Happy now Blatter?
As long as it stayed at 1-0 in Paris, Ireland were tempting fate. Perhaps it is ludicrous to suggest that FIFA would adopt dark forces to ensure France qualified but in the light of the seeding fiasco, conspiracy theories are understandable. By Diarmaid Williams - 25/11/09
In a fit of pique last Thursday morning the Irish World contacted FIFA. We wouldn’t be so deluded to think that they would see sense and order the game to be replayed as a result of our strongly worded email.
However, there were two questions we did put to them. After all this Irish team had worked incredibly hard for the past two years in order to reach South Africa; it’s only right that there should be some acknowledgement of our collective pain.
After dispatching our missive, we heard no response, however a general notice was put out by FIFA on Monday (23rd November), which proclaims that an Extraordinary General Meeting will be held in December to discuss the incident, though a replay has been ruled out.’ We await their findings, which the FAI inform us they would be glad to contribute to ‘for the improvement of the game’ with baited breath.
The first question we asked is how will the officials at the game be evaluated as a result of this monstrous error (if it was a genuine error)? It seems a fair question. Will they be demoted as happened Premiership referee Mike Jones after the Liverpool beach ball incident, for example?
Secondly, and I know we’re getting a little pedantic now, but why does the official FIFA match summary have no recognition of the incident that led to Gallas’s goal. Surely the pivotal incident of the tie should be recorded accurately for posterity?
By the way, the UEFA account on their web site is even worse. It reads: “And so came extra time where in the eighth minute a hopeful France free-kick found its way to Henry, who squared for Gallas to head the goal that takes his country to South Africa.”
Is it possible that the person writing up this flagrant misrepresentation of an outrageous incident was French!?
The Swedish officials have even been made pariahs in their own country as a result of their decision. Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet read as follows on Thursday: “There are approximately 80 million Irishmen around the world. We guarantee they all feel pretty bad today. But I sincerely hope there are three Swedes that feel even worse. They are Martin Hansson and (referee’s assistants) Stefan Wittberg and Fredrik Nilsson.”
The report then concluded: “There will be no World Cup for Ireland and I assume that Team Hansson has also forfeited its right to continue to take charge of major international matches. Anything else would be a further insult to the Irish nation.”
Back home Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern demanded a replay from the governing body of world football. He said: “They probably won’t grant it as we are minnows in world football but let’s put them on the spot. It’s the least we owe the thousands of devastated young fans around the country. Otherwise, if that result remains, it reinforces the view that if you cheat you will win.”
John Delaney and the FAI were determined not to rest on the issue and in a press conference on Friday re-iterated a desire for a replay. The French were also being urged to be the ‘bigger man.’ But to no avail.
It emerged over the weekend that the French squad, alongside supporters were championing a replay but the epsiode closed after manager Raymond Domenech refused to budge. Privately FIFA had assured the Irish delegation that the fixture would have been replayed if the French had consented.
So because of Henry’s instict to cheat, the officials inability to officiate, and Domenech’s intransigence Ireland will not be appearing in South Africa next Summer. Yes, we should have taken our chances, that’s why it hurt even more. We left too many hostages to fortune and in the end Henry’s sleight of hand did for us.
The biggest shame of it all is how lacking in credibility FIFA’s commitment to Fair Play looks now. Trawling through Irish radio during the week, we heard one mother describing the grief of her ten year old son, on watching the manner of Ireland’s exit.
What message does the incident deliver to the youngster then? Cheating is acceptable as long as you don’t get caught? Seems to be the mantra some of our political and finacial classes have lived by over the years.
Finally, on Friday Roy Keane waded in to give his two cents. The Cork man may well have shot from the hip in his time and rightfuly pointed out the flaws in the Irish fottballing environment. But now you start to wonder, that despite the accuracy of his arrows in the past, if he is simply a crank.
With his own side conceding away goals dime a dozen and standing near the foot of the Championship what good did it do to dip his oar in such a grauitous way? No wonder his detractors have so much ammunition. The valid criticisms he has opined over the years could well be lost when placed beside such uneccessary, angry diatribes.
At the time of going to press we are still forlornly awaiting FIFA’s response to our questions. We can only presume they are inundated at the moment, which might account for the delay.
The bottom line remains the same. We are not going to South Africa.
For more on the fallout from the game in Paris, buy this week's Irish World at your local newsagents, or pick up a copy HERE from only 50p!
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