should there be a replay?

(a) Yes - 1 vote

(b) No, the referee's decision is final. 4 votes

[centre mid]

The Georgia Penalty

Significalntly more fortuitous but nonetheless similar to getting a wrongly awarded free or throw in. It cant be classed in the same way as a player, whether acting instinctively or not, uses his hand to position the ball to gain an advantage. Are we seroiusly suggesting that players should have a moral fortitude that everytime they get the rub of the green they should put the hand up and immediatley call attention to it.

[pineapple stu]

Now start looking at incidents - say the Eduardo dive - where it's hard to tell if a player was deliberately cheating or if it was just a bad ref call. You have people sueing for replays all over the shop. You have players sueing for slander if a replay is given (thus saying they were cheating).

Again, if Ireland were worried about fair play against Georgia, they could have overruled the ref's decision by missing the penalty. You could argue Ireland cheated to win that game. The players knew it wasn't a penalty, but scored it anyway.

I do agree Henry should pick up a two match ban or something (first two games of the World Cup). But people need to realise a replay would be setting an untterly unacceptable precedent in the game.

[jbyrne]

If we were that interested in fair play (and the fair play statutes haev been quoted here I don't know how many times), we'd have acknowledged it was never a penalty and deliberately missed.


and what if the tv subsequently showed it should have been a pen in that match? i agree it wasnt now but in the stadium at the time i didnt know what it was for and i doubt the players did either. your argument is very weak

[christo]

To be honest I still don't think it is unbelievably obvious that the ball didn't touch the Georgians arm at all and the player did lean his arm towards it as well + what jbyrne said

[jebus]

and what if the tv subsequently showed it should have been a pen in that match? i agree it wasnt now but in the stadium at the time i didnt know what it was for and i doubt the players did either. your argument is very weak

Yeah I agree. Once the match is over the Georgians should accept it and the Irish should realise that there is nothing more they can do, it's done and dusted so there's no need to offer a replay

[jbyrne]

Yeah I agree. Once the match is over the Georgians should accept it and the Irish should realise that there is nothing more they can do, it's done and dusted so there's no need to offer a replay

two different situations. one was deliberate cheating and the other was a ref error. errors are part of the game but cheating is not

[jebus]

two different situations. one was deliberate cheating and the other was a ref error. errors are part of the game but cheating is not

It was a poor call by the linesman that gave France the goal, not Henry's handball

The point, which loads seem to miss, is that if you wnat to talk about fair play and bringing a sense of justice to football then you have to back up your words with actions. Where were the FAI when Georgia were undone by an error from the referee? Where was the sense of injustice then?

If I remember correctly most Irish fans admitted it was one of the worst decisions they'd ever seen with a grin on their face

That's what I find so hypocritical about this angry mob you all have going at the moment

[jbyrne]

The point, which loads seem to miss, is that if you wnat to talk about fair play and bringing a sense of justice to football then you have to back up your words with actions. Where were the FAI when Georgia were undone by an error from the referee? Where was the sense of injustice then?

If I remember correctly most Irish fans admitted it was one of the worst decisions they'd ever seen with a grin on their face

That's what I find so hypocritical about this angry mob you all have going at the moment

we were also on the end of a bad decision (andrews goal) in that game and id say most fans thought the two evened themselves out


It was a poor call by the linesman that gave France the goal, not Henry's handball

so henrys handball had nothing to do with the goal? what drivel

[jebus]

we were also on the end of a bad decision (andrews goal) in that game and id say most fans thought the two evened themselves out

I think we all know that it was more to do with the Irish not caring because they hadn't been on the end of it. The same as every fan of every team on this planet doesn't care when the dodgy decision goes their way. They have a moan about it and move on. Sadly the Irish fans bemoaning our bad luck seem to have lost the memo about moving on and acting with a bit of dignity



so henrys handball had nothing to do with the goal? what drivel

Of course it had something to do with the goal, but it was still a bad decision by the officials to give it, and they're the ones charged with catching these things (like Anelka's dive and Keane's handballs in the French area)

[byrner01]

I say no replay. If we want to stop this happening in the future, then Fifa must introduce video replay.If they dont, then we have to except it for they way it is and just deal with it and move on.I have to say all this crying is becoming embarrassing, kinda makes me cringe .

[thischarmingman]

Now start looking at incidents - say the Eduardo dive - where it's hard to tell if a player was deliberately cheating or if it was just a bad ref call. You have people sueing for replays all over the shop. You have players sueing for slander if a replay is given (thus saying they were cheating).

Again, if Ireland were worried about fair play against Georgia, they could have overruled the ref's decision by missing the penalty. You could argue Ireland cheated to win that game. The players knew it wasn't a penalty, but scored it anyway.

I do agree Henry should pick up a two match ban or something (first two games of the World Cup). But people need to realise a replay would be setting an untterly unacceptable precedent in the game.

I tend to agree. A 3-match ban for Henry (group games) be a strong signal of intent. And make me feel better :)

[Celdrog]

There is no way there will be a replay - sure FIFA are the biggest cheats of all in deciding to change the rules of the competition after it started, by seeding the playoffs.

What will they do next ? - decide that matches are only 80 minutes long if France are beating New Zealand with 10 minutes to go in the WC final *


* intentional exaggeration but it would sort of be the same idea

[Den Perry]

There is no way there will be a replay - sure FIFA are the biggest cheats of all in deciding to change the rules of the competition after it started, by seeding the playoffs.

What will they do next ? - decide that matches are only 80 minutes long if France are beating New Zealand with 10 minutes to go in the WC final *


* intentional exaggeration but it would sort of be the same idea agr

No replay (though if we get one I won't complain as ridiculous as it would be to give one)
Its a differant matter if France agree to one, rather than FIFA ordering one.

However, I hope the fuss keeps raging, though not from politicians or fans marching, because Henry needs to be punished, not so much for the handball but his subsequant behaviour. Oh and not forgetting the linesman, the biggest cheat of all in my opinion

[John83]

You know what? Let's not have a poll.

Let's get out of this mindset of Sky text ins and radio phone ins and "We want your opinion"...
God forbid people express their opinion on a forum. You're right, there is no provision in the rules for a replay, but some people think it'd be fair all the same. I don't want a poll, but I'd be damned before I'd tell people they can't have one just because I didn't like the question.

The moderation on the Ireland sub-forum has gone to hell recently. The mods are all prancing about telling people what to think in the most arrogant and trollish of fashions. I'll not be posting here again for a bit.

[irishultra]

I think in a fair world yes a reply but life is tough, the most ruthless survive. survival of the fittest and all that.

[geysir]

Should there be a replay?

(a) Yes

(b) No, the referee's decision is final.

(b) No, the referee's decision is final,

as consolation,
a FIFA sponsored award and
a Robbie Keane statue on the Champs Élysées.

[eaststand85]

I'm gutted we didn't make the WC but the referee's decision is final, if it happened the other way nobody would be doing anything except celebrating so can we please lose the 'beal bocht' mentality, deal with the reality and stop trying to make this into an embarassing worlwide episode of the Joe Duffy show?

If we want to affect real change within football then the FAI should follow the proper channels within FIFA and try and change the rules to ensure something similar doesn't happen again but let's put aside the hyperbole and hysteria and sense of self righteous injustice which has swept the country in the last few days.

[soccerboy]

no,if this happened in the greece ukraine game we wouldnt give a **** and we wouldnt be jumping on the "its for the good of fair play" bandwagon

[eaststand85]

My point exactly!

[jbyrne]

no,if this happened in the greece ukraine game we wouldnt give a **** and we wouldnt be jumping on the "its for the good of fair play" bandwagon

maybe not but if it was a similar case of another small country being cheated by a bigger one I would feel the same way. no one can deny that fifa made it pretty clear that they want the bigger teams there where possible. fifa's attitude is fueling peoples feelings of injustice

[dynamo kerry]

if france offer a reply - I say take it.

the game is rotten anyway - holding it up and saying actually why mess with it because it might cause a fuss is not a great point.

lets have people been accountable for a chance.

[GalwayRed]

Henry Should be sanctioned.

I don't understand this. I mean I know at the time I was calling Henry every name under the sun but when you look back at it, he doesn't deserve to be sanctioned more heavily for something that would only have warranted a yellow card had the ref seen it at the time. He shouldn't be punished more heavily just because it wasn't spotted at the time.
There shouldn't be a replay. I mean I would love if there was but there is no FIFA rule out there to justify a replay.

[elroy]

no,if this happened in the greece ukraine game we wouldnt give a **** and we wouldnt be jumping on the "its for the good of fair play" bandwagon

I disagree, obviously we wouldnt be as pi**ed off but I would certainly support them. In fact, the only consolation I get from the other night was that Slovenia knocked out Russia and FIFA didnt get a clean sweep of their precious first seeds.

[eaststand85]

And what if an Irish player's handball had meant we went through instead of the French?

[Newryrep]

And what if an Irish player's handball had meant we went through instead of the French?

he would be a 'cute hoor' and 'streetwise' and we would be laughing all the way to SA - and anybody who says different is living in cloud cuckoo land - where I suspect a sizeable proportion of Irish fans currently reside (although the short lived mass hysteria will pass)

[DonnyG]

I'd like a replay but the rules are clear and the ref's decision is final. To order a rematch would open the floodgates to chaos. But Henry should receive some sore of censure to send a message that FIFA dont agree with this sort of thing.

Also I wonder whether the Irish team could bring themselves to repeat that performance again in a replay?

[Junior]

I don't understand this. I mean I know at the time I was calling Henry every name under the sun but when you look back at it, he doesn't deserve to be sanctioned more heavily for something that would only have warranted a yellow card had the ref seen it at the time. He shouldn't be punished more heavily just because it wasn't spotted at the time.
There shouldn't be a replay. I mean I would love if there was but there is no FIFA rule out there to justify a replay.

You understand that Henry cheated right?

All Im saying is that it was missed at the time and video evidence has since proved that it happened and as a result FIFA should sanction him in the interests of their Fair Play ethos.

They did this with Eduardo (2 match ban) for the dive against Celtic which also would only have been a booking if captured at the time. The fact that it was later overturned on appeal is irrelevant - FIFA saw fit to impose a 2 game ban on its first review.

For the record I also said a Replay should not be granted. I completely understand everyones disappointment and frustration but campaigns at the French Embassy and the like are not for me. It was cruel but we should have done it in 90 minutes.

Hopefully, FIFA will at least be embarassed enough to implement further assistance for the officials, whether that be video, or extra officials.

[Drumcondra 69er]

Of course there shouldn't be a replay, refs decision is final. However, in the absence of video evidence being introduced during the game then meaningful retrospective punishments should be introduced for clear instances of cheating. If Henry was facing a 3 match ban he wouldn't have done it or would have admitted it at the time if it was purely instinctive as he claims. Problem is that doesn't happen, Raul got a one match ban for scoring against Leeds with his hand in the Champions League which was overturned as soon as Madrid bitched about it to UEFA. Same with Eduardo this season with Arsenal v Celtic. This has to change but won't under the current regime.

Comparing Henry's handball with a normal yellow card offence is laughable, the end result of the handball has to be considered. Comparing the Georgia game and that penalty decision to what happened on Weds is laugahble as well, they are not like for like situations (notwithstanding Andrews disallowed goal and the penalty we didn't get away to Montenegro into the equation as regards luck evening out anyway).

The likes of Jebus and Pineapple Stu are just part of an ever dwindling band of Roy Keane disciples incapable of any thought other then repeating his ramblings verbatim, it's like watching a cult slowly die out.

[Stuttgart88]

FIFA saw fit to impose a 2 game ban on its first review.

It was UEFA, but I agree with your point.

No replay for me. Very hard luck, sh1t happens, move on.

[Stuttgart88]

In fact, if there was a time to call for a replay it should have been after the second leg play off at Heysel in '97(?).

At 1-1 in the second leg (2-2 on aggregate) we were awarded a throw, there was a long delay for an injury to a Belgian, they restarted play with a throw and scored. So the story goes anyway, I was ****ed - or is it just ome of those urban myths?

The Uzbekhistan precedent cited in the press is directly comparable to that - incorrect application of the rules, rather than failure to observe something.

[Junior]

It was UEFA, but I agree with your point.

No replay for me. Very hard luck, sh1t happens, move on.

Yep sorry my mistake - I've been brainwashed by the FIFA bashing at this stage!!!

[Drumcondra 69er]

In fact, if there was a time to call for a replay it should have been after the second leg play off at Heysel in '97(?).

At 1-1 in the second leg (2-2 on aggregate) we were awarded a throw, there was a long delay for an injury to a Belgian, they restarted play with a throw and scored. So the story goes anyway, I was ****ed - or is it just ome of those urban myths?

The Uzbekhistan precedent cited in the press is directly comparable to that - incorrect application of the rules, rather than failure to observe something.

I'm pretty sure they were awarded the throw even though it obviously came off their man, Kenny Cuningham was very inexperienced at the time and didn't even call for it so was criticised at the time for not pressuring the linesman, I think he took an age to point their way for the throw and did so on their big shout for it. Not really the same although having been at both games I've been comparing the games and the trips since Wednesday, very similar pre match craic, similar belief we were in the asendency before their goal and similar post match devestation.

[head the ball]

Of course there should not be a replay.
But I'd take one, and to hell with any precedents and mayhem it would cause in future.
Maybe its because I put my country first, why should I worry about problems it would cause Fifa? We owe them and the French nothing.
Henry, Evra and co well I hope their plane crashes on the way to S.A.
Now theres a thought!

[Superhoops]

A replay was never on the cards but John Delaney and the FAI were right to put the ball in the French Association's hands. Even if they had offered to replay I doubt if FIFA would have accepted it.

The one thing that really still wrankles with me is how Henry has conducted himself. All this 'after the event' crap from him admitting he did control the ball with his hand, agreeing the game should be replayed and that Ireland should be going to finals is being seen by many as Henry acting with integrity.

Absolute 'bullsh*t', Henry has been well schooled in taking this approach knowing that a replay was never going to happen and to do what he can to avoid any further sanction against him.

He could just have easily gone to the referee when the Irish players were protesting, told him he did control the ball with his hand and that the goal should not be allowed.

That would have been meaningful not this 'apres match' bull that he has come out with. Will always be remembered as a cheat.

[backstothewall]

There shouldn't be a replay as the rules don't allow for one, & there should be no retrospective punichment of Henry as the rules don't provide for that.

That said, the rules should be changed to allow for retrospective punishment.

Even if there was a replay though, it would still not be fair. It can never be fair. We were minutes away from penalties when nobody gave us a chance. Would it be fair to bring it back to 0-0 and leave us with all that work to do again? the only thing that would be in anyway fair would be bringing back the team on the pitch at the end of the game for a penalty shootout in the SDF

[GalwayRed]

You understand that Henry cheated right?

All Im saying is that it was missed at the time and video evidence has since proved that it happened and as a result FIFA should sanction him in the interests of their Fair Play ethos.

They did this with Eduardo (2 match ban) for the dive against Celtic which also would only have been a booking if captured at the time. The fact that it was later overturned on appeal is irrelevant - FIFA saw fit to impose a 2 game ban on its first review.


I understand that he cheated alright and I'm sickened by it as much as anybody but in my view if it was worth a yellow card when it happened then thats all it should ever be worth. Henry shouldn't be given extra punishment for the officials incompetence.
UEFA did that with Eduardo true and I didn't agree with that at the time either. I should have been more clear. I was disagreeing with the rule more than anything else.