World Cup 2010

[Langeveldt]

Port Elizabeth hosted their first game at the new World Cup stadium last week, against Japan.. Apparently it went very well, the organizers gave it 8 out of 10.. I didn't get to the game, but apparently the stadium was impressive and everything went smoothly, parking was terrible, but they are still upgrading the main road to the stadium and the bus link.. I think the worst thing about the world cup is likely to be the plastic vuvuzela trumpets that deafened all my friends who did make it to the game.. Wish someone would ban them..

 

[Uppercut]

Well despite knowing that the two aforementioned players are obviously both in the league of the very greatest footballers that have ever lived, I still associate both of them with their misdemeanours. I think the same will go for Henry.

Yeah, the impact on those two players wouldn't have been anywhere near as much anyway. Zidane always had the persona of a slightly mad footballing genius (it wasn't exactly the first time he'd been sent off in his career) and Maradona came across as a cheeky little bloke anyway. Thierry Henry spent his whole career, deliberately or otherwise, forging a reputation as a great sportsman who played the game in the right spirit. In one moment, rightly or wrongly, that's all gone.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Yeah, the impact on those two players wouldn't have been anywhere near as much anyway. Zidane always had the persona of a slightly mad footballing genius (it wasn't exactly the first time he'd been sent off in his career) and Maradona came across as a cheeky little bloke anyway. Thierry Henry spent his whole career, deliberately or otherwise, forging a reputation as a great sportsman who played the game in the right spirit. In one moment, rightly or wrongly, that's all gone.

"Fat, drug-addled, mentally-unbalanced cheat" a much better fit.

 

[sledger]

Well despite knowing that the two aforementioned players are obviously both in the league of the very greatest footballers that have ever lived, I still associate both of them with their misdemeanours. I think the same will go for Henry.

I agree with this, regarding Zidane and Maradona. Don't think Henry will go down in quite the same way though. If this had happened in a knock out tie in the World Cup itself then I would probably agree. But I think this one will just be forgotten about over the course of time. Nobody remembers much about the play-off games, or generally qualification at all. Unless of course Henry goes on an amazing hot streak and wins France the tournament, that would be pretty funny, not to mention controversial. But yeah, I think the most likely outcome is that this will go down as a small blemish on an otherwise well remembered career, rather than an incident that made him infamous and tarnished his legacy.

 

[Uppercut]

Not where I'm from

 

[sledger]

Not where I'm from

Haha, yeah tbf I don't expect he will ever be thought of the same way in Ireland again, nor the UK for that matter. Imagine most people in continental Europe will probably have forgotten this in a few years time though, probably.

 

[nightprowler10]

HE GRABBED THE BALL, GUIDED IT ONTO HIS FOOT TO SEND HIS COUNTRY TO THE WORLD CUP. WHILST BEING THE CAPTAIN OF HIS COUNTRY.

What the **** kind of reaction did you expect?!

"oh lol look at that, good onya thierry! you're a right old chap!"

Meh, people should've seen it coming. French crowned handball champions

 

[sledger]

BBC Sport - Football - Irish ask Fifa for France replay

Hmm, not that they have a cat in hells chance, but I wish them all the best in this.

 

[GIMH]

The words 'dangerous precedent' spring to mind

Of course, there was that time with Arse and Sheff U

 

[Jarquis]

BBC Sport - Football - Irish ask Fifa for France replay

Hmm, not that they have a cat in hells chance, but I wish them all the best in this.

Been turned down already IIRC.

Edit : Yee http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/nov/19/thierry-henry-fifa-rematch-ireland-france

 

[Craig]

BBC Sport - Football - Irish ask Fifa for France replay

Hmm, not that they have a cat in hells chance, but I wish them all the best in this.

“There is precedent for the invalidation of such results. In 2005, the Bureau of the FIFA World Cup organising committee reached a decision to invalidate the result of a World Cup qualification match between Uzbekistan and Bahrain on the basis of a "technical error by the referee of the match".

Trap's Ireland demand replay - footballitalia.net

Like I said yesterday, Gilardino had a 'Hand of God' moment in Serie A for Fiorentina and he scored and later given 5 games by the FIGC (Italian FA) on the sidelines to think about what he did. I hope Henry gets a ban, but that it includes competitive internationals, not pointless games against Luxembourg or Latvia.

 

[Scaly piscine]

I agree with this, regarding Zidane and Maradona. Don't think Henry will go down in quite the same way though. If this had happened in a knock out tie in the World Cup itself then I would probably agree. But I think this one will just be forgotten about over the course of time. Nobody remembers much about the play-off games, or generally qualification at all. Unless of course Henry goes on an amazing hot streak and wins France the tournament, that would be pretty funny, not to mention controversial. But yeah, I think the most likely outcome is that this will go down as a small blemish on an otherwise well remembered career, rather than an incident that made him infamous and tarnished his legacy.

Not to mention about as likely as me winning a Nobel Peace Prize.

 

[GIMH]

 

[Uppercut]

“There is precedent for the invalidation of such results. In 2005, the Bureau of the FIFA World Cup organising committee reached a decision to invalidate the result of a World Cup qualification match between Uzbekistan and Bahrain on the basis of a "technical error by the referee of the match".

That's interesting.

But no. FIFA make every possible effort to ensure that countries like France go to the World Cup at the expense of countries like Ireland because it's considered better for the tournament. Hence all draws in every stage of the tournament are fixed (I think the technical term is "seeding"). They've got exactly what they want so they're not changing anything.

 

[sledger]

The words 'dangerous precedent' spring to mind

Of course, there was that time with Arse and Sheff U

Tbf that was offered to Sheff Utd rather than the FA enforcing a replay. For the reasons stated by Uppercut there is no way that Fifa will do anything to alter the result. Even if they did award a replay I really couldn't see Ireland getting the result they needed anyway, but that is a fairly moot point.

 

[Craig]

That's interesting.

But no. FIFA make every possible effort to ensure that countries like France go to the World Cup at the expense of countries like Ireland because it's considered better for the tournament. Hence all draws in every stage of the tournament are fixed (I think the technical term is "seeding"). They've got exactly what they want so they're not changing anything.

Trapattoni realises that is no chance of happening, but rather so this doesn't happen again.

 

[irfan]

Not to mention about as likely as me winning a Nobel Peace Prize.

Heard you just have to be US president TBF

 

[grecian]

Hmm, the English press and particularly the Scum, may make me do a flip-plop on this entire Henry thing soon.

 

[Burgey]

Terrible from Henry. Brings back the bad memories from 06 for me tbh. Absolutely dire stuff.

 

[sledger]

Hmm, the English press and particularly the Scum, may make me do a flip-plop on this entire Henry thing soon.

Haha, the thought had crossed my mind as well tbh.