And btw: Who says France wouldn’t have won in the end even without that goal ? But if your Irish I can understand the dissapointment.

I see dangerous tackling and shirt pulling (that is cheating, yet EVERY defender does it, why is there no outcry when that is planned and persistent cheating?????????) as far worse for the game. Yet they are pushed to the back because of the “crime” of a player falling over or putting a hand up in the heat of the moment, instinctively, to try and win.

To me it is no contest which ones are worse for the game and which should be dealt with.

I say who cares. Worse crimes in football go unpunished (and un-heralded), legs get broken, thuggish defenders resort to rugby tackling to stop attackers clear-through on goal. And these players aren’t condemned by the greater public and media like Henry has been. Nor are those players as forthcoming about owning up to having done something amiss as Henry has been.

The Ireland team just need to deal with getting knocked out of the World Cup. They weren’t good enough to take the chances they had and that was that. Who knows what would have happened had the penalty against Given been given? Perhaps some of the furore would have been avoided (with no extra time required as the score would have been final in that case).

It is up to the referee to sort it out, whether by himself or preferably using video technology. How easy would it have been for the referee, the moment the goal went in, to call up to the video referee and ask “hey mate, just want to confirm everything looked okay on that goal” and for the video ref. to say “hey, obvious handball, no goal, free-kick to Ireland, put 5 seconds back on the clock”.

Easy. It would have taken no more time than France’s celebrations did anyway. The videos could be replayed over the big screen so that the 80,000 fans see the evidence as well and know why the decision was made.

Putting all this vitriol on Henry simply moves the debate away from where it should be. This should be a debate on using technology and the role of the referee, not a debate about a player doing what EVERY player does in the heat of the moment.

Must say that since the Maradonna handballs (yes twice) I really didn’t like him anymore. Not because of the handball was against England, found it a disgrace who ever was the opponent. I really wanted Germany to win that final in that WC, just to punish them but they got away with it at the end to my dissapointment. But thats the way it goes.

So if one of my heroes does a thing like that I’m dissapointed for this.

At the end of the day the ref should have punished it, but he didn’t cause he couldn’t see it. Sorry Bac, William, Abou, Samir and Gael but now I really hope that France get beaten in SA and comes home after the first round. This would be a good thing for Arsenal as well in fact.

I speak as an Aussie, transplanted to London, who in Islington and Holloway has found my spiritual home.

This is home. Land of the Gooners, home of the free (and free flowing football!). I’d find it hard to live anywhere else in the world, to be honest!

No it will not haunt him. No it will not throw a shadow over his career. Sportsmen try to stretch rules. Sportsman try to do everything they can to win. Had Henry NOT made a move with his hand for that ball and had it gone out of play and France ended up losing, NOW THAT WOULD HAVE HAUNTED HENRY FOREVER!!!! Thierry would have spent the rest of his life thinking “what if I’d thrown my hand out there, maybe the referee would have missed it.”

When I was playing sports I was always told to try as much as I could and leave it up to the referee to set the standards. I was an open-side flanker at Rugby and in that position you are basically taught to cheat, and to stretch the rules, and to test the referee. In all sports you do what you can to win, SO LONG AS IT DOESNT PHYSICALLY HARM THE OPPONENT.

It is up to the referee to see these things. It is up to modern sports to use modern technology to help officials.

What happened last night was not the fault of Henry. He is an athlete trying to do what he can to win. ALL ATHLETES DO THAT.

What happened last night is the fault of the referee.

On the TH handball, it does not bother me one way or the other as this was a match between France and Ireland, so whatever happned has nothing to do with me or my club, i’ve got to mention those head jobs on Talkshit Radio who are milking the thing for all they can get, however when our media start whining and god like I all ways say this, remember Peter Crouch pulling the dread locks of the T & T player to score a goal for England?? people in glass houses springs to mind!!!

Now I must say that despite me living almost in a forrest now, I was a city kid in my youth and I love the smell of a city and always will.

In fact if I would have retired one day I really wouldn’t mind moving to London. But I don’t think I can convince my wife for such a move…..

On the TH handball… I agree he let himself down and I even feel he let us down. I think this action will haunt him for the rest of his carreer and will throw a shadow on his immense carreer. As he always will be remembered as a Gunner… I’m not so happy with it. As it was a very important goal it will be remembered for a long time as this wouldn’t be the case if France would have won 4-0 or so.

And Platini will probably say: I didn’t see it from where I was sitting. And I think he will shut up about it for the rest.

As a bona-fide London boy I’m just thrilled that you have found this city and its polyglot inhabitants so accommodating and friendly. Many would have you convinced the opposite is true.

I agree with Walter though, I’ve always found this city to be very warm – full off character and characters.

Better news on Gibbs, though it doesn’t sound as though he’ll be back for the Chelsea game. :0(

As for Henry’s blatant cheating – he has let himself down there and Ireland can count themselves deeply unfortunate. Will Platini now wade in and pillory Henry for cheating as he did with Eduardo for diving when Celtic were put out of the CL? What’s that you say? Platini is French?

Ah.

Walter, you should try the Blackstock Road / Highbury Grove / Upper Street walk back from the ground. Depends how long you have, but with a stop in every third pub you should be able to get in plenty of beer on the way back to the Angel, in many entertaining boozers. And a bite to eat if you’re lucky too!

Suggested stops: Bank of Friendship / Highbury Barn / Hen & Chickens / Compton Arms / Hope & Anchor / Camden Head / The York.