- Going to his 4th World Cup. Thierry Handry
The events at the Stade De Fraude yesterday have been dominating football today and rightly so. The UF email thread is so hot that my computer got up, walked over to the shower and stepped in. Now, there are many issues and questions to discuss and answer here, from “could Henry have owned up right after the goal” to “whats the future hold for old Terry Henry”.
Whether or not Henry intended to touch the ball the first time, and I can give him ‘instinct’ as an excuse, the second time could not have been more calculated or intentional if he wrote a note before hand and stuck it on Richard Dunne’s forehead. It was a deliberate attempt to get the ball under control and create a goal. He knew what he was doing during the act and was well aware what he had done afterwards.
First of all, lets just say that the referee and the linesman are a disgrace to humanity, not just football. How they both missed such a thing will be a mystery forever, unless you are in the FIFA conspiracy camp, then you know that Sepp Blatters mind rays blinded them both temporarily. But its just not that simple. There is plenty here to dissect and I have plenty to say on the matter, so use your fingers in the right way and click ‘read more’.
So A: The referee has been influenced or B: He’s not fit to ref. Every Irishman in the box turned in unison and pointed to their arm but to no avail as A or B are in play. What’s next? Fair play and the game I love, that’s what.
While Henry clearly decided to cheat with that second touch and created a goal, many have suggested that he did what anyone would do and that the ref is responsible for spotting it. If that’s the case then football is proper f**cked. Every week, in every league, in every country in the world, crosses are pumped into the box, players try to win them and no one pulls a Henry. Its just not part of the game. League One refs are probably drunk, Colaship refs are short sighted and Premier League refs all screw up, but this just does not happen. Why? Because in the UK Its not excusable. I cannot remember one incident in all these years.
The reprecutions of cheating and of this incident are going to be never ending and could affect the game that you and I dearly love. If this act goes unpunishable then its sending the message that its ok to do what Henry did. Cue every Tom, Dick and Thierry across the world as they handle the ball with the ref behind them. It sends the message that cheating is ok. It makes handling the ball an art form like diving.
Diving is now punishable after the fact by review. FIFA and the FA have told us clearly, “con the ref with intent and a ban is coming!” Really? But deceiving the ref by using your hands is OK? Thats a fantastic message to send to every honest kid playing football this weekend. Its OK, Henry didn’t get punished so it must be fine!
Quite frankly FIFA are such a disgraceful amateur outfit of inconsistent windbags, I cannot fathom how they have been able to get away with it for so long. Platini and Blatter have been quiet today haven’t they? Don’t expect to hear from either of them. Platini probably had a chuckle before declaring that its not UEFA’s problem for him to discuss and thanking God for that fact.
- ..and here come the knicks, what?
What about the aftermath. Many have suggested that after the goal went in, Henry had some time to approach the ref and own up, cancel the goal out and do the right thing. Yeah, he could have done the right thing…He didn’t. Now some people will suggest that he didn’t because of the magnitude of the moment. Anyone would do that wouldn’t they Ned? In that situation? Well not me. I will say that the moment was HUGE and not fessing up at that time is not necessarily a judgment on Henry’s character. A character that has brought so much to football over a super career. If it was Rooney Ned, would you feel the same? Yes. I absolutely, categorically, without a shadow of a doubt would be disgusted. I find cheating in football one of the most repulsive, outrageous misgivings on offer in LIFE. I love football and when some cheating little oik ruins it for the paying fan, I get very angry. When its Norwich or England I become unreasonably enraged.
I really can never see any Englishman doing this (or an American for that fact). I really can’t. If it ever happens then I would champion a replay, and want the responsible individual dropped from the national team. I would hate to win by cheating. I would be ashamed. Everyone who knows me can testify to my deep seated hatred for one Andrew Johnson, an Englishman currently at Fulham. I’ve even expressed my dislike here on the blog a few times. Why do I hate Mr, Johnson? Because he is a diving cheat. Those who know me can also testify to me never ever wanting to see him represent my country, and after a brief appearance under McClaren I am glad he is not within a mile of the England squad.
Cheating just sucks! It spoils the beautiful game for everyone involved. So back to T.H, he didn’t do the right thing for one reason or another. Ok. Whats next?
Legacy. 24 years ago Maradona broke English hearts and made a name for himself. He was a superb player but to this very day his name conjures up the image of ‘the hand of God’. Henry will be the same. He has spoiled a fantastic career with one terrible moment of cheating. It will follow him like flies on stink. He will appear next to Maradona in the book of cheats. Today Mr Henry has appeared in news briefs all over the world. CNN, ABC news, he has been doing the rounds and yesterday’s cavalcade of whimsy has now sealed his fate in world football history. Gillette commercials? Forget it pal, people don’t hire cheats. That certainly ain’t the ‘best a man can get’.
Plain and simple, Henry is a cheat. Regardless of an excuse for the first touch, instinct, a touch of the crazies? Regardless of the moment being ‘too big’ for him to ‘do the right thing’, Henry is a cheat. He handled the ball with the intention of setting himself up. He won the game and now France are at the World Cup.
The truth is that Thierry Henry’s actions are a huge shame for and upon the name of football. Shame for him, awesome career now flushed down the pan. Shame for the Irish, there is nothing worse than being wronged in football with so much at stake (I know all about that!). Shame for people that respected Henry as a footballer and for all those kids that looked up to him. Shame for football fans everywhere as players will now try this against your team knowing they can get away scott free should it come off. Shame all round.
What Henry did is highlight every thing that is wrong with international football, but on the big stage for all to see. Dishonest play, it spoils the game and just plain sucks. I really hope that something happens here, a replay, a ban, something. If nothing comes from this then football is on a slippery slope heading somewhere it really shouldn’t go and somewhere no one wants it to be. Our wonderful game, set to disappoint us again and again. Shame.
‘Win if you can, lose if you must, but always cheat.’ Or ‘If you’re not cheating, you’re not trying.’
The handball was troubling enough, but his justification for it in post-match interviews was even more deplorable. In my mind this “I’m not the referee, it’s not my responsibility” shit paints him into an even deeper corner. To grossly exaggerate his logic, if he were to run over a kid in the street would he simply say “I’m not a cop; it’s not my job to police me”?
It is your responsibility. Period. And you failed. May it stay with you forever.
Well said and from a gooner. I stabbed my wife but I didn’t get caught so fucg it, deal.
Bergkampesdios: World Cup winner, European Champion, Champions League winner, EPL winner (and Invincible), FA Cup winner, La Liga Winner, Copa Del Rey winner, and probably some others.
I’m am hugely bummed out by the blatant handball. But something tells me that, outside the Emerald Isle, this is nothing but a footnote to Henry’s legacy.
I would like to see a replay for three reasons
1) it would be the correct thing to do and FIFA could actually show some testicular fortitude for once
2) It would save Henry’s reputation since he was once (already using past tense!) a striker known for his breakaway speed, intelligence, and composure under pressure that made him one of the greats
3) people would stop talking about how this will ruin the moral fiber of the game. There’s so many other issues revolving around the “moral fiber of football” and this is being blown out of proportion. How much worse is this than any dive for a penalty other than it was on a much larger stage
I bet not PR. Think Maradona, firstthing you see? Hand of God. This will be no different. And Maradona was amuch better player than Henry.
Ned – I think you’re right. It is a shame. As an unabashed Henry supporter (he and Bergkamp are the only reasons I ever began watching Arsenal back in the 90s), what he did last night was beyond disappointing, chiefly because the second touch was so cynical that it fundamentally changed my perspective on Henry.
But (that evil little word), I cannot disavow my support of Henry. While disappointed by yesterday’s actions, I can’t help but see Henry in a more human light. This incident stands in stark contrast to all the times his play has delighted me. But I have to accept both sides of him – denying one aspect of him means denying all aspects.
I don’t mean for this to be overwrought, but I’ve been dealing with text messages from buddies all day re: Henry the Cheat, so I’ve thought about it a lot.
Robbo Robson has pretty much the same take
I think that FIFA is fucking thrilled, but I still think it is more about incompetence and cowardice on the ref staff’s part, because if it were that they were in the bag for Les Douchés, they would have (WRONGLY) given Anelka that penalty.
Side note. For the biggest sporting event in the world, the WC has one of the worst and most minuscule trophies.
To Clemantona’s 3… Every other minute of every game a player is walking up the touch line 10 yards from where the spot of a throw in should be. It’s cheating, isn’t it? Almost never gets called. Bet even Norwich players do it. So why no outrage there?
Defenders in the ‘wall’ creeping toward the kicker on set pieces. No outrage there either. Really, players are constantly pushing the limits of what’s allowable.
How many balls has EBJT defended by turning his back and throwing his arms wide in an attempt to block a shot but not get called for a deliberate handball? It’s like his signature move. Never gets called on it.
Really, it was blatant yesterday. And it’s sad to see it from Henry, who is a fucking legend. But all of the faux moral outrage is laughable.
He broke a rule. He got away with it. Happens all the time. Sure it’s magnified because of the stage, but football isn’t ‘proper fucked.’
All I had to read was the headline and I knew exactly who had written this diatribe.
Let’s just remember guys: we’re just talking about soccer. It’s not like he killed the president.
I still think the spray that lasts for a minute to make the ten yard line for free kicks is a great idea, granted I got shouted down on here for it.
Ned: I hate to be the one to tell you this, but to most every non-English person on the planet, the Hand of God goal is just a strange bit of history of the game, and not an unforgivable crime against humanity. It’s forever attached to Maradona, but his legacy outside the Union Jack is more “human coke vacuum’ than “mano de Dios.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kme2xaGi49A
Clearly, no Englishman would ever intentionally handle the ball, especially not to try to score.
Georger: Ever seen the spray used in South America? It’s awesome and it works. I am also pro-spray.
I’ve long thought Henry was a dick, so maybe that’s why I don’t think this is going to ruin the sport or anything like that. I think the bigger issue is that something like this which was so blatant was missed in one of the biggest games of the year. Cheating isn’t new, but the ability to implement the technology the combat it is (to an extent, see: goal judges in hockey during 1800s). What it comes down to is that there is not a single viable argument for the repeated dismissal of a solution to the problem by FIFA or UEFA or the League of Underwater Nations or any of the governing bodies.
PR – Just alluding to the constant stabbings, rioting, throwing flares at goalies, etc..
you know, the times people get physically hurt and not their fragile moral psyches
PR yeah I think that was where I saw it used, way back when y’all had a post on it and the consensus seemed to be that it was a bad idea.
@Georger: Ottorini Barassi did not – DID NOT – hide the Jules Rimet Trophy under his bed so the Nazis wouldn’t find it, for you to make a size joke.
georger – i also have never been an henry fan because of everytime he talks he’s lying and being fake humble.
I can’t see how they could possibly justify not introducing some penalty box/goal line refereeing to this sport at this point
I also wish everyone was more like Cantona
Great video of Scholes there Nick. Whether Ned can actually see this or not is debateable.
Meanwhile, whether I can actually spell or not is clearly visible.
I agree with Bertin on this. Right down to “cocaine” being my word association with “Maradona”
Man lay off the refs. I’m a ref and I feel like hanging up my whistle and letting you do it from now on. If you think that it’s soo easy anyone can do it perfectly than you don’t need us, we’ll go fuck off and you can go ref these games.
@Dustin: I think you may be taking the ref criticism in the wrong vein. I think the majority of us commentators don’t think the refs necessarily do a bad job, but that FIFA should provide them with more help to get the calls right.
@ef, to a lesser extent, Dustin: naaaaaaah. The ref’s always just a wanker in black (unless one of the teams is wearing black)
Dustin you should lay off the blog commentors. I’m a blog commentor and I feel like hanging up my keyboard and letting you fill the threads with vaguely legible rants about Spurs and how much Bob Bradley sucks. If you think it’s soo easy to drum up this level of vitriol about a mid-table team and a coach who is in likelihood and android sent back into time destroy USMNT and kill John Connor, and that you don’t need us, then I’ll go fuck off and you can fill the threads with inane one-liners.
@Dustin: I was a ref once. It is tough. I don’t think anybody denies this. But, if you are paid to be the best refs on the highest levels, you are open to criticism and missing a blatant handball warrants criticism. Moreover, FIFA and the FAs should be doing something to give the refs more support to make sure mistakes do not happen.
Are you a FIFA ref? If not, shut the fuck up.
Though I’m sure Dustin was on the short list to “ref these games.”
@Georger: Bad day?
One of the parts that’s getting overlooked about this is that, aside from the one moment of madness, the referee was actually quite good.
As for the Maradona comparisons, I don’t really see it. Henry admitted it after the game; Maradona claimed divine intervention. Whether or not you feel Henry’s contriteness was real or feigned (or a little from column A and a little from column B), Maradona was openly proud of his punch.
As for the spray, the last I had heard was that it damaged the pitches. Has that changed?
Nope, good day actually. One of my pet peeves, people on sports blogs who associate with the referees of the biggest games if they’ve ever done reffing in their lives. The argument of “hey it’s hard, screw you, you do it” also is horrible, you took the job, fucking do it right.
“Whether or not you feel Henry’s contriteness was real or feigned (or a little from column A and a little from column B), Maradona was openly proud of his punch.”
Henry celebrated and took a lap of honor.
I’m sure driving a city bus is a pain in the ass, but if a bus driver plows into a group of special-ed kids, people don’t defend him with “hey, I’ve driven a bus, why don’t you try it before you critcize?”
Granted, what this ref did is much worse than running over kids.
don’t ever change, Georger, you curmudgeonly bastard
Well I can promise you this: I’ll only change for the worse.
@Eladio. But I love it so!
@Nick. I eat the humble pie sir, Dirty Scholes! He is off my Xmas card list. I also concede that Gerrard dives from time to time after just reviewing some vids so fuck him, England would have to do without him with me as the gaffer. Any more hand ball goal attempts I have missed/long forgotten? Can’t be many, if any.
Say goodbye to Rooney then too Ned.
That Scholes goal was epic, and to his credit (God I feel dirty) at least he didn’t celebrate.
How did you view Zidane’s headbutt then? Is that not cheating? It was on an even larger stage, the largest stage. And it is true, now when people look back Maradona=hand of god, Zidane=headbutt, Henry=hand of fraud. But players cannot be responsible for bad calls by referees or non-calls. Every weekend there are blown calls or bad calls resulting from player deception, IT IS PART OF THE GAME. Its part of every sport. Should Johnny Evans have told the ref he drop kicked Drogba? Should Eduardo have told the ref he wasn’t touched? I know intent is the issue here and I don’t condone any of these acts, but we can’t expect players to police themselves. With everything that is at stake today ($$ mainly) its naive to expect players to call their own fouls.
“Henry celebrated and took a lap of honor.”
Yes, but not related to the point I was making. Anyway, Diego yelled at his teammates to come celebrate with him to help con the referee.
I’m saying it was feigned, otherwise he probably wouldn’t have done that. Still, Maradona wasn’t exactly beloved even before that game right? Henry may have some serious detractors in Spain and Portugal based on WC06, but he wasn’t really seen as a villain before this, so you’re right about not seeing the comparison fitting.
he was all over the news today, on canadian tele! he will forever be the handball dude like zidane is the headbutting dude
Wow…you know this is big when PTI leads off with it.
Meh, I stopped liking Henry after this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwOq9VRwzho&feature=related
Ha, Eladio, thought the same thing, though I attribute it more to Tony Kornheiser being rabid for any opportunity to shit all over soccer. If Jim Rome still had a TV show (does he?) I’m sure it would have been his opening monologue as well. Those jackals never miss a beat.
Agreed, JT. Just a chance for TK to trumpet his
myopic jingoismignorance./Fixeded?
Shit. Open tag. My fault. I guess that’s what I get for using my hands on a soccer blog.
I think everyone should get over it. The only reason there are referees at all is because everyone cheats, whether it’s little bumps and elbows in the box during a corner, playing on when the ball has just crossed out of bounds, or a handball. This just happens to be a very obvious, and cruel incident, and though it sucks for the Irish (and I’d be very mad if the same fate befell the U.S.), I think that the capacity that football has for the unexpected is what makes it so great.
If only there were a few Irishmen on Barca (not that its likely to happen anytime soon), but how uncomfortable would that locker room be after this debacle? Like when Friday happy hour leads to…Uncomfortable Monday
Nick, I’ll forward your response to the FAI. I’m sure they’ll see the light.
@UIKhandolt
I see your point, I really do. Evans speared Drogba while attacking the ball, sure ref should have called. ZZ incident was off the ball and regardless of whether the ref saw, which he did, he was screwed after the game as there was no way he was escaping punishment. In TH’s case Fifa are silent, there is no punishment coming and thats wrong.
Again, just like in the Eduardo incident, we’re left with retroactive harsh punishments for infractions that, if caught during the game, would merely warrant a yellow card. It seems wrong to selectively punish people for the ref’s mistakes.
“There was one match against Georgia where Ireland got a penalty and it was one of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen which changed the whole course of the game. I don’t remember the FAI after the game saying we should give them a replay.
“I’d focus on why they didn’t clear it (the free-kick). I’d be more annoyed with my defenders and my goalkeeper than Thierry Henry. How can you let the ball bounce in your six-yard box? How can you let Thierry Henry get goal-side of you? If the ball goes into the six-yard box, where the hell is my goalkeeper?”
/KEANE’D
Yes, how indeed could they POSSIBLY let offside players get past them.
God, Roy Keane sucks at life.
Nick, the same fate did befall the US. Remember the 2002 quarters against Germany?
Roy Keane’s had an axe to grind with FAI for some time, as he believes, inexplicably that Corkmen are treated poorly by the national team. There are some that believe it’s him that got into Stephen Ireland’s head (himself a Corkman), and dissuaded him from even trying to get back into the national side. Couple that with the fact that Keane also seems to assume the manager’s spot with the national side is his God-given right, and anything Roy Keane says about FAI should be taken with a fucking salt mine.