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....

[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
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=c...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

[Noelys Guitar]

Here is the interview
http://www.skysports.com/video/inlin...734974,00.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.