Video Referee

I think that this should be introduced into football and not in the same fashion as in rugby but in a more suttle manner.  Say there is an incodent such as a headbutt and neither the referee or the assistant seen it, then the video referee will alert the referee that it has happened and appriopriate action can be taken. This also helps in ruling goals either onside or offside. Each manager can also call apon the use of the video referee 3 times in a match if he feels that a decision was unfair on his team.

Overall i think that this would not effect the pace of games and improve the fairness of the decisions

I dont know in hindsight it sounds like a good idea but it would slow the game down dramatically.Imagine in a match both coaches use all 3 decisions, that would require play to stop 6 times. I dont know it is just to slow IMO.

I'm all for the video ref. And i like the idea of maybe just 3 decisions per match. They use it ridiculously in Rugby League. I wouldnt want it to go that far.

I certainly don't think that managers should be allowed to call upon the video referee, it would be a complete shambles IMO! And as Dadorious said the game would be slowed down far too much.

I would be entirely for a video referee who could be called upon by the referee on the pitch, or who could alert the referee to actions going on "behind his back". The only problem is that it would go out of control and the matches would end up looking like a game of American football, stopping every 15 seconds or so! The intention is good - to control fairly events that are difficult to call by the naked eye - but in reality the pressure on referee's nowadays is so high that after a few weeks they would be falling back on the video referee's decision for every foul, not just the controversial ones.

but in reality the pressure on referee's nowadays is so high that after a few weeks they would be falling back on the video referee's decision for every foul, not just the controversial ones.

Yeah, thats a great point

Yeah, thats a great point

Cheers! I think the idea of using a video referee is the fairest possible one, but in reality I think it would have a terrible impact upon the pace of the game so shouldn't be brought into effect.

3 per team per match. Same system as hawk eye in tennis, if you get it right you get to keep that challenge and if its incorrect, you lose one. Works good and gets the crowd into it. Has my vote if its run like that.

I like the idea of having a video ref basically reviews any controvesial decisions. How long does it take Andy Gray, Martin Tyler or yourself to decide what the decision should have been once you've seen a good camera angle? The answer is not very long on most occasions. Say for instance we take the David Healy goal or not goal against Middlesbrough earlier in the season. It would have taken the video ref less then 10 seconds to see that it was a goal, the play could have continued until the ref got a word in his ear saying that was a goal.

Other decisions it may not work with but that has to be the basis of a god video ref system, allowing the play to go on until known otherwise.

I do like the idea of a challenge system too haha

After a great win for us at Everton yesterday some of the decisions made by that knob reilly the sending off nandos third goal disallowed, with a video replay it wouldn't of happened,
yesterdays games showed how important a part video replays would be, the mancs pen, blackburns first goal offside, like every week there's something but the fa says if they were to bring it in you would have to have it in all divisions even sunday league games , wtf that says kop out to me.

games are won and lost on some of these decisions ,so if the refs cant do it you need some other way as don  said on "goals on sunday" anything in the 18 yard box can be reviewed the forth official looks at the decision on video then tells the ref over his headset that he got it right or wrong.
with so much money involved this has to happen. 
what do you think?

NO! I have seen video replays ruin the domestic game i love (rugby league). It wastes time, it attracts criticism of different refs, it slows the pace of the game, brings technology into a game where it has survived hundreds of years without and if we bring this in, it will lead to other forms of technology peeping its head into our game. First its video replays, then what? Challenges?

Sure they make howlers but its not as frustrating as having some knob in a box taking 5 minutes on one decision. Sure some could agrue it would lead to more correct decisions but it is shown in league that it doesnt. Just creates more problems of people trying to make an imperfect game perfect when it cant be done and shouldnt even be thought of trying.

what about the electronic  device on page 31 of the Sunday Mirror, if the whole ball crosses the line apparently the goalposts flash. And is going to be trialed by Celtic in training . any one Else seen this ?

No not for me - decisions tend to even themselves out over a season anyway.

Plus how can you allow for moments like yesterday, when the decision to allow Torres goal was to do with Kuyt and whether or not he caused an infringement.
To look back at an incident like that would take too long. Plus would video replays be available at all levels of football?

Not for me either

Push come to shove at most goal line technology to establish if the ball has crossed the line, as for Video replays no way it would totally kill the game.

I don't think video replays but certainly goal line technology.

Not for me either

Push come to shove at most goal line technology to establish if the ball has crossed the line, as for Video replays no way it would totally kill the game.

i agree 100%

goal line technology would clear up situations like that stupid 'goal' at watford last week, and there have been occasions when the ball has crashed down of the underside of a crossbar, and the refs haven't a clue if its gone in or not, only for sky to show it had/hadn't from one of their 50 cameras.

but if you start stopping everytime you're not happy with a descision, the games would never be finished.  footballers contest most of a refs descisions anyway, were do you draw the line on a video ref??  and as one of the lads asked, would it be brought in at all levels??

a lot of the weekends debates over the football are centred around refs dodgy descisions anyway, if we used the video ref, we'd have less to moan about.  although having said that, i still say rob styles is a w**ker for giving the scum that pen!

at the end of the day it's swings and roundabouts.  best to leave it as it is.

Ok so being a ref in the premier league is a difficult job, but should it be allowed to be a title or relegation deciding role, simple answer no.My personal  feelings tonight is that Howard Webb has handed the opportunity to manure to win the premiership title to the redsh*te with his obviously penalty award which changed the game against Pompey. This can't be right, so give us a reprise situation as in ruby league, where within 30 seconds someone detached from the emotion of the game can give a revised view of events on the field. Sometimes it works for you and sometimes against, but it at least should remove the perceived bias toward certain clubs. What do you all think?

Referee blunders over the years have cost teams premiership survival, title..... and all aims....

Big decisions like pens, red cards, goal line, should be refered to a 5th official who should give the signal to the ref.

From my angle it looks as though its a penalty. But nevermind, this game aside.

Referee blunders, like Singh said, is really gonna cost us and the other teams. Its only fair. I reckon the referee should still take charge of all things etc etc, but the managers can have their say by having 3 appeals in a game. And this is where the video technology comes into place.

Would definitely add fire to a EPL game, more excitment and at the same time, mistakes cut out I reckon.

We need 5 judges sitting beside the 4th official

I am not sure the technology is going to be the answer, because even after people have had a chance to watch the replay in slow motion a dozen times, there is still debate going on about whether it was a penalty, or not a penalty. I remember a penalty incident that denied Australia a chance to play in the quarter finals of the World Cup when Lucas neil was penalised for bringing down an Italy player in the last minute of normal time.

Replays showed that Lucas Neil was laying on the ground and made no movement whatsoever toward the forward, but the forward dragged his foot onto Neils body as he jumped over him inducing his own fall. Even to this day people still debate whether it was a penalty or not a penalty, and ultimately that decision led to Italy going on to win the World Cup. How much bigger can you get?

I watched the incident at Old Trafford yesterday and the Spurs keeper touched the ball, but then with his natural positioning made contact with Carrick causing him to go down instead of being able to slot home a certain goal. The debate still rages about whether this was a penalty or not, did the keeper make contact with the player, or did the player make contact with the keeper?  If people are still debating it after countless replays then what is the value of giving it to a 4th official to decide via technology?

Instead of people debating the referee's error costing them the match, the title, or the World Cup, we are instead going to be left with people debating the 4th official cost them the match, the title or the world cup.

That being said I do feel depressed today after United winning, and particularly since at half time I was on such a high thinking Spurs were going to win, and we would still be top of the league, with only one more slip up required by United to enable us to win the title. The rollercoaster ride this season is providing is amazing.

I think we do need the video tech or something that can help with the standard of refereeing in PL. Nowadays, we see a lot of players taking advantage of referees. Players like Ronaldo and Drogba are sure to take profit from the standard refereeing. Unless we introduce the new system that will help referee, players like these will continue to use the old system to their advantage.
Refereeing mistakes did cost some teams dear in terms of goals and fouls made that went unnoticed. Remember Man Scums vs. Spurs a while ago in 2005??Remember how Mendes shot from distance and how Roy Carroll mistimed and the ball went in clearly, but still the linesman ruled it not goal.

I would love to see the technology come into place in football just as rugby have it ,so, the right decision gets made and the offenders punished ,in rugby if a bloke gets a yellow card he gets sin binned for ten minutes ,goes without saying that with drogb's double somersault half twist with pike dive routines he would only be on the pitch for a few minutes

Don't we already have another man on the sideline who tells the ref and other officials what to do?

Oh right thats Fergie

Its this simple, football is no longer a working class game.

Decisions like this cost clubs MILLIONS if they are wrong, im sick of pundits saying it'll ruin the game.  It wont, the game isnt the same anymore - if it is why arent the players on £100 a week!

If it can be brought in, and welcomed into Rugby, im sure it can for our game

Yesterday was a stinker, Webb is an idiot

What is the next step for football.We all saw today that Henry robbed us by keeping the ball in with his hand.This is the worst i have felt since the champions league final in 2007 ! Henry has robbed Keane,Given,Dunne of their last world cup and the FAI of millions

What is the next step for the game their are two solutions i can think off

1) introduce a hawk eye system where each team can make 1 challenge per game and if their challenge is succesful they can make another one ! This system has been succesful in tennis and cricket and would easily work in football

2)Simply ask the player like for eg tonight the referee could have asked Henry did he handball it if he lies he will be given a 5 match ban or something !

anyone think of any other methods ?

Fifa got what they wanted them cheating bas**rds at the world cup, that decision tonight was one of the worst I've seen in football, 2 lads off side when the ball came in, one of them then impeded Dunne, Henry stopped the ball going out with his hand and then used his hand again to put it in his path. I feel screwed tonight because we are a small nation. Henry you are a F***ing cheat.

If the Europa ref/umpire guy was behind the goal tonight it would have been quicker that any video ref!

Football sometime is like watch WWE. If the ref didnt saw something then he didnt saw it. Everyone else saw it but can do F**k all about it.

Thats true . . Henry has robbed us what a c**t my stomach is in knots over it i dont remember the last time i felt this angry !

A 4th official watching the game on video in real time, could have told the ref straight away,no game time would have been lost,Uefa/Fifa/Fa are all to blame,Football is being left behind by other sports who use this kind of technology very successfully.

Football is going to die a death. The FAI is going to lose millions over this, I hope they sue FIFA

There should be a 5th ref in the video room watch the match from all angles on the TV. And he can constantly talk to the ref that is on the pitch about what he saw. Its sample!

Ya the fairs the ref could have missed it but what planet was the linesman on not to see it and also not to see two lads offside one who then impeded Dunne. I'd also like to know how the ref thought Henry kept the ball in. Alway knew when the draw was made we would be screwed by the Ref at some stage in the tie. At the very least tommorrow I'm expecting a grovelling apology from "Mr Nice Guy" Henry and the Ref to be suspended because if not I think FiFa is condoning cheating.

I think Henry will lose a lot of his endorsements/sponsors over this-who wants to be associated with a blatant cheat.

He deserves it Maradona still gets called a cheat 23 years later after his hand of God and Henry did the same tonight and cheated us out of a World Cup.

I'm absolutely gutted tonight. Simple fact is we were cheated out of a world cup, or at least the chance to test our bottle in the penalties. I've never been a fan of goal-line technology and TMO's etc because I think the debate on decisions makes football far more interesting but when a referee and linesman can't see the most blatant of handballs you really have to wonder.

FIFA can rest easy, they got France to the world cup and in the process set the development of Irish football millions of euros and years behind. We needed this, and every boy in green did thir utmost best, but when everything and everybody is against you, there is only so far you can go.

3 per team per match. Same system as hawk eye in tennis, if you get it right you get to keep that challenge and if its incorrect, you lose one. Works good and gets the crowd into it. Has my vote if its run like that.

Exactly what I was going to say. It's time that FIFA and everyone else realised that we have to move on.

They need to stop trying to introduce more officials behind the goals or whatever, because if you can only see the incident once there will be human error.

Feel for the Irish fans but that's part and parcel of football I'm afraid.

I think Henry should receive a long ban from FIFA, maybe 7 World Cup games?  But talk of replaying games every 5 minutes is a joke.   Video referee's - I'm still not overly sold on that idea.

Football matches have already been sterilised so much that it is losing it's soul. 

Injustices in football are what makes the game it is - what builds up rivalry etc.

Sometimes the world isn't fair. Why should football not be any different.

What is worse? The referee not seeing an incident last night - or a referee incorrectly applying the rules of the game when he condemned us to defeat against Sunderland?

Ya JD easy enough to say but I think your reaction would have being a bit different if it was England, I bet the reaction was very similiar after the Maradona goal against England.

 Also I wouldn't compare the two, Liverpool had a chance the following week to make up for this reffering incompetanace, Ireland don't for some of them players it is there last chance to play in a World Cup and their tears say it all.

 Our economy and nation needed it because we are down in the heights of recession. It has cost our country millions this is no ordinary Premiership match. And JD I'm sure if England had being cheated out of the World Cup the exact same calls would be made.

 It maybe football as you say it but I think football is losing its soul when a player can blatanly cheat and get away in it. It wouldn't happen in any other sport and it is time football woke up. But then again we are only a small nation so no one really gives a sh*t football and fifa have being shamed with this incident.

Ya JD easy enough to say but I think your reaction would have being a bit different if it was England, I bet the reaction was very similiar after the Maradona goal against England.

No. I couldn't give a sh*t.

Also I wouldn't compare the two, Liverpool had a chance the following week to make up for this reffering incompetanace, Ireland don't for some of them players it is there last chance to play in a World Cup and their tears say it all.

Sorry mate you're wrong again.  Liverpool are far far more important to me than my national side.

And you can't have one rule for one and one for another.   The Liverpool one was far far worse.

In that case, the referee saw the incident and actually ignored the laws of the game.  For Ireland the referee merely didn't see the incident.

Hope we knock France out.

I'm still against video referee's to be honest.

Mistakes and bad luck are just a part of the game. I think adding video refs would make football lose a hell of a lot of passion and that raw feeling.

Last night was unfortunate but my anger wasn't directed at the officials (even though they fu**ed up) but at Henry for cheating.

Luck evens itself out eventually. It will for Liverpool this season and it will for Ireland at some point soon.

That game last night was the most important game those players will play and just because the referee and linesman were not up to scratch we will not be going to the world cup. Im a huge supporter of Liverpool Football Club and a proud Irish supporter. I watched the game against Sunderland and the game last night and you cannot compare the two. The decision against Sunderland was bad but this is catastrophic. Im seething with anger. How many million people were watching that game last night throughout the world. Millions. We did so well to get a playoff place, then Sepp f***in Blatter decides to help the big nations like France and seeds the playoff draw and now this sh*t. Who was that ref last night anyway. Blind c**t...

No. I couldn't give a sh*t.

Sorry mate you're wrong again.  Liverpool are far far more important to me than my national side.

And you can't have one rule for one and one for another.   The Liverpool one was far far worse.

In that case, the referee saw the incident and actually ignored the laws of the game.  For Ireland the referee merely didn't see the incident.

You're deluded if you think that the beach ball incident was worse,yes that was a bad decision the ref wasnt sure of the rule and when i was on the match thread that day their were plenty of people that didnt understand the rule !And in that game we didnt deserve to win let alone draw.

But last night was possibly the greatest Irish performance of all time and that decision was far worse,It wasnt one bad decision but three,firstly when the ball was played it was offside then he handled it not once but twice and what makes it a worse decision is the fact that the ref and linesman failed to spot it,and then after the match to add insult to injury when Kilbane went up to the ref he said it was 100% no handball

For Liverpool players they have a chance to make up for that result as decisions like that in a 38 game season tend to balance themselves out this was a one off game that cost us millions of money that was promised to be invested at grass roots level something badly needed and robbed and cheated Given,Kilbane,Dunne,Finnan,Duff,Keane the greatest generation of players we have ever had out of their last world cup

And as for Liverpool being more important than your national side i understand that but are you honestly telling me you would not feel robbed if that happened to England,mabye its that we're a smaller nation and we get chances like this less often out of the last  7 major tournaments we have qualified for 1 the last time i cried during a match was at the end of the CL final in athens and i can honestly this feeling is 10 times worse, This is a far worse decision than the beach ball incident and i think 90% of people here will agree with me sorry JD. .

Thiery Henry was one of those players who was always going to be a classic player. Now I hope he is shamed. He admitted it was a handball. Said it was the ref's fault for not disallowing it.  A player openly admits and makes a statement that he cheated to win and FIFA still does nothing.  

Unreal. Why even have an organization or governing body if they wont do a thing about admitted cheats.

FIFA should Ban Henry from the Cup and it should be replayed. Eventually it will be like WWE wrestling, just distract the ref, turn him around and throw the ball into the goal.

John Delaney is after having a press confrence in Ireland where he said he wrote to the French FA and Fifa demanding a replay,but Yank LFC its not Henry who should pay the price any player would have tried it and if the ref had spotted it not one word would have been said about it.

The referee last night was only a junior official he has been a ref since 2001,At the end of the day Platini got exactly what he wanted and had it happened down the other end the rules would have been changed already firstly the draw was seeded then we draw the hardest team and then we get the second leg away from home 

Ireland were robbed no doubt.I think the linesman saw it clear as day, but as has happened in many a game,for some reason he pretended he didn't see it,i know it's tough to take, but if they started replaying games because of a dodgy decision,we would end up playing a 100 games a season.

I'm of the opinion that the decision to award the beach ball goal against Liverpool was worse than Henry's handball but taking into account the implications of what was at stake, then the decision against ROI becomes a million times worse than us losing 3 points in a game that we barely deserved anything from.

Firstly to seed teams for a play off is an absolute joke and totally unfair to the so called 'inferior' teams who equally deserve their places in the play off alongside the likes of France and Portugal.  But then failing to see the offsides and the double handball inclines me to believe that there should be an extra official on the goal line a la Europa League.  I wouldn't go as far to say a video ref but an extra official on the goal line should in theory minimize the frequent poor decisions that we see in football nowadays.

Ireland demand replay

John Delaney has revealed today that the Football Association of Ireland will complain to FIFA after the Republic of Ireland were denied a place at next summer's World Cup following a handball from Thierry Henry in last night's play-off against France.

"The FAI today confirmed that it would like to complain to FIFA following last night's World Cup play-off match between France and the Republic of Ireland in Paris," the FAI chief executive told reporters at a press conference in Dublin today.

"Conclusive video evidence of a clear handball by Thierry Henry which led to France's additional time goal has been seen by millions of football fans worldwide.

"The blatantly incorrect decision by the referee to award a goal has damaged the integrity of the sport.

"We now call on FIFA as the world governing body for our sport to organise for this match to be replayed.

"The handball was recognised by the FIFA commissioner, the referee observer and the match officials, as well as by the player himself."

And Delaney pointed to previous incidents to provide precedent for his demands.

"There is precedent for the invalidation of such results," he asserted.

"In 2005 the Bureau of the FIFA World Cup Organising Committee reached a decision to invalidate the result of a World Cup qualifying game between Uzbekistan and Bahrain on the basis of a technical error by the referee at the match.

"The FAI is hoping FIFA and its disciplinary committee will, on behalf of football fans worldwide, act in a similar fashion so that standards of fair play and integrity can be respected.

"We've also written to the French FA today as well to ask them to accede to a replay given the world nature of what happened last night.

"We've got to do what we've got to do. We owe it to the players who were magnificent last night, the management team, the supporters, who were incredible - it was one of the most incredible evenings you'll ever watch from an Irish point of view - and it's up to the people who govern the game for me now.

"Every time I go to a FIFA congress I hear about 'fair play' and 'integrity' and all those wonderful words.

"And this is not merely a league match. This was a defining game that the whole world were watching. If FIFA believe in fair play and integrity and all the things we're told, this is their opportunity to step forward."

JD I'm a bigger Liverpool fan then Ireland but to be honest shocked your trying to say the Sunderland decision is more important. The decision has cost our country millions. The Sunderland game was the run of the mill Premiership game, the French game for us was the biggest International game our country has had in 7 years. It would have given our nation a big lift.

Ya the beachball decision was wrong but then so is playing basketball with the ball. If Liverpool had won the next couple of games it would have being forgotten about. We Irish will never forget Henry and the cheating French, we now have to wait 4 more years.

JD I'm a bigger Liverpool fan then Ireland but to be honest shocked your trying to say the Sunderland decision is more important. The decision has cost our country millions. The Sunderland game was the run of the mill Premiership game, the French game for us was the biggest International game our country has had in 7 years. It would have given our nation a big lift.

I don't think he was talking about the consequences of the decision, in which case, IMO, the Ireland decision is clearly worse.

But in the game against Sunderland the referee actually saw what happened, but didn't know or chose not to apply the correct ruling - one that I knew, and I'm far from being a qualified referee.

In terms of refereeing, the Ireland decision was simply a case of the referee not seeing the incident, which happens most weeks in many matches.

Don't get me wrong though - still gutted for you all as supporters of your national team.

Ya but the linesman saw it, had a clear view, they showed it on SSN, and other than the hand ball, there was 2 lads off side one of who fouled Dunne and stopped him winning the header.

Henry then didn't just handle it, in the first place he stopped it going back out and then played it into his path. To be honest I've being watching football a long long time and the decision to award this goal is one of the worst I've seen it could have being disallowed for 5 separate things.

I think what really bothers me is Henry's attitude about it.  He admitted doing it, it was basically a giant "Yeah, I cheated so what, we won were going to the Cup and your not, F**k-you"  Thats how I read his comments about it.   Plus he celebrates it like he scored a miracle goal to win it. Like it was the greatest goal in Football history. 

I think its just I had respect for him as a player and now he is just saying a big "F**k-You" to all fans of the game.  If I was a sponsor of him like Gillette, I would drop him in a second.

I think if FIFA and UEFA can ban players for diving, by reviewing the video at a later time, than Henry should be banned from the World Cup.  This wasn't a friendly or some meaningless match. This cost Ireland a shot at the World Cup!  Thats millions of dollars, endorsements, national pride.  Ireland are not a Football powerhouse like England,Italy or France. They deserve to be heard and the Ref and Linesman should never ref a match again.

I think if FIFA and UEFA can ban players for diving, by reviewing the video at a later time, than Henry should be banned from the World Cup.

I've said that for ages.

I think that the footballing authorities should be given the power to ban players following highly controversial events like this one.

I think it would be more a deterrant from diving and cheating if players knew they could receive lengthy bans and fines after a match was over.

This was 10x worse than a dive IMO. Ive honestly never been more disgusted in my life at something that happened in such a high profile match. And then from a player such as Henry who i had high respect for, just really shattering to see.

On video referee though, still only agree for goal line decisions. Otherwise the game would get slowed up to much, which goes against tradition. Agree that things like the Henry incident should be allowed to be reviewed and judged after the game though. Henry should be banned for the cup. The whole Irish team is missing out, so should he at least. Set a precedent of at least some sort of justice. Would be expecting to much of the 'authorities' though :

Just had to happen at a time like this, didnt it? Extra time, 1-1 and then this. IF it happened in the first 20 minutes or so, and Ireland came back then we wouldn't be reacting as madly as this.

Firstly, i wasn't impressed by seeing it. No player should do that on the field regardless of the situation.

The worse thing though, being called a thieving cheat in the tabloids. That's not on IMO. You cannot degrade someone to blatantly for something like that - it just incites more ridicule.

He was clearly in the wrong, he knew it. He owed up to it at the end and even had a chat with Dunne at the final whistle. That's all he can do.

Some say you cannot feel sorry for him, but i do. Looking past his career, he is a good man. Being branded all sorts of names is out of order.

A video referee would be handy, if it was called upon by the referee themselves. If it were to be called for by managers/players then no. I know some players may be in a position to see something and an official may miss it but it's a game and every game has errors in it. Just live with it.

Rate him about as highly as Fabio Grosso after that.

Rate him about as highly as Fabio Grosso after that.

If you mean the penalty in the WC - what was Lucas Neill doing sliding in like that at that time in the match. Just block the cross!

But that's a new topic

Your missing the point Crouchinho Henry his whole career has put himself up as a fair play figure, that is completely tarnished now, what he did was blatant cheating and he wouldn't have got away with it in any other sport and that is the problem.

I would call him a thief because he has robbed the Irish nation of a much needed boost. And to be honest his attitude since it happened has being deplorable, it's like a handled so F***ing what well if there was any decency in football he would be banned for the World Cup and the next time a player is in such a position he might think twice of blantanly cheating.

If it was done to any other nation the reaction would have being similar if not worse, god help the french if it had being Germany, Holland or even England there would have being riots in the stadium and streets after.

I think that the footballing authorities should be given the power to ban players following highly controversial events like this one.

I think it would be more a deterrant from diving and cheating if players knew they could receive lengthy bans and fines after a match was over.

I do understand where you're coming from Ayrton but where do we draw the line. I'm adamant that Henry is only being called a cheat because he wasn't 'caught' at the time. In the same match other players 'handled' but were 'caught' (the Ref blew for a foul) yet none were either booked or sent off and none will face 'suspension'.

How can it be deemed either fair or equitable for Henry to be treated any different? Surely if he warrants being called a cheat for the 'crime' of handling the ball then it follows that anyone who handles the ball (but is 'caught') is also a "cheat"?

Fair do's if we are to label them all the same and punish them all the same but the fact remains Henry's "crime" can not be treated differently just because he wasn't "caught" at the time.

I just feel that it's a very unsound path to go down. Video evidence, used there and then, would have cut out all this emotive debate, the goal would have been disallowed, maybe the Republic would have went through but Henry would not have been booked, sent off or suspended - his "crime" just wouldn't have warranted it, i'm afraid.

I've said that for ages.

I think that the footballing authorities should be given the power to ban players following highly controversial events like this one.

I think it would be more a deterrant from diving and cheating if players knew they could receive lengthy bans and fines after a match was over.

I agree with you on this one. The solution is to punish afterwards, and now if Henry misses out on the world cup finals it would be sending a message to all players that you do something that cynical and your gonna get punished.   Lets be honest, Henry knew exactly what he was doing and there is not even a 1% doubt. 

Eduardo has already had his ban rescinded, so the authorities have proven they don't have the balls to make anything stick. 

This reminds me of what a mate of mine used to say when he said all governments were corrupt.  They have us all debating these issues and do nothing to fix them, and while we are distracted debating the issues... they are ripping off millions of pounds behind our backs, and laughing their asses off.

Your missing the point Crouchinho Henry his whole career has put himself up as a fair play figure, that is completely tarnished now, what he did was blatant cheating and he wouldn't have got away with it in any other sport and that is the problem.

I would call him a thief because he has robbed the Irish nation of a much needed boost. And to be honest his attitude since it happened has being deplorable, it's like a handled so F***ing what well if there was any decency in football he would be banned for the World Cup and the next time a player is in such a position he might think twice of blantanly cheating.

If it was done to any other nation the reaction would have being similar if not worse, god help the french if it had being Germany, Holland or even England there would have being riots in the stadium and streets after.

I'm not missing anything. That's football.

Australia was knocked out by a dive in extra time from Grosso in the WC after being out of it for so long, am i crying and calling for a replay? To make it worse, Italy went on to win the bloody thing.

Move on!

He is one of the good people in football. And his reaction afterwards has been noble. He isn't trying to pussyfoot around the fact he did it, he put his hand up and did it immediately after.

I agree with you on this one. The solution is to punish afterwards, and now if Henry misses out on the world cup finals it would be sending a message to all players that you do something that cynical and your gonna get punished.   Lets be honest, Henry knew exactly what he was doing and there is not even a 1% doubt.  

Should Robbie Keane be punished then? Should he be called a "cheat" and suspended? He was blown up for five handballs in the game - five! Each and every time he handled it he done so to try gain an advantage, had he not have been 'caught' Robbie would, surely, have accepted the advantage. Remember too that each and every time he was 'caught' he looked at the Ref in disbelief, "who me?".

I am not saying that Ireland deserved to go out and I am not saying it doesn't leave a bitter taste. What I am saying is that to brand Henry a "cheat" and call for suspension (and worse) is unfair and the wrong way to go.

What i'm also saying is that the time has surely come for technology to play it's part.

Henry knew it was mistake , he knew it wasn't a goal he owned up after wards and even told the ref that it was a handball . Fair play to him. Also there were many indications by Henry that it was not a legible goal and yet the ref didn't see them . You can't really blame Henry because he owned up to his mistake and talked to Dunne after the game and and he couldn't of more than that to change the score . And Ireland did play well ad they did not deserve to go out like this and I know many of you Irish supporters will be very pissed off . But we can't blame Henry ...or even the ref ...to an extent ( trying not to be persuaded by the players and only believing what he saw) .

There should be video refs to help the refs out if they don't see it with their eyes ....we have a 3rd umpire in cricket why can't we have in in footy . FIFA should be blamed because they most probably saw the video of the handball and the FAI gave in a request for a replay , it was stupid that they rejected the proposal . Shows the partiality by Blatter and Platini .

I understand when most of yo guys say..' You win some , you loose some' or 'sh*t happens' or 'get over it '  but this was unfair and in big games like these sort of situation should be looked over .

Overall , yes I do think there should be video refs because the human ones can't do it in their own nowadays , and help from technology will show fairplay like how sports should be !

( P.S if there's another thread about the Henry situ can someone please move my comment , thanks )

Just had to happen at a time like this, didnt it? Extra time, 1-1 and then this. IF it happened in the first 20 minutes or so, and Ireland came back then we wouldn't be reacting as madly as this.

Firstly, I wasn't impressed by seeing it. No player should do that on the field regardless of the situation.

The worse thing though, being called a thieving cheat in the tabloids. That's not on IMO. You cannot degrade someone to blatantly for something like that - it just incites more ridicule.

He was clearly in the wrong, he knew it. He owed up to it at the end and even had a chat with Dunne at the final whistle. That's all he can do.

Some say you cannot feel sorry for him, but I do. Looking past his career, he is a good man. Being branded all sorts of names is out of order.

A video referee would be handy, if it was called upon by the referee themselves. If it were to be called for by managers/players then no. I know some players may be in a position to see something and an official may miss it but it's a game and every game has errors in it. Just live with it.

But the issue is no matter how great a player is, one bad thing can mark your career.  Do I have to mention, Zidane. 

We all know he was one of the greatest players ever, but the first thing you remember is the head but. I'm sorry, but thats how it is.  It wont take away his skills and accomplishments but "One" thing can mark your career.

Completely argee. Ask a lot of English people what they think of Maradona and they will still call him a cheat and I've no doubt if Argentina and England are drawn together in the World cup that is what the English media will be talking about not his achievements as a player

It has to be looked at now as it would not take long to see incidents and make the right decision,its just a pity these things only get talked about  after a major decision has gone wrong.

It has to be looked at now as it would not take long to see incidents and make the right decision,its just a pity these things only get talked about  after a major decision has gone wrong.

I totally agree.  If the technologies and a set of guidelines for such incidents were already in place, then their would be some sort of precedence or law which FIFA can fall back on whether it is to penalize or Ban the player, team or replay the match or whatever.  Point being they still have issues which are unfair and unjust, incidents like this are too frequent to not have guidelines. It is a game and should be treated as such. France won, because the goal they scored violated the #1 Rule in Football. They should be penalized for it. Theirs no gray area. The refs know, the players know, the world knows...fix the problem and replay the match. Thats it.  If this was 50 years ago it would be a "Mystery Handball", Did he or Didn't he touch it?  Well, those days are gone, video doesn't lie.  I am not a proponent of mandatory video review for every match. Just matches which are either knock-out rounds or Cup Finals.

If they cant do the right thing and replay the match, then France certainly should not be "awarded" a trip to the Cup.

Whats going to end up happening is their will be a major incident in a World Cup Final match, where a team gets completely robbed from a bad call, its going to stain the match and the final, it will make the World Cup a joke and then something will be done.  They always have to wait for the worst case incident to occur before issues are taken.

Some good and interesting perspectives in here.

I suppose at the end of the day, the old fashioned sport of football has been ragged apart from all angles now. Apart from one remaining tatter. And that's the officiating of the game isn't it?

I don't know. My philosophy on football comes from Shanks. Be invincible. People can cheat all they like but they won't beat you. Isn't that the way football should be? Rather than clouding the game with judgments?

If video refereeing comes into play, it will open the door for other pathetic decisions. I'd rather just keep the game as simple as it is. That's just my opinion.

Some good and interesting perspectives in here.

I suppose at the end of the day, the old fashioned sport of football has been ragged apart from all angles now. Apart from one remaining tatter. And that's the officiating of the game isn't it?

I don't know. My philosophy on football comes from Shanks. Be invincible. People can cheat all they like but they won't beat you. Isn't that the way football should be? Rather than clouding the game with judgments?

If video refereeing comes into play, it will open the door for other pathetic decisions. I'd rather just keep the game as simple as it is. That's just my opinion.

I agree with "Be Invincible"...If Ireland had scored 3 goals instead of 1 the cheating would not of been an Issue. However, it happened.

I am certainly of the minority on this forum, But, I dont want Liverpool to build a new stadium. I want their to be old tradition in sports. But I also know that Liverpool MUST build a new stadium to survive. I HATE that they tore down Yankee Stadium. Thats hallowed ground.  Not just for Baseball or American Sports, but as a symbol that their are no more traditions to respect in sports. They tore it down for a Newer Stadium with a bigger scoreboard and more expensive seats. Anyone watch a Yankee game this year?  Did you wonder why the seats down by the field were ALWAYS empty?  Because the Yankees made them $260,000 a season seats. Each seat! Not only that they separated the seats with a concrete "Moat" so the normal fan cannot go down to the field before the game for autographs. A tradition in American Baseball for 100 years. Now you can "Buy" your autographs at the Yankee store.

I look at all sports as a game, because thats all they are. But those days of "simple" are gone and past.  When the amount of money that is generated by Sports revenues and the "Business" of sport surpasses the GNP of some Western Countries, then it becomes regulated and ruled by law.

50 years ago Thierry Henry would of looked at the ref and said " I touched it with my hand", the goal would not of been allowed and the men would of continued the game.  I guess its sad that, it didn't happen that way but thats how it is.

I used to think that sport could define a person or a Nation. That the integrity and the honor which athletes shared was unique. It used to be that if a player fell to the ground an opposing player would lend a hand and raise him up, now were just as likely to see the player step on his head or face instead of helping him up.

I get incensed at the loss of respect. Its still their, but its under the surface now instead of the top. When a player openly cheats and knows it, and then continues to celebrate his "accomplishment" it pisses me off. With the money involved their is so much more at stake and the thought of disrespecting the game and cheating doesn't even weigh on the minds of some of today's players.

Should Robbie Keane be punished then? Should he be called a "cheat" and suspended? He was blown up for five handballs in the game - five! Each and every time he handled it he done so to try gain an advantage, had he not have been 'caught' Robbie would, surely, have accepted the advantage. Remember too that each and every time he was 'caught' he looked at the Ref in disbelief, "who me?".

I am not saying that Ireland deserved to go out and I am not saying it doesn't leave a bitter taste. What I am saying is that to brand Henry a "cheat" and call for suspension (and worse) is unfair and the wrong way to go.

What I'm also saying is that the time has surely come for technology to play it's part.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

The Henry incident is different to most other normal fouls or handball offences.  What we are looking at here is  a situation whereby a player used his hand in a cynical way to direct the ball onto a team mates head and into the goal.  This is one of the worst offences you will see on a football pitch, and it has cost a nation a place at the world cup finals.
All situations will be different and no doubt there are some that have incensed the public, for example the Eduardo dive. We have video umpiring here in Australia in AFL, and if someone is caught on camera king hitting an opponent, then he can be, and often is cited after the game and does time.

Ok, it doesn't help the team who were beaten on the day, but it deters players from doing such things after they realise that players have missed out on grand finals because of such indescretions.

On a scale of 1-10 the Henry incident is a 10. He has denied an entire squad of players their life long dream of playing at the world cup finals. For him to miss out it would be small consolation to the Irish players, who would no doubt prefer the option of a replay. If he gets away scot free where is the deterrent to prevent players doing the same in the future.

Rugby referees are only able to use the TMO in very specific instances and I know some top rugby refs have been reprimanded when they have stepped outside of their remit in this regard. In football, having a video ref would take some working out logistically - it could only really be used to determine matters of fact - offsides, ball crossing the line ... there are far too many gray areas for it to go any further than that. If you go to officialsports.co.uk - it is a football referees forum - they hardly ever agree on there and they are all active referees!

Roy Keane got it spot on.

Should Robbie Keane be punished then? Should he be called a "cheat" and suspended? He was blown up for five handballs in the game - five! Each and every time he handled it he done so to try gain an advantage, had he not have been 'caught' Robbie would, surely, have accepted the advantage. Remember too that each and every time he was 'caught' he looked at the Ref in disbelief, "who me?".

I think most if not all of those were for (very marginal pushing) - the ball struck the top of his shoulder which is not handball under the LotG and I'd expect a FIFA referee to know that! I suspect those FKs were for a deemed push by Keane instead.

FWIW I agree with you about the inconsistencies of blaming Henry. Players do cheat all the time and match officials are being put under greater and greater pressure to spot every single incident without being given any additional help. I think the additional officials that are being used in the Europa League would be a positive step forward and hopefully after this incident they will get fast-tracked so to speak by FIFA into our game.

Roy Keane got it spot on.

There certainly is some validity to what he said but the reason he said it is because of one of many long-standing grudges he has, not for any nobler reasons! He really does need to learn how to let go!!

Roy Keane a scumbag he is a bitter b***ard that turned his back on his country when he was needed most. His whole interview was an attack he was talking about the 2002 World Cup for F**k sake.

JD i might back you in must things Liverpool related but your talking about something there you seem to have very little understanding about, Roy Keane wasn't stating his views he was waiting 7 years to have an attack on our chief executive he is a pr**k.

Roy Keane a scumbag he is a bitter b***ard that turned his back on his country when he was needed most. His whole interview was an attack he was talking about the 2002 World Cup for F**k sake.

JD i might back you in must things Liverpool related but your talking about something there you seem to have very little understanding about, Roy Keane wasn't stating his views he was waiting 7 years to have an attack on our chief executive he is a pr**k.

But he's a pr**k who has been there and seen it and done it!

I'd say he knows what he is talking about.

Not necessarily Huyton Red - he's not been involved in the Irish setup for quite some while and would be relying on second-hand bits and pieces that amount to little more than gossip for his information on how things are done now. Furthermore he is bitter about 2002 and what happened then. His rant yesterday had very little to do with what took place on Wednesday. We know that he is a guy who will bear a grudge for a very long time: Alf Inge Haaland for instance. Mick McCarthy is another - he was still pissed off with McCarthy in 2002 over something that happened in the US in 1991 ffs. He was a great player and did an enormous amount of good for Ireland as a player. But he is mentally unbalanced and imho his opinion on this particular issue really lacks any credibility.

I think it's criminal any club would employee him, it's not what he knows he listen to F***ing no one and is a law onto himself what he is talking about in 2002 is a joke.

 He was captain of his country going to a World Cup and because the training facilities were up to the standard of Brazil or Germany he fu**ed home. I wouldn't listen to one thing that comes out of his mouth.

 Last year one of his ex -Sunderland players had a problem with his heart nearly died what the F**k did Keane say I'm suprised by that from his time at Sunderland I didn't think he had a heart at all. He is a complete tw*t.

Not necessarily Huyton Red - he's not been involved in the Irish setup for quite some while and would be relying on second-hand bits and pieces that amount to little more than gossip for his information on how things are done now. Furthermore he is bitter about 2002 and what happened then. His rant yesterday had very little to do with what took place on Wednesday. We know that he is a guy who will bear a grudge for a very long time: Alf Inge Haaland for instance. Mick McCarthy is another - he was still pissed off with McCarthy in 2002 over something that happened in the US in 1991 ffs. He was a great player and did an enormous amount of good for Ireland as a player. But he is mentally unbalanced and imho his opinion on this particular issue really lacks any credibility.

By the way don't be including me in all this we sh*t!

Roy Keane is simply one of the best midfielders I've seen during the 90s and is opinion isn't unbalanced.

Anyone who saw his performance for the mancs against Juve in 99 know the lad's a born winner. He dragged the mancs to that final even though he knew he would be banned and wouldn't appear in the final. The lad's a winner and only demands the best.

The Irish have been acting like bitter Evertonians this week. Surprised there hasn't been an internet petition against the ref/Henry.

Huyton Red if you had being cheated out of your biggest game in 7 years you might feel same for F**k sake ye are still going on about Maradona as a cheat 23 years later. Keane might have being class as a player but that is were it ends he is a tw*t as a man and limited as a manager. Ask the Ipswich or Sunderland fans is he a born winner.

Huyton Red if you had being cheated out of your biggest game in 7 years you might feel same for F**k sake ye are still going on about Maradona as a cheat 23 years later. Keane might have being class as a player but that is were it ends he is a tw*t as a man and limited as a manager. Ask the Ipswich or Sunderland fans is he a born winner.

Well Nesta did handle on the edge of the box in Istanbul!!

Roy Keane is simply one of the best midfielders I've seen during the 90s and is opinion isn't unbalanced.

Anyone who saw his performance for the mancs against Juve in 99 know the lad's a born winner. He dragged the mancs to that final even though he knew he would be banned and wouldn't appear in the final. The lad's a winner and only demands the best.

I know he was a great player but he really does have a fairly big axe to grind here. He talked about 2002 himself yesterday! He said he was unhappy that John Delaney didn't phone him up and talk to him at the time. Keane said this himself yesterday. That - and only that - is the reason why he said what he said yesterday. What relevance does it have to Henry's handball? I really can't see any.

The Irish have been acting like bitter Evertonians this week.

Wow! That is pretty rich considering how much the English still go on about Diego Maradona ... nearly a quarter of a century later! Maradona was up in Scotland last year and Terry Butcher was asked if he would shake his hand and he said he didn't know if he would be able to! When we ('we' as in the Irish) are still acting like that over Henry in 23 years' time then maybe your criticism will hold some water! If that had been England the other night things would be *very* different (ask Urs Meier about what happens when you give a controversial decision against the English and how 'bitter' things can get). The FAI released a statement yesterday about Henry: "... As captain of the French team, to make such a statement took courage and honour, and all of us recognise that ..." Hardly bitter is it?

We (again, 'we' as in the Irish) have had a few dodgy calls go against us in playoffs before and we get over them well enough. Right now we're pretty sore because we're missing out on the World Cup Finals because of a fairly blatent mistake by the match officials but in time things will be fine. We'll have stopped talking about Henry long before you lot stop banging on about Maradona!

[p.s. apologies if you're not English or if you are English but couldn't give a F**k about Maradona in 1986!!!  ]

I know he was a great player but he really does have a fairly big axe to grind here. He talked about 2002 himself yesterday! He said he was unhappy that John Delaney didn't phone him up and talk to him at the time. Keane said this himself yesterday. That - and only that - is the reason why he said what he said yesterday. What relevance does it have to Henry's handball? I really can't see any.

Wow! That is pretty rich considering how much the English still go on about Diego Maradona ... nearly a quarter of a century later! Maradona was up in Scotland last year and Terry Butcher was asked if he would shake his hand and he said he didn't know if he would be able to! When we ('we' as in the Irish) are still acting like that over Henry in 23 years' time then maybe your criticism will hold some water! If that had been England the other night things would be *very* different (ask Urs Meier about what happens when you give a controversial decision against the English and how 'bitter' things can get). The FAI released a statement yesterday about Henry: "... As captain of the French team, to make such a statement took courage and honour, and all of us recognise that ..." Hardly bitter is it?

We (again, 'we' as in the Irish) have had a few dodgy calls go against us in playoffs before and we get over them well enough. Right now we're pretty sore because we're missing out on the World Cup Finals because of a fairly blatent mistake by the match officials but in time things will be fine. We'll have stopped talking about Henry long before you lot stop banging on about Maradona!

[p.s. apologies if you're not English or if you are English but couldn't give a F**k about Maradona in 1986!!!  ]

Just so you know I'm Not English, I'm Scouse!!

And if I was being honest now, cared more about the handball in my answer above in you know a real game of football - The European Cup Final!!

Don't give a F**k about England, Ireland or international football, just the Reds.

Although I did actually want the French to go out cos it would of given me a laugh, but instead of bitching about Henry, try looking closer to home, Ireland had two or three clear F***ing chances to win the game, without it even going to extra-time.

And stop listening to the media sh*te, you haven't got the best international support - Holland have, the Oranje Army would outsing you any day of the week.

[/quote]Keane has his own agenda with this one he's always been at odds with the Republics' football authorities and takes any opportunity to kick off with them. What is surprising is that anyone takes any F***ing notice of him anymore.

I'll be honest if you haven't guessed it I'm Irish but I have to say 99% of the time Huyton Red talks more sense on here than most but have to disagree with you here, obviously we are going to be sickened even Henry said he was embarrassed, look we don't get success as a nation much in football so obviously we are going to be raw about what happened only a couple of days ago.

Huyton if you asked me if i would prefer Liverpool to win the league or Ireland to qualify for the World cup, there is only one winner but that doesn't mean what happened the other night doesn't hurt.

And stop listening to the media sh*te, you haven't got the best international support - Holland have, the Oranje Army would outsing you any day of the week.

I think in fairness 20-30 years ago, the supporters Ireland attracted were up there with the very best in international football. I remember when we played England at Wembley in 1991 at least two-thirds of the place was green and we outsang the home supporters by some way! Nowadays it's very very different: our support isn't crap but it is certainly no better than most other country's ... the Dutch are certainly a good shower, so too the Scots.

Although I did actually want the French to go out cos it would of given me a laugh, but instead of bitching about Henry, try looking closer to home, Ireland had two or three clear f**king chances to win the game, without it even going to extra-time.

I know, I know!!