Ireland ask FIFA to be 33rd team in WC

1. Keane did handle the ball several times in the match, sometimes deliberately, sometimes accidently, but at all times he was punished for it, and you can be sure if he had scored a goal as a result it would have been disallowed.

2. I accept that the ref did not deliberately swing it for France. A combination of factors happened. He was unsighted by the malee of players in the penalty area, however having said that, he was very poorly positioned. I also think Henry took advantage of this poor positioning. The linesman was also probably watching for an offside and after that, that players who were returning from offside weren't interfering with play. Handballs in the penalty area are very rare, whereas offsides happen almost every attack, so he was focused on the offside.

3. While I am able to move on, the way I will always see the result is that France could not score a legitimate goal over 120 minutes and had to nick one illigimately. Henry showed no fair play, there are litterly tons of examples if you look up youtube of players holding up their hands when the ref gives a bad decision and saying to him immediately that it wasn't a penalty or a free or a yellow card.

4. It's ironic that while most people have moved on, the people who are still obsessed with this and dragging the issue up are those who keep saying the FAI are an embarrassment and all that. Maybe it's time for the 'move-on' brigade to actually, you know, move on themselves.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Absinthe

Fifa, favour the big teams, for example with the Groups for Qualifying, the seeding of those groups, and now the Seeding of the play-offs. (I agree you were shafted there).

But all this Fifa won't listen to us becasue we are small is just balls. Can anyone give an example in Football history where the result of a game has been declared null and void because of a decision on the pitch?

This is why the FAI as being viewed as idiots, they are not only asking for something that is logistically impossible, they are asking for a favour that no one else would ever or has ever asked for. Not even the English.

There is no conspiracy, the officials didnt see it, the goal stood and you are harshly out of the world cup. As I keep saying, thats football.

---

Don't know who or what you are, but this is mainly nonsense. Especially when you keep saying :rolleyes: 'we' and 'you. Not to mention factually incorrect.

Deal with FIFA's incompetence before you slag Ireland....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Emmet7

and you can be sure if he had scored a goal as a result it would have been disallowed.

---

Really?

Whats the Lotto numbers for tonight Nostradamus?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

Really?

Whats the Lotto numbers for tonight Nostradamus?

---

I'm moving on.

I have nothing to say on France V Ireland again. Goodbye.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Emmet7

I'm moving on.

I have nothing to say on France V Ireland again. Goodbye.

---

Waving the white flag?
What a wonderfully French way to end your participation.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Scooby Doo

Nobody asked you to moan for two years. The snide comments you made were misplaced.
And yes I do think that Ireland IS a great place, with some notable flaws but what country doesn't. Anyway grow up and consider some contributions of worth for next time rather than turning your nose up at those who offer differing opinions on fairly significant matter in world football.

---

You must be one of those top civil servants i keep hearing about:rolleyes:

Enjoy the world cup, I know I will anyway............................................ ..................:)

Is Davy Keogh not a Bohs fan? Hazy memory of meeting him after a match in Dalymount once.

(Agree other than that obviously)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Is Davy Keogh not a Bohs fan? Hazy memory of meeting him after a match in Dalymount once.

(Agree other than that obviously)

---

Reminds me of the banner the lads displayed in the Faroes to celebrate Davy's flight being unable to land due to fog and him missing the match :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

Reminds me of the banner the lads displayed in the Faroes to celebrate Davy's flight being unable to land due to fog and him missing the match :D

---

I was ridiculously hammered at the start of that match (weather sobered me up fairly quick though :p) - remind me again? Do remember a banner alright.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Is Davy Keogh not a Bohs fan? Hazy memory of meeting him after a match in Dalymount once.

---

Did he say hello?

Quote:

---

(Agree other than that obviously)

---

Never a truer word, I have never come across a LOI fan moan ad nauseum about the injustice of a bad decision affecting their club, an outrageous undeserved defeat due to a cheat or moan about the FAI administration of the league. The good fellowship of the LOI clubs and aspiration to win on the field of play is evident to all. Their good grace coming from a superior intelligence is an example to all people who aspire to be called supporters.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BYCTWD

A leprechaun suit wearer who gets to 6 games a year and reckons they are a 'charachter' and an expert on football and ridiculed by those who are actually involved in football. See Davy Keogh as an extreme example of the phenomenon. Generally lacking the actual football experience and intellegence to chalk a bad decision down and move on. Which LoI fans have no choice but to do.

---

what blinkered delusions of granduer LOI fans have. Davy Keogh is heavily involved in junior football week in / week out in this country as are a lot of other posters here. to me that contributes far more to real football in this county than a LOI supporter sitting in a stand somewhere patting himself on the back for being a "real fan" :rolleyes:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

I was ridiculously hammered at the start of that match (weather sobered me up fairly quick though :p) - remind me again? Do remember a banner alright.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tiktok

Did he say hello?

---

From memory, it was a hastily prepared banner that said something along the lines of
"Where the f**k is Davy Keogh?....... On the [47] bus"

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Is Davy Keogh not a Bohs fan? Hazy memory of meeting him after a match in Dalymount once.

(Agree other than that obviously)

---

Pretty sure he is - seen his famous flag in Dalymount a few times for League games.

Just think what the course of events might have been if Ollie Byrne (RIP) had been the CEO of the FAI and this had happened under his leadership.

:eek:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BYCTWD

But it is telling that most people still bleating on about this are the barstoolers.

Its a legitimate point.

---

sorry but how on earth do you know what their involvement in Irish football is?

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2009/1202/blatters.html

i think that proves the point i was making, the fai realise that people haven't seen through blatter and are making them and the country looks like fools. Good to release this statement and also the point about "commercial or otherwise" i.e. seeding done to ensure adidas etc dont miss out.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BYCTWD

A leprechaun suit wearer who gets to 6 games a year and reckons they are a 'charachter' and an expert on football and ridiculed by those who are actually involved in football. See Davy Keogh as an extreme example of the phenomenon. Generally lacking the actual football experience and intellegence to chalk a bad decision down and move on. Which LoI fans have no choice but to do.

---

Good that the Ole Ole'rs have people like you to inform them and set them straight.

Maith an fear.

Main thing that press release does for me is confirm that the FAI did moot the possibility ofa 33-team World Cup. Morons.

(And Blatter's a moron too)

Excellent reponse by the FAI.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2009/1202/blatters.html

i think that proves the point i was making, the fai realise that people haven't seen through blatter and are making them and the country looks like fools. Good to release this statement and also the point about "commercial or otherwise" i.e. seeding done to ensure adidas etc dont miss out.

---

Strong and dignified response by FAI.

Blatter's deliberate attempts to belittle our situation is despicable.

In hindsight, any request regarding the 33rd team, no matter how informal should not have arisen - but Blatter's ploy to use this to discredit us is infuriating.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spanner

In fairness though, things are discussed/suggested/thrown out there in meetings in general and are never recorded in minutes/summary documents.

The key things one might take out of the release are that the:

1. Request was not made formally in writing.
2. The meeting was held in private.

---

Absolutely. But the FAI sat down with FIFA and at one stage suggested this. What sort of idiot suggests increasing the World Cup to a ridiculously awkward figure when the real issue - i.e. a ban for Henry - has been completely overlooked.

the key to this, which no one has said yet, and the FAI could legally challenge on is if in the meeting they SPECIFICALLY asked that it not be recorded in the minutes, but unfrotunately im assuming they did since it was going to be brought up at the meeting, unless of course they were like "well we dont want it recorded in the minutes but can you see what the other delegates think".

Great response by the FAI. They really are taking on the bully in the playground here, who looks for those scared to approach him and just agree. letting this drag on for as long as possible is a good thing, lets just hope that the FAIs response is seen in as many quarters as Blatters reponse. Again unfortunately I doubt it.

God Id love to get in a room with a few of those delegates and blatter and challenge them on all fronts. They come across as petulant impulsive kids who missed out on their formative teenage years....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Absolutely. But the FAI sat down with FIFA and at one stage suggested this. What sort of idiot suggests increasing the World Cup to a ridiculously awkward figure when the real issue - i.e. a ban for Henry - has been completely overlooked.

---

Stu, dont know if you have any involvement on management committee or such, but you can request something not to be recorded in the minutes of a meeting, this goes back to spanners point above as well. The FAI never confirmed that they did or did not do this.

I can see it all now, blatter pushing a switch under the table that recorded delaney in the middle of saying informally that we be put in as a 33rd team and hoodwinks and smiles at delaney all the time. Then replays it 5 minutes before he stands in front of the room and regurgitates ad lib what delaney requested without actually mentioning the pretext to the dialogue.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BYCTWD

I heard there were over 20 possible scenarios discussed, of which this was one.

---

Where did you hear this? In the "LOI Supporters - No Room for inferior infidels that wave plastic hammers" forum?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

but you can request something not to be recorded in the minutes of a meeting

---

Mayhap, but I've no bothers with Blatter making a public fool out of Delaney, and I don't see why anyone else does either.

I'd love to hear the other solutions. Bump us up in seeding for the next World Cup? Pay us half the World Cup cash anyway?

Its just closing the stable door after the horse has bolted by the FAI. If they had came out with these 5 points a week ago they would had maintained their credibility. Complete joke of an association.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BYCTWD

Close. From a football journo. You might meet one or two and get talking to them if you can remove yourself from your barstool.

---

Unfortunately the games that i go to the journos are inaccessible, as are most of the players.

And before you come back with the obvious tired LOI retort, no I'm not talking about Ireland games.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BYCTWD

Close. From a football journo. You might meet one or two and get talking to them if you can remove yourself from your barstool.

---

in my experience a barstool is exactly where you will find most of our fottball journos..... allegedly

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BYCTWD

Long experience. The Ole Ole by definition shows up twice a year in his Man Utd jersey and demands world class football while refusing stoically to do anything to assist in its development.

And I smell them on this thread.

---

Had to laugh, me too - isnt it so obvious:p:)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BYCTWD

A leprechaun suit wearer who gets to 6 games a year and reckons they are a 'charachter' and an expert on football and ridiculed by those who are actually involved in football. See Davy Keogh as an extreme example of the phenomenon. Generally lacking the actual football experience and intellegence to chalk a bad decision down and move on. Which LoI fans have no choice but to do.

---

This comment and using the name of someone you obviously dont know shows you up to be a prize fool.

Davy would not be seen dead in a leprechaun suit

Davy is very heavily involved with Iveagh Celtic

Davy is a Bohs follower and a regualr at Dalymount

And having been talking to him after the match his attitude then was it's over, move on.

Davy was around, like myself, long before the Leprechauns and Ole brigade, so I suggest you crawl back under your LOI rightous blanket and stay there, or research your post better the next time.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BYCTWD

Close. From a football journo. You might meet one or two and get talking to them if you can remove yourself from your barstool.

---

Mods, can we please have a separate 'Fan Police' thread where whoevers wants to discuss the old 'What constitutes a real fan?' chestnut can do so without hijacking random threads on a regular basis as is currently the case? :rolleyes:

The hero of those rancid chestnut lovers, Sepp Blatter, hits the International sports pages again.
FAI- blattered but not broken

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by geysir

Never a truer word, I have never come across a LOI fan moan ad nauseum about the injustice of a bad decision affecting their club, an outrageous undeserved defeat due to a cheat or moan about the FAI administration of the league. The good fellowship of the LOI clubs and aspiration to win on the field of play is evident to all. Their good grace coming from a superior intelligence is an example to all people who aspire to be called supporters.

---

Ah now I wouldn't go that far.

That looks to be a fairly good response from the FAI. No one has any real idea in what context the request for the 33rd team was made, although its very mention left the FAI vulnerable to FIFA's response.


Too little too late it may be, but at least Blatter doesnt get away looking as smug.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Wolfie

Strong and dignified response by FAI.

Blatter's deliberate attempts to belittle our situation is despicable.

In hindsight, any request regarding the 33rd team, no matter how informal should not have arisen - but Blatter's ploy to use this to discredit us is infuriating.

---

Can't believe how people are buying this classic FAI back-tracking in their statement.


FAI today state the 33rd nation madness was 'explored only fleetingly' yet FIFA man makes it clear in his statement that it was an official request.


"Valcke said that, as Ireland had made an official request, the matter would have to go before Wednesday's organising committee meeting in Cape Town."


It was only after Blatter publicised the suggestion on Monday morning that the FAI decided to withdraw the request for it to be heard at Wed's convention.


There was no mention from Brady yesterday that the FAI withdrew this request.


The real issue here is that our overpaid and incompetent CEO went to meet Fifa and either he, or one of his colleagues who he's responsible for, was stupid enough to float this absurd idea.


The depiction of him in the Star as Oliver Twist begging was spot-on.

'This is a matter of the disciplinary committee and it's not a question of this player or another - it was a blatant unfair playing and was shown all around the world, but I don't know what the outcome will be.'

Basically, because we were found out and it went all over hte world we will have to do something to show that em our eh fair play thingie is still intact,however if you can get away with it and you aren't shown all around the world then its ok to cheat. Its all fair play like.

And they aren't going to implement 5 officials or use video technology for the world cup.

YA well done lads, the eejits on here saying ah sure delaney and co should have used it to lobby fifa or to make a lasting chagne. Fifa are a law onto themselves they do not care about a small country like ireland missing out on the world cup due to cheating. Get over it, ya i think its not a case of get over it, its a case of accept the hypocrisy of it all. The final chapter indeed.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

'This is a matter of the disciplinary committee and it's not a question of this player or another - it was a blatant unfair playing and was shown all around the world, but I don't know what the outcome will be.'

---

Did he do a little snigger at that point?

Very concise well written statement. However it won't get the pedestal Blatter got. We need to fight fire with fire. The Official Statement should be pinned to the back of a volotile inciting statement from a sacrificial lamb in the FAI, And by that I mean someone should openly question the integrity of Blatter and FIFA as a man and organisation. No requesting of replays or asking for anything..... No ambiguity. Straight out. Blatter is corrupt... FIFA is corrupt.. Addidas.. Mafia... Fat Cats... Greco Roman... back Scratching.. Henry's a coward.. And finish up by citing that Paris will not be the last example of the corruption of the game...

Then face the sanctions knowing they'll never work in an official cappacity in the sport again... I vote Don Givens..

I'm serious about the first paragraph though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dr_peepee

I'm serious about the first paragraph though.

---

I'm serious about the second...:D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

I'm serious about the second...:D

---

Ha!!:D There's many a true word said in jest!!!