Ireland ask FIFA to be 33rd team in WC

[Duggie]

I'll put it like this. He announced it to uproarious laughter from his lackeys and then he had a good chuckle himself.

ooh..guess that my hopes cruely shattered again....:o

[Scooby Doo]

Listened to Blatter's statement on the radio. His tone was sarcastic and mocking if anything. He explained that the FAI had made a request to be team no. 33 which was greeted by a chorus of laughs from the audience (journos/FIFA delegates??). He then had a chuckle himself and said 'yes really they did ask!' He was being a collosal arrogant pr!ck. FIFA released their statement early this morning.
Within two hours the FAI had released their own statement, ONE line of which reads 'A lot was discussed at the meeting and at one stage the FAI asked if Ireland could be accommodated into the World Cup 2010'. For me, the FAI's playing down their request is an attempt to save face. Blatter is now trying to discredit the FAI, making them look like they are clutching at straws to the point of being ridiculous.

[tiktok]

We have been defrauded out of a possible world cup spot
A footballer handled a ball, there was no fraud.


When a crime is carried out
A footballer handled a ball, there was no crime.


Their rules in regard to appealing a match result are flawed. Anyone sensible would see Ireland have grounds for an appeal, clear grounds.
A huge number of the games that I have seen in my life have been influenced greatly or even decided by poor refereeing decisions or blatant cheating.

A match should be decided within 90 minutes using all the techniques available to ensure that the fairest result is achieved. Appealing entire games is a flawed concept, not a flawed process requireing improvement. Video rerferees is the outcome people should be looking at here.


Even in GAA, video evidence is used to suspend players. I know it happens in soccer too.
How can you suspend Thierry Henry for something that is at worst, by the current laws of the game, a yellow card offence?


.......or like the ref in Paris chosen not to see it.
Whatever else happened, this is childish rubbish. The Ref was clearly unsighted, if he was interested in putting France through he could have given the penalty when Anelka went down.


Many things happen in soccer which are too fast for the human eye and need to be slowed down.
Nothing happens in football which is too fast for the human eye in fairness, the issue is when the ref's human eye is unsighted or looking in the wrong direction. Video refs need not slow the game down at all, the game can be preetty stop start anyway.

[tricky_colour]

Lets face it it is the only way of saving the World Cup, let's hope Blatter sees sense and restores the legitimacy of the tournement.

Easy to do, just put it to the vote of the member countries, nobody would vote against it.
It also means potentially one more 'easy game' for them it drawn in our group.

[Emmet7]

A footballer handled a ball, there was no fraud.


A footballer handled a ball, there was no crime.


A huge number of the games that I have seen in my life have been influenced greatly or even decided by poor refereeing decisions or blatant cheating.

A match should be decided within 90 minutes using all the techniques available to ensure that the fairest result is achieved. Appealing entire games is a flawed concept, not a flawed process requireing improvement. Video rerferees is the outcome people should be looking at here.


How can you suspend Thierry Henry for something that is at worst, by the current laws of the game, a yellow card offence?


Whatever else happened, this is childish rubbish. The Ref was clearly unsighted, if he was interested in putting France through he could have given the penalty when Anelka went down.


Nothing happens in football which is too fast for the human eye in fairness, the issue is when the ref's human eye is unsighted or looking in the wrong direction. Video refs need not slow the game down at all, the game can be preetty stop start anyway.

Again, cheating is cheating. The issue is how cheating is dealt with and what redress teams have when another team/player have blatently cheated.

You also fail to understand the point about there being no replays available. If a ref misses something, that seems to be the end of it....except in Rugby, American Football, Cricket, Tennis and many other sports, it isn't the end of it.

The reason TMO's were brought in in rugby is that events happen so fast that the ref possibly cannot be on the try line to see a player touch the ball down everytime. Tries were awarded with the ref unsighted, other tries were not given because the ref was unsighted. The case for a TMO has never been stronger in soccer.

[tiktok]

Easy to do, just put it to the vote of the member countries, nobody would vote against it.

They'd all vote against it, and they should all vote against it.

I've said this elsewhere but why would you put your country's team in a position whereby
You'd potentially play an extra game in 2 weeks compared to the team you'd meet in Rd2
Play an extra game whereby you could pick up injuries and yellow cards
Bring a team who would otherwise have gone into the 2nd pot in as a fifth seed, making your own progression harder.

[Emmet7]

How can you suspend Thierry Henry for something that is at worst, by the current laws of the game, a yellow card offence?



Where did I say Henry should be suspended. I was making a point about the use of video evidence. Try to pay attention.

[Reality Bites]

I don't know which is more Boring at this stage - this protracted saga with Henry, Delaney, FIFA etc or the thread warfare between Emmet7 and tiktok !!

[Stuttgart88]

Cheating is cheating regardless of the sport. If you look up cheating in the dictionary I'm sure it says something like gaining and using an unfair advantage to beat your opponent.

There is no real extremes when it comes to cheating. It's either cheating or it isn't. People say Henry didn't cheat because the ref didn't see it.
I just think an athlete gaining advantage from illegal drugs is different to a footballer making a spur of the moment decision to cheat. Also, an athlete is typically acting as an individual whereas France didn't cheat collectively. I think there are different degrees of cheating and by football standards the Henry incident was pretty bad, and certainly unusual (unlike diving for example).

Just pointing out errors in the comparison, in my mind anyway, as I agree that action should be taken against Henry.

[SkStu]

i think that FIFA should bring Ireland to the World Cup. Just parade them around for the crowds before each game so they can smile and wave at the crowds in FAI suit/blazer combos.

I think that would be nice.

[OwlsFan]

Listened to Blatter's statement on the radio. His tone was sarcastic and mocking if anything. He explained that the FAI had made a request to be team no. 33 which was greeted by a chorus of laughs from the audience (journos/FIFA delegates??). He then had a chuckle himself and said 'yes really they did ask!' He was being a collosal arrogant pr!ck. FIFA released their statement early this morning.

He may be trying to laugh it off but yesterday's story is still in his face!

[Duggie]

i think that FIFA should bring Ireland to the World Cup. Just parade them around for the crowds before each game so they can smile and wave at the crowds in FAI suit/blazer combos.

I think that would be nice.

haha:D
all the crowd with giant wavy hands.

[back of the net]

Have the FAI made an official statement on this yet? .

http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10056 5&catid=1&Itemid=8

[tiktok]

Again, cheating is cheating. The issue is how cheating is dealt with and what redress teams have when another team/player have blatently cheated.

I'm going to stop with you, you don't even know what you're arguing in favour of anymore.
How is asking to be the 33rd team in a 32 team competition going to stop cheating taking place, all it would do would be create a precedent where teams are progressed through rounds of knockout competition or awarded points as a result of refereeing decisions.

There should be no provision for replays or for appeals for teams once FIFA put in place provisions that all available technologies are put in place to ensure that the correct calls are made on the spot. Video referees should be brought into ensure that 'redress' isn't even needed or sought.

Putting procedures in place to allow replays for something that's always happened [and always will until technology is embraced] is hugely counterproductive and would be a pointless logistical nightmare for every association in the world

[Emmet7]

I'm going to stop with you, you don't even know what you're arguing in favour of anymore.
How is asking to be the 33rd team in a 32 team competition going to stop cheating taking place, all it would do would be create a precedent where teams are progressed through rounds of knockout competition or awarded points as a result of refereeing decisions.

There should be no provision for replays or for appeals for teams once FIFA put in place provisions that all available technologies are put in place to ensure that the correct calls are made on the spot. Video referees should be brought into ensure that 'redress' isn't even needed or sought.

Putting procedures in place to allow replays for something that's always happened [and always will until technology is embraced] is hugely counterproductive and would be a pointless logistical nightmare for every association in the world

What I am arguing for is some form of redress, a recognition of a wrong, changes to FIFA processes to allow appeals, the introduction of TMO's for cases where refs are unsighted and overall universal fairness in sport. Simple as that.

While I recognise redress is virtually impossible in this instance, without getting redress for these wrongs, it will only encourage their re-occurance again and again, it's a simple concept really and underpins most judicial systems around the world.

As for saying putting in replays is a logistical nightmare, you know that's nonsense. Every top level Rugby match in England and Ireland, Heinekan cup, internationals already have this in place, and their revenue is a tiny fraction of soccer revenues. Probably the weakest argument I have heard yet against TMO's.

Anyways, I'm going to stop with you as well, getting tired of this now.

[OwlsFan]

i think that FIFA should bring Ireland to the World Cup. Just parade them around for the crowds before each game so they can smile and wave at the crowds in FAI suit/blazer combos.

I think that would be nice.

I suspect you'd probably be the very one to castigate the FAI if they didn't explore every avenue. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

"Suit/blazers" - what would you prefer tracksuit bottoms or pajamas:rolleyes:

[Noelys Guitar]

Here is the interview
http://www.skysports.com/video/inline/0,26691,12606_5734974,00.html

[tiktok]

I don't know which is more Boring at this stage - this protracted saga with Henry, Delaney, FIFA etc or the thread warfare between Emmet7 and tiktok !!

Mods, could we have a poll please?
Reality Bites needs help making a decision.

[tiktok]

As for saying putting in replays is a logistical nightmare, you know that's nonsense. Every top level Rugby match in England and Ireland, Heinekan cup, internationals already have this in place, and their revenue is a tiny fraction of soccer revenues. Probably the weakest argument I have heard yet against TMO's.

Jesus Wept.
I was talking about replays of entire matches, not replays of fifteen seconds of video footage.
That was completely obvious from my post as well.
I can draw you pictures in crayon if it'd help you?

[tricky_colour]

They'd all vote against it, and they should all vote against it.

I've said this elsewhere but why would you put your country's team in a position whereby
You'd potentially play an extra game in 2 weeks compared to the team you'd meet in Rd2
Play an extra game whereby you could pick up injuries and yellow cards
Bring a team who would otherwise have gone into the 2nd pot in as a fifth seed, making your own progression harder.


An extra game means extra TV revenue and more money for FIFA, the broadcasters, the venues, the hotels, the host city and just about everybody else concerned.
Everybody wins basically. Few teams would see Ireland as a threat to their progress and the one who did are unlikely to progress anyway however they will benefit from a 33% (1 estra game?) increase in revenue.

Also you get a lot more interest from from Irish Americans, Austrailians etc which will pull in a lot of money, I expect there would be probably more watching Ireland than France worldwide, the sort of people the advertisers would like to target, ie first world wealthy folks as opposed to poor Africans following the largly African immigant French side (who the French public seem to have little love for).

Infact I would not be surprised if Blatter did not come up with the idea - lol.

[Brendan 82]

Hopefully North Korea declare war on somebody and get kicked out. Other than something like that we can forget it. Probably best to just suck it up at this stage

[SkStu]

I suspect you'd probably be the very one to castigate the FAI if they didn't explore every avenue. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

"Suit/blazers" - what would you prefer tracksuit bottoms or pajamas:rolleyes:

wow - Owlsfan is travelling to the World Cup and he's taking the humour bypass.

[rambler14]

Stupid idea.

[foureyes]

Hopefully North Korea declare war on somebody and get kicked out. Other than something like that we can forget it. Probably best to just suck it up at this stage

i'd imagine if that happened bahrain would get their spot.

it's over. five more years minimum.

[Réiteoir]

I do realise that circumstances were completely different but I recall 2005/06 Champions League when Liverpool failed to qualify through their league position, they were allowed back into the qualifiers. UEFA wanted their champions in and thus allowed them back in. One can't help but wonder if FIFA would have been more accomodating towards France had it been the other way round.

Not entirely the whole story - UEFA were due to go ahead without Liverpool as they hadn't met the qualification criteria in their National League the year they won the thing. UEFA had never had a rule post-Champions League creation that the winners were given an automatic place.

The Scousers whined and whinged so much to anyone who they thought would listen (massive comparisons with this sorry sordid little affair of "I'll cry and cry until I am sick") that in the end TNS of Wales simply said to UEFA "Sure - we're just down the road - we'll play them in an Extra-Prelim Qualifier for the Welsh spot in the Champions League."

In the end UEFA said - "sod it - we'll accomodate them ONLY on this occassion, bump one of the smaller nations National Champions into a lower round so the fifth place finishers in England can get their way - and then everyone can shut the heck up".

By coincidence - who did Liverpool draw in their "Tantrum Game" - TNS of Wales!

[GUFCghost]

Who cares if its embarrassing,I think we should be put in a very tough group because of the way we got in.

[mypost]

I presume you held up your hands staright after the Georgia match and wanted to give them a replay after the most ridiculous penalty decision i have ever seen robbed them of the game in Croker

How close did Georgia get to the finals? Maybe their results ultimately didn't count after all. :rolleyes:

There is more hope of getting a replay than being a "33rd team", but the FAI are within their rights to kick up a fuss. Of all the teams who qualified for the finals, none of them qualified at the expense of their opponents like France did. The "embarrassing" thing in all this is that's what it took to get them to the finals.

As a nation, we are always told that we don't complain enough. Now when we do, we're told to stop complaining. :rolleyes: We won't and shouldn't "get over" or "move on" about it.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Reckon we should abandon this tournament and start the whole campaign again. Fancy another trip to Montenegro....


We should go to South Africa, if only to p*ss on FIFA's bonfire....would love to see us picket their poxy opening ceremony. It's not about not qualifying, but their failure to address continual & blatant cheating, corruption and complacency.

And also start a campaign to prevent these inadequate fools running the world game.....they make the worst administrators in the EL/FAI/GAA look like the most efficient ever, by comparison. They should be removed from their role ASAP and would like to see a boycott of their activities.

[Larks]

I wish we were in the world cup, you wish we were and the players wish they were but at the end of the day we are not and we will never be. It's time we took it on the chin and shut up about getting into SA2010. The best the FAI can do out of this is push for video technology or better refereeing standards. My fear is that they have lost there say and respect in these matters due to this desperate, unrealistic plea

[superfrank]

They just showed a clip of Sepp Blatter telling the media that the FAI had requested to be the 33rd team in the WC.

Their response? Laughter (and rightly so).

[grayzer1888]

Its all getting a bit embaressing now. Fair enough ask for a replay, but to ask to be the 33rd team is silly. Logistically it would be a nightmare and FIFA would never agree to it. Best hope is France meet Argentina and Tevez sends them home Maradonna style :D

[Razors left peg]

After reading through this whole thread I think the best point that was made was that if the FAI didnt kick up a fuss and try everything,no matter how far fetched or unlikely, people would have been having a go at them saying they were afraid of upsetting FIFA or something along those lines.

Blatter can laugh it off all he wants, the guy is obviously a very good politician to rise to the position he knows how to deflect issues to take the heat off himself, but I for one am still extremely bitter about it and I want to see the issue keep getting highlighted in the hopes that in future changes will be made for the better of football

[ArdeeBhoy]

They just showed a clip of Sepp Blatter telling the media that the FAI had requested to be the 33rd team in the WC.

Their response? Laughter (and rightly so).

Surely we should laughing, if not pitying, at the morons in FIFA.....the FAI are :rolleyes: giants amongst men by comparison.

[mandrake]

They just showed a clip of Sepp Blatter telling the media that the FAI had requested to be the 33rd team in the WC.

Their response? Laughter (and rightly so).

yeah but i think blatter was being a bit bravado , one of the first thing he said on the matter. kinda like the big bully in the playground picking on the guy with glasses (who has a case) but all of the school kids are afraid to takeo on the bully and laugh with him....

[tiktok]

They just showed a clip of Sepp Blatter telling the media that the FAI had requested to be the 33rd team in the WC.

Their response? Laughter (and rightly so).

Just saw it on Sky news.
Cringe

[onenilgameover]

Here is the interview
http://www.skysports.com/video/inline/0,26691,12606_5734974,00.html

he makes me sick

[Greenforever]

While not directly related to the World Cup, EUFA altered there rules to allow Liverpool defend the Champions League a few years agom when they failed to qualify.

Why it may happen - Money

FIFA's credibility is damaged through this incident and could be restored very easily by allowing a 33rd team and Blatter would still have his French there and would have another guaranteed vote the next time he is up for reelection.

FIFA are corrupt and make up the rules as they go along, we all know that.

Logistically there would be no real problems.

Group 8 is the last group to start. The first matches are on the 16th June.

5 team schedule

Series 1 1 v 2 3 v 4 5 idle 8th June ADDITIONAL MATCHES
Series 2 2 v 3 4 v 5 1 idle 12th June ADDITIONAL MATCHES
Series 3 1 v 3 2 v 5 4 idle 16th June
Series 4 1 v 4 3 v 5 2 idle 21st June
Series 5 1 v 5 2 v 4 3 idle 25th June

2 Additional match days, 12th would be on current day 2.

THe opening matches on the 8th would be 3 days before the scheduled start and could be classed as preliminary group games rearranged to prove FIFA fair play in alive and well.

A long shot yes, but Delaney is a sharp cookie and maybe this was FIFAs way out and maybe it was they who suggested to DElaney to make the request and Blatter can take the credit for saving the game from cheats and in the meantime taking in even more revenue from 4 additional matches.

Blatters comments that hand ball is the biggest sin in football maybe his way of coming out of this smelling of roses.

The most important thing to remember Blatter makes the rules as he goes along and if it suits him anything is possible.

[Newryrep]

FIFA's credibility is damaged through this incident and could be restored very easily by allowing a 33rd team and Blatter would still have his French there and would have another guaranteed vote the next time he is up for reelection.

total contradiction GF, FIFA's credibility would be shot to pieces.

All rational thinking seems to have gone out the window on this matter

[bennocelt]

total contradiction GF, FIFA's credibility would be shot to pieces.

All rational thinking seems to have gone out the window on this matter

Hell no, this is Ireland. This story will do the rounds a few more times till at least the world cup and after.
I think Fifa are right. 33 teams, an Irish joke, surely:(

[ArdeeBhoy]

To be fair to The FAI, FIFA couldn't organise a drink-up in a beer manufacturing establishment....

[DeNiro]

Two things:

This claim of being the 33rd team looks like something the Star newspaper would cook up on 1 April.

Also, there seems to be a major oversight regarding the result. We weren't winning the game on aggregrate before Henry's handball, but only drawing. How does drawing a playoff give us any entitlement to qualify for a World Cup?

I used to see Celtic shirts with EIRE 32 on the back, I presume it would be EIRE 33 at the current rate!

[MeathDrog]

To be fair to The FAI, FIFA couldn't organise a drink-up in a beer manufacturing establishment....
Well between the 2 of them, it makes for one massive, messy session. :rolleyes:

[Noelys Guitar]

Blatter was a leading memeber of the IOC at the winter olympics in 2002 at Salt Lake City. And guess what happened? The IOC decided to give out TWO gold medals after the Canadian pair Jamie Sale and David Pelletier were cheated (bribery scandal). Now which is 'crazier' giving out two gold medals or allowing 33 teams to play at the World Cup? Giving out two gold medals for me. And theres more. Guess who Sepp ends up hanging out with in a Moscow nightblub? Read on.

Taken from Transparency in sport. By BBC Journalist Andrew Jennings

So when some crooks at the International Skating Union wanted a few ice dance judges greased at the 2002 Salt Lake Games, they worked with Alik and his pal Chevalier Nusuyev, the president of the Russian Youth Sports Federation - who later left us in a rattle of gunfire in August 2005.

Alik set up the scam from his villa in Tuscany but his conversations with Nusuyev, skating officials and skaters in Utah during the Games were taped by Italian police investigating money laundering.

The deal was that that the Russians got their gold and Alik’s French chums got theirs. But the Canadian duo of Jamie Sale and David Pelletier were so blatantly robbed that the confused IOC – including Sepp Blatter – gave them a gratuitous gold alongside the French pair, the only time an Olympic event has yielded two gold medals when there should only be one.

The Italian cops tipped the FBI and Alik was arrested on a fraud warrant five months later. After a year’s vigorous legal activity Alik beat extradition to America and has been swanning around Russia, untouchable ever since.

So what were Sepp’s parting words to Alik as he left the China Club? ‘See you at the ice dancing in Sochi in 2014?’ Or did he say, ‘I’m sure you know what to do to bring the World Cup tournament to Russia in 2018.’

Perhaps Seb Coe, who has pledged his FIFA Ethics Committee to monitoring the 2018 campaigns, might have a quiet word with Blatter and Koloskov . . . and maybe ask Alik, stay out, pretty please, this FIFA process is dodgy enough already.

[Réiteoir]

I fully expect there to be a newspaper story on the front page of the Indo tomorrow about how sales of tinfoil hats have shot through the roof the past few weeks judging by the paranoia and conspiracy talk in here.

Might get a tricolour printed up for the summer with the following written on it.

"You're not paranoid if they really are out to get you"

[jbyrne]

some at the press conference clapped so maybe they were in support of our claim. why do we always have to ridicule ourselves and be embarassed to put our case forward? isnt it our never say die attitude that has seen us punch above our weight for the last 20+ years?

the real thing that everyone should be laughing at is fifas fair play moto which has been recently blown out of the water. id say that the laughter lads in that room were nothing more than blatter yes men more concerned with keeping their spot at the fifa top table

[elroy]

the real thing that everyone should be laughing at is fifas fair play moto which has been recently blown out of the water. id say that room was full of blatter yes men more concerned with keeping their spot at the fifa top table

Good point. The FIFA fair play code is a joke after this debacle, all you have to read is that much quoted rule one, winning by cheating isnt winning etc.

I cant see this latest twist getting us to the WC, to be honest I think there was more chance of a replay. The replay wouldve created a less awkward precedent than the extra place scenario. And anyways if we did get granted a place somehow, in a way the good/joy out of qualifying is spoiled in a big way now.

FIFA are an arrogant shower, will much change?? Who knows?! I think at best they may implement some change in the rules for the WC (e.g. additional officials).

What is for certain imo is that we wont be in the WC, Henry will not be punished and thirdly video technology will not be available to the referee at the WC.

[Réiteoir]

some at the press conference clapped so maybe they were in support of our claim. why do we always have to ridicule ourselves and be embarassed to put our case forward? isnt it our never say die attitude that has seen us punch above our weight for the last 20+ years?

Or they were applauding how absolutely funny the idea is - much like after a stand up comic tells an extremely funny joke.


the real thing that everyone should be laughing at is fifas fair play moto which has been recently blown out of the water.

As opposed to the FAI wanting to completely railroad the whole World Cup into letting their poor little persecuted team and fans into the Finals - when it wasn't even clear that they would have not conceded another goal in ET, let alone lost the shoot out.

Delaney harping on about "The Integrity of the Game" - rich coming from the person who wants a whole tournament extended and changed at a whim just to accomodate someone who "asked very nicely" - but weren't in an actual position of qualification from the playoff match at any point that evening.


id say that the laughter lads in that room were nothing more than blatter yes men more concerned with keeping their spot at the fifa top table

Nope - I wouldn't say that at all - this Press Conference wasn't even that - it was a Q&A at something called "SoccerEx" - which is a trade and tourism show for football - the people in that room would have been the odd journalist - but mostly business people.

Hardly a FIFA Congress is it?

This whole chain of events resulting from the playoff game is playing out like a real life version of the "Pixie Heads" sketch from Apres Match.

[jbyrne]

Nope - I wouldn't say that at all - this Press Conference wasn't even that - it was a Q&A at something called "SoccerEx" - which is a trade and tourism show for football - the people in that room would have been the odd journalist - but mostly business people.


says it all really..

[Alf Honn]

While not directly related to the World Cup, EUFA altered there rules to allow Liverpool defend the Champions League a few years agom when they failed to qualify.

Why it may happen - Money

FIFA's credibility is damaged through this incident and could be restored very easily by allowing a 33rd team and Blatter would still have his French there and would have another guaranteed vote the next time he is up for reelection.

FIFA are corrupt and make up the rules as they go along, we all know that.

Logistically there would be no real problems.

Group 8 is the last group to start. The first matches are on the 16th June.

5 team schedule

Series 1 1 v 2 3 v 4 5 idle 8th June ADDITIONAL MATCHES
Series 2 2 v 3 4 v 5 1 idle 12th June ADDITIONAL MATCHES
Series 3 1 v 3 2 v 5 4 idle 16th June
Series 4 1 v 4 3 v 5 2 idle 21st June
Series 5 1 v 5 2 v 4 3 idle 25th June

2 Additional match days, 12th would be on current day 2.

THe opening matches on the 8th would be 3 days before the scheduled start and could be classed as preliminary group games rearranged to prove FIFA fair play in alive and well.

A long shot yes, but Delaney is a sharp cookie and maybe this was FIFAs way out and maybe it was they who suggested to DElaney to make the request and Blatter can take the credit for saving the game from cheats and in the meantime taking in even more revenue from 4 additional matches.

Blatters comments that hand ball is the biggest sin in football maybe his way of coming out of this smelling of roses.

The most important thing to remember Blatter makes the rules as he goes along and if it suits him anything is possible.


All good in theory but the show is over. Damage limitation for Delaney and his reputation internationally at this stage.

[danonion]

We're not going to the World Cup but I have a feeling something good might come out of the "extraordinary meeting".

I now hate on Henry. He took a way a fair chance for us to qualify and stole my World Cup and i'll never forgive him. I don't however give a rattling f if he gets suspended, it makes no difference to us now.

Maybe they will seed us in the next qualifiers or something. With the replay shot to pieces with about 30 seconds consideration I reckon that is the best thing for which we could hope.

Maybe I'm just dreaming but some good has to come out of this nightmare.