French Federation say “Non” to Irish pleas for replay

Sportspeak understands that Ireland’s slim hopes of a replay against the French are now dead and buried. As was widely expected the French Football Federation (FFF) has dismissed the Republic of Ireland’s request for a replay of their controversial World Cup play-off game.

The Republic pleaded for the French to offer a rematch after Fifa ruled that the result would stand.
France skipper Thierry Henry, who handled the ball in the build-up to the winning goal, had earlier said a replay would “be the fairest solution”.

But the FFF released a statement ending any hope of the game being replayed.

With the decisive World Cup qualifying tie finely poised at 1-1 in the first half of extra-time, Barcelona striker Henry twice handled a long ball into the area before squaring for William Gallas to bundle home the eventual winner.

“The FFF understands the disappointment and bitterness of the Irish players, management and supporters,The federation never sought to deny the refereeing error which saw the equalising French goal allowed.

At the end of the match and because French football itself has suffered in the past by events of a similar nature, the FFF management expressed their regrets and sympathy to their Irish counterparts. During matches, decisions are taken by the referee and these decisions are final. As a result, the result of the match cannot be changed and the match cannot be replayed.

The Fifa decision is binding and applies to both federations.”

The controversial goal has led to former Arsenal forward Henry being labelled a “cheat” by parts of the media and suggestions by ex-players and pundits that his reputation would be tainted. “Naturally I feel embarrassed at the way that we won and feel extremely sorry for the Irish who definitely deserve to be in South Africa,There is little more I can do apart from admit that the ball had contact with my hand leading up to our equalising goal and I feel very sorry for the Irish. I have said at the time and I will say again that yes I handled the ball. I am not a cheat and never have been. It was an instinctive reaction to a ball that was coming extremely fast in a crowded penalty area. As a footballer you do not have the luxury of the television to slow the pace of the ball down 100 times to be able to make a conscious decision. People are viewing a slow motion version of what happened and not what I or any other footballer faces in the game. If people look at it in full speed you will see that it was an instinctive reaction. It is impossible to be anything other than that. I have never denied that the ball was controlled with my hand. I told the Irish players, the referee and the media this after the game.”

Henry’s former manager Arsene Wenger echoed the frontman’s thoughts, adding that the incident furthered the case for video technology to be used in future.

“Football accepts that a billion people see it, one guy doesn’t see it, and yet it is the one who prevails. It cannot work,At the game, I saw the referee giving a goal knowing that something was wrong and that is really sad.

“In the end, he gave a goal already knowing that it wasn’t a goal. We cannot accept that in our sport and you have to do something about it. The referee didn’t see it, I can understand that, the linesman didn’t see it, but they couldn’t get any help.

“For the sense of justice it is quite embarrassing to see. I think even France is embarrassed. We didn’t play well at all and we won the game and won the qualification with a goal that was not a goal.”

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson also advocated the use of video technology to resolve such issues. “The stance is that Fifa prefers human decision-making rather than technology decision-making and until they change their mind there is nothing you can do about it – you have to convince them, nobody else,” said the Scot.

“It is not a matter of asking every player and manager in the world their opinion because they will all share the same one, as I do myself, that technology can play a part and can help referees in a situation like the other night.”

Bob "The Voice" McKenzie Twitter: @BobTheVoice About: