How Long Until We Forgive Thierry Henry?

Thierry Henry should refuse to travel with the French team to SA if this matter is not settled i.e by a replay, He needs to take a principled stand after his admission of guilt and indeed his team mates could follow suit- they are not going there on merit as things stand!

I was never all that upset with Henry, the media kind of forced it in though. Soccer is in real time, yes it looks a lot worse in slow-motion, But so does everything else. France needs to shake it off if they want to succeed in this World Cup.

Posted from  United States

It’s a very delicate situation since it’s about getting qualified to the WC and it gets more media coverage than normal.
These things often happens in league play.

In my opinion it was not a good move by Henry, it really doesn’t fit him as a professional player. Henry has contributed with his style and magnificent play for so many years – so it’s a shame that this happened.

Who’s to blame? FIFA, Ref, Henry? – you decide.

Good luck to France in the WC and I’m crossing my fingers that Ireland qualifies to the next EC and WC!

Posted from  Norway

John Mullanaphy is right. We should not forgive if Henry is allowed to play the 2010 WC.

I’m sure Henry has been hurt by Irish fans for a long time since we talked about the world cup. A foul in the game is natural and not pro fortune Ireland, but for me personally it was like cheating is not forgiven

Posted from  Australia

EVRA SAYS CHEAT HENRY DESERVES A STATUE
http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/football/610712/PATRICE-EVRA-SAYS-CHEAT-THIERRY-HENRY-DESERVES-A-STATUE.html

PATRICE EVRA believes there should be a statue erected to handball cheat Thierry Henry.

The Manchester United defender leapt to the defence of his team-mate and claimed Henry would have been a ‘traitor’ if he’d confessed to the referee he’d cheated Ireland out of a World Cup place.

Evra said: “Frankly, if he had done that, I would have told him: ‘Titi, you have betrayed us’.

“It’s madness. We are arguing about Henry when we should be erecting a statue to him.”

There are rumours in the French media that Henry is so distressed by becoming the target of global abuse he is considering quitting international football.

But Evra responded: “That’s nonsense. Titi is ready now for South Africa. The lad feels bad because his own people are attacking him, but he is solid.

“People will have gone on to something else in a few days. That’s why I thought: ‘Pat, keep your mouth shut or else you will get called arrogant again’.

“But I just don’t accept that people should attack our captain that way.

“For the world’s press to destroy him, no problem. But for we, in France, to join in, it’s not on. It has to stop.

“If Titi had got that goal ruled out by going to see the ref and we had lost, the same people would have talked about his ego.

“They would have said: ‘He is only thinking about himself, his image’.

Hypocrites
“That handball was an instinctive gesture. What sportsman could look at himelf in the mirror and say it couldn’t happen to him.

“Who would have gone to the ref to tell him? These people are hypocrites. We are going to South Africa and that’s all.

“When I think there are politicians who enjoy attacking us…they don’t even know whether the ball is round or oval. They’ll be the first to come and drink champagne in South Africa.

“I returned to Manchester with Irish players and they told me, themselves, that I should have had a penalty in the first game. People have forgotten that”.

Embarrassed
“Of course, I’m angry. Titi doesn’t deserve this. Who committed the error? The refereee, full stop. I spoke to Titi on Thursday. He is disappointed. It is hard that people should attack him in France.

“I was embarrassed at the end of the game, but just by our own performance. We were not good. We came very close to disaster.

“But we showed our guts. I’m not ashamed of anything. I am not going to sing, but I am not ashamed. There is injustice in football all the time.

“I’ll do a replay whenever you want. As long as it’s on PlayStation”

we all make mistakes. forgiveness is good.

Maradonna got 2 months ban because of his hand of God. What rules that FIFA used in 1986 to justify that? Your essay was simplistic!!! The only difference between hand of God and “henball” is one is direct goal converting, while the other indirect.

I did not see the whole game. I saw video replays. But surely it was deliberate handball, touching with left hand 2 times the ball in a second. Why would a referee need to ask to a offender? Only a referee need to ask the linesmen. Isn’t it? If a offender changes his mind, he will approach the referee not the referee approach him.

I do not know whether the referee had asked the linesmen. But i know from the video replay that the referee was 50 m away because that was a free kick from the France side. The referee’s view was blocked by 4 players at the spot of incident where Henry touched the ball deliberately. I am not sure whether the linesmen’s view was blocked. Was the referee at the wrong position when a free kick was conducted a the French half of the field? Would a referee stand at the Irish half of the field to see the free kick sending off? I don’t think the referee had any wrong doing if he had consulted the linesmen. Let me know if any have that information by sending to kmmak2000@gmail.com

If there is a statue for Henry why there was not one for Maradona???

Read more and think more please!

Not confirmed, seems there are reports saying Martin Hansson, the referee got banned for 2 months.

If it is true then what about Henry? Can he get away free? If he gets away free while the referee got punished then it is the most absurd thing ever seen. It is like the policeman sent to jail by the judge while the thief set free because the policeman failed to catch the thief.

Soccer is about passion. Sure. But when passion, affiliation and emotion take over so much above rationale then it is very dangerous. Hooligans and riots are the examples.

Think and think with less passion, emotion and affiliation for now.

Yeah, this happens all the time. Yes indeed. However, it is not a match of your son’s or my son’s soccer in week ends on Sundays. It is World Cup. He is a superstar. He is the captain of a national team. Not a national team of pacific islands. It is a national team of a nation having a seat in the UN Security Council.

This means millions in dollars for France or Ireland, as well the punters.

Wake!

If you are a real fan in soccer, follow it through for an answer.

Everyone who thinks Henry is to blame for this whole debacle is being completely irrational. How about we ask Shay Given why he didn’t admit to the ref that he purposefully tripped Evra in the previous game?

Posted from  United States

According to http://www.theworldgame.com.au/2010-world-cup/fifa-to-discuss-ireland-exit-260282 “Henry said his reaction in handling the ball had been a split-second instinctive reaction.”

This is very absurd excuse. He touched the ball twice in a split of a second. If it that was not a deliberate professional foul, the second move of the hand after the touching of the ball should be withdrawing backwards, not moving further forward to control the ball. This is a real big lie.

More over, even the first move of the hand to touch the ball was instinctively wanting to make a professional foul to control the ball. This is so apparent from the video replay.

If it was instinctive, he was instinctively wanting to control the ball with his hand.

“The French striker said: “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.”, http://www.theworldgame.com.au/2010-world-cup/fifa-to-discuss-ireland-exit-260282 .

If Henry’s handball was not a cheat, ie not deliberate, why he didn’t approach the referee and tell that he handled the ball. But instead, he said should the referee had asked him he would tell. He was deliberate. He did not inform, but instead throw the responsibility to the referee right after the match.

Henry, who issued a statement saying a replay would be the fairest solution only after world government body FIFA said the result would stand, said he regretted the way he had celebrated the decisive goal.(http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/23112009/58/world-cup-fifa-hold-meeting-incidents.html)

If that was “ball hit the hand” not “hand hit the ball”, why Henry admitted replay would be the fairest?

If that was “ball hit the hand” then it was all legitimate, and the match result was all legitimate. Why he had to call for a replay? It is so obvious and blatant that he did it intentionally!

I dont have a problem with Henry, my problem is with FIFA they need to clean house they are talking about coruption in Football they should start with themself coz they STINK of coruption and the ref Martin H should be ban for life from the game as for how I will remember Henry well he’s a cheat and nothing more but i can forgive him, what else can we do, move on , just too bad he will be remebered as a CHEAT.

Posted from  Canada

Roy Keanes comments said it all. Period.

Posted from  United States

Hopefully Henry will
have the decency to retire from international football.

Posted from  Canada

people who say it was impulsive reaction are rubbish.

my impulse would be to try to NOT use my hands at all.

it’s like us americans who drive. we’re taught not to drive automatics with both our feet. so when we’re about to crash into something? instictive/impulsively, we slam our right foot onto the brakes. not our left, not both feet, only our right foot.

in all the time i’ve played soccer, i not onced had the impulse to grab/control a ball with my hands, especially not within scoring distance.

Posted from  United States

I can understand a player being caught with his hand in the air when a ball comes in. I can even understand going for a header and your hand getting in the way of the ball. For Henry he saw an opportunity to cheat and took advantage of it. The ball hit his hand and when the whistle wasn’t called what did he do? He used his hand to direct the ball so he could make the pass and get France the goal. Acting on impulse? I think not. His actions were thought out and executed with him believing that nobody would notice. And if he really was acting on impulse then why on earth would he do his celebratory victory gallop acting like it was a well fought goal rather than a muted celebration over a referee error?

I still do not know why there are so many around the world to say that Henry does not deserve a punishment (despite not majority) and an inquest by FIFA.

I really want to know around the world whether only Australia has a after match review panel.

Below is a “clip” from the A-league, Australia:

“Independent Match Review Panel – Round 17
Monday, 7 December 2009
by FFA

Ben Sigmund
Ben Sigmund

The independent Match Review Panel, consisting of Barry Such (Chair), Alan Davidson and Simon Micallef, convened to consider the following incident from Round 17 of the Hyundai A-League:

The incident involving Ben Sigmund (Wellington Phoenix FC) and Adrian Leijer (Melbourne Victory FC) in the 36th minute of the match between the clubs on Friday night. As the incident escaped the attention of referee, the MRP has the authority to consider the incident. The MRP alleges that Ben Sigmund had committed the offence of “Assault on a Player (e.g. violent conduct when not challenging for the ball)” against Leijer and proposes a sanction of three (3) matches. This is one (1) additional match to the two (2) match minimum sanction for such an offence. The player has until 12.00 noon (AEDT) tomorrow to accept the proposed sanction or refer the matter to a hearing by the FFA Disciplinary Committee.”

It is not only soccer in Australia has a review panel, also is the AFL, and NRL, and Ruby Union.

I do not ask for forgiveness… you have all cheated in one way or another. Ireland did not complain when a blatant favorable call was made in a previous game. Ireland should not blame me for their own inadequacies. THank you. I am not a cheat. ~T. Henry

T. Henry,

In your words you admitted cheating. “you have all cheated in one way or another”, you said. How dare you are accusing everyone has cheat.

And in the last part you said, “I am not a cheat.” Are you sober?

You use a name “T. Henry”. I don’t think you are Thierry Daniel Henry.

Most of the world still haven’t forgiven Zidane for his disgraceful 06 world cup exit of shame so Henry has a long way to go

Posted from  Canada

Title: instinctive action vs reflex action

Secondary school biology students know what is reflex action. Upon a stimulus, the body will involuntary react without the need of control of the brain; this action is called reflex action which only needs the spinal cord in the vertebral column to control. For instance, if someone’s hand accidentally touched high heat, his hand will retreat quickly without the thinking of the person’s brain. Once, scientist wanted to use this phenomenon to develop a method to cure “Superman Christopher Reeves”.

On the other hand, instinctive action is something that needs the control of the brain. For example, if a dog, or lion sees something running, instinctively it will chase. In a dog race, when the dogs see the moving electric rabbit, they instinctively chase. A man sees a beautiful woman, instinctively he will think of sex.

Soccer player are trained not to use hands. If Thierry Henry touched the ball instinctive, then, it would mean that either he has been trained to use hands, or he touched deliberately. If he touched the ball accidentally, he would retreat his hand reflexively by the nerves in the spinal cord without the consciousness of the brain.

“True reflexes can be distinguished from instincts by their seat in the nervous system; reflexes are controlled by spinal or other peripheral ganglia, but instincts are the province of the brain.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instinct), accessed 14 Dec 09.

It is not logical to defend Henry by the pretext of “instinctive action”.