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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!
Well between the 2 of them, it makes for one massive, messy session. :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy
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.
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"
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
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by jbyrne
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.
Or they were applauding how absolutely funny the idea is - much like after a stand up comic tells an extremely funny joke.Quote:
Originally Posted by jbyrne
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.Quote:
the real thing that everyone should be laughing at is fifas fair play moto which has been recently blown out of the water.
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.
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.Quote:
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
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.
says it all really..Quote:
Originally Posted by Réiteoir
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greenforever
All good in theory but the show is over. Damage limitation for Delaney and his reputation internationally at this stage.
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.
Nothing will come of the 33rd team except to make us look cheap and needy, like an ugly girl close to prom/graduation/debs night.
Henry will get a slap on the wrist and a cheeky smile from his mate Blatter, probably make a speech at the openeing ceremony about fair play to show the world that he really is a fair player and that it was all just a misunderstanding.
UEFA will lob us in with Spain, Holland, Real Madrid, Brazil's 1970 team & the Harlem Globetrotters in the European Qualifiers with all our games to be reffed by Hanson to show us who's really in charge.
How to fit 33 teams into a 32 team tournament?
Simple solution - stick us in the French group. That way .. we get our replay in South Africa and France get the chance to put the record straight.
FIFA changed the rules to suit the big teams for the playoffs ... so there is a precedent for changing things at the last minute.
don't know what to think about the whole shenanigans ... but might as well see where this is going to take us at this stage.
http://www.rte.ie/arts/2009/1201/bono.html
It gets better. Guess who's hopped on to the bandwagon now...
Don't like where this is going, it makes us look like we're begging for a place at the cup regardless of how ridiculous the reasoning is.
Nobody wants that, we want our fair chance to compete for a place and earn our place.
I'm withdrawing from the debate until Dana Rosemary Scanlon makes her position clear.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pauro 76
As the bold young Maurice from Cork once said "You can shove your World Cup up your arse"
Missionary, but only in the context of holy, sacred and apostolic matrimony. I do believe in fairytales and all kinds of everything while there's something cooking in the kitchen.Quote:
Originally Posted by tiktok
I saw the statement for the first time this am. In fact the more I think about it, the angrier I get.
No doubt he had a few cronies set up to giggle. Happy to get sympathy are we but you know what sympathy gets us....nothing but sympathy and yesterday's news like a bereavement. The family continues to feel the pain but everyone else moves on. "Poor Mick. He was unlucky to be knocked down. Now what's for breakfast, Maud?".
Any journalist worth his salt should have asked the following questions/statements:
(a) So Mr. Blabber, you find it amusing that Ireland should dare ask to be included in the WC when they were cheated out of a potential place?
(b) You think it funny that Ireland should ask to change the rules when you changed the rules for the play offs?
(c) You think it funny that you say the referee is to blame when you repeatedly have refused to have video technology?
(d)You think it funny that 15 thousand Irish people paid money to go to Paris to see their team cheated out of a potential world cup place?
(e) We think it funny that you should phone Thierry Henry to empathise with him?
(f) You have admitted that in a Junior game you cheated to score a goal as did Henry. Where does this leave FIFA's "Fair Play" initiative?
We in Ireland find the whole thing hilarious.
..add further as you see fit.
How dare that twerp laugh!!
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
Wouldn't FIFA be "cheating" by changing their rules to accomodate Ireland, regardless of how noble the cause?
Lets see how all you hypocrites riddle your way out of that one....
Make Emmet7 a mascot at next year's World Cup
We could drape him in the Fair Play flag and dress him up in Irish kit?
anyone....?