Parker: Don't blame Henry
Fri Nov 20 05:00PM
Thierry Henry has insisted he is no cheat and that he was acting purely on instinct when he handled the ball in France's controversial World Cup play-off with the Republic of Ireland, and I can understand his point of view. In the heat of the moment, with the ball coming at you at pace amid a crowd of bodies, it is easy to react in the way that Henry did. And I don't think too many other players would have done differently.
As for him confessing to the referee immediately after William Gallas headed over the line, that course of action is unlikely to have helped the Irish. The referee had already made his decision, signalled the goal and would not have changed his mind.
In the absence of a clear directive from the assistant referee, and without video replays, officials are highly unlikely to go back on their decisions with just the players' opinions to rely on.
No, if you want a scapegoat for Ireland's failure to qualify for the World Cup, and understandably Irish fans do, you should look elsewhere than at Henry.
Ireland should not have even have been at the Stade de France in the first place. Only FIFA's last minute decision to seed the draw and give the big teams the best possible chance to make it through made it so.
As it is, world football's governing body have got their way and the big teams will all be at the World Cup. And for me that leaves a slight bitter taste in the mouth.
The referee too needs to take his share of the blame. It beggars belief how neither he, nor his assistant, managed to spot the handball. The Irish certainly paid the price for their error.
Perhaps Ireland should also take a good look at themselves.
Giovanni Trapattoni's side went into the two-legged tie in the better form of the two sides and played the better for much of the second leg, yet still only had one goal to their name by the time Henry intervened.
They had three good chances to kill off the game in Paris, yet failed to take any of them. Had they done so, it would be an entirely different story and we would probably be celebrating a famous Irish victory.
As it is, we find ourselves harping on about just one incident, as we did with England back in 1986.
There has been talk of a replay - even Henry has said that would be "the fairest solution", albeit after FIFA had already said there was no way it would happen - but for once I agree with FIFA's stance.
To order a rematch would only serve to open up a whole can of worms that would change the game forever. If a decision is to be changed, it needs to be changed at the time of the incident, not afterwards.
If not, we would have a situation where there would be far too many cases - just think how many contentious decisions there are every weekend. We would forever be waiting on the retrospective outcome of games. And for me that would take some of the enjoyment out of the game.
Video refs thats what is needed then this injustice can be avoided
From nickgpwinfield on Fri Nov 20 05:16PMno shiit?
From wa.irvine on Fri Nov 20 05:17PMBring back slow torture for such crimes. For this kind of offence, the electric chair is not harsh enough, administrating a lethal injection is simply not callous enough, for your crimes against journalism it has to be slow torture.
From garethds on Fri Nov 20 05:22PMfair points. except i dont agree that henry fessing up after the handball wouldnt have helped. surely if the person who had the assist for the goal - to take them to the world cup, told the referee it was handball, he would be believed, cause he hardly has much reason to make something like that up. Also, this proves how unfair eduardo's criticism was, yes, he dived and deserved to be punished, but the fact that this handball has come straight after N'Gog's dive means everyone seems to have forgotten about that one, and Eduardo's treatment was a one - off
From nobodyhasthisaddress on Fri Nov 20 05:28PMthe bigots only call for video replays when it happens to their team ;)
but great teams lose with dignity and humility, whatever the outcome!
i don't see georgia asking for a replay against ireland... or milan from 2005
bad decisions are a part of football.. move on!
thank god for roy keaneFrom wa.irvine on Fri Nov 20 05:29PM4- WRONG.
All incidents in the past where players have "fessed" up and said it wasn't a penalty or a goal, the goal still stood, and the penalty was still taken.The rules state a referee can only change his decision upon contact with his fellow officials, and it has to be done BEFORE the game is restarted.
From wa.irvine on Fri Nov 20 05:35PMHenry not to blame???? Where should I start with this drivel, the fact that he handled it not once but twice??? The second of which was so blatant, purposely flicked his hand to keep the ball in play, So Mr Parker, please do have another look at the evidence before you write such drivel!
The ref and assistants should have never been put in the situation they were, Henry should have not done (PURPOSELY!) what he did, that is the bottom line!
From gavinmckenna2006 on Fri Nov 20 05:40PMParker, you are WRONG! If a player is a player then fair play must come first. I mean, this is Thierry Henry we are talking about. He is supposed to be a man & player on a competely different level. What else does the man need to win in his life? And he is wearing the France captain's band. Doesn't that distinction have meaning? The opportunity to not only appear for your home country in over 80 appearances but to now also be its national side captain?
Thierry Henry is supposed to be a marquee player for the very best this game has to offer the world. Adidas has rained riches on his, as have Arsenal and now Barca. He appears in all the tournament build-up ads as one of the very best of the best, the man to watch.
Mr. Parker, the referee and linesman should catch it, sure. But, what a wonderful day it would be when one of these overpaid footy millionaires would just be honest.
What did Henry have to lose? Whilst his French mates celebrated (and half of them knew it was a blatant handball the moment Gallas scored), Henry takes two seconds, realizes what he must do, and goes straight to the referee to rectify.
(I just believe I might suffer a heartattack if I actually witness such thing from a player in a big match like this in my lifetime....now wouldn't that be something? Hasn't happend yet....)
Is it too much to believe that a supposed great player should do this? Is honesty so rare? Integrity? Note: I expect schoolboys to do this in the classroom or on the ballfield. Not just sometimes or on occasion. ALWAYS. Every day, every match, every game.
Simple honesty. That's greatness. So what can we conclude: Thierry Henry is nothing. He is a small man, vain, and stuck in his egocentric world. Shame.
And Shame on Paul Parker for not having any goodness to know how to accurately access such a sportsmanship travesty of seeing a World Cup, Euro Cup, and two-time Champions League winner behave like a worthless cheat.
I call upon Eurosport to immediately remove Paul Parker from having the opportunity to blog on this football site. We need integrity and upright character. Not a writer who can somehow justify cheating.
From acm11siro on Fri Nov 20 05:45PMthat's football.
so let's keep the stupid suggestions like video proof and so on out of the game and let's play football.
injustice belongs to football since it was invented, so quit whining!From frederic_rossie91 on Fri Nov 20 05:48PMPaul Parker is WRONG. Completely wrong. For the game to be just even a tad bit believable and respectable everyone has the full right to expect to see a Thierry Henry own up to his obvious handball. What would that cost Henry? Nothing. Isn't Henry supposed to be one of France's greatest players ever? Maybe one of Europe's best ever? Well, not now. And, Paul Parker does not deserve the space to comment/blog if he uses the privilege to justify & excuse cheating. Eurosport, please remove Paul Parker from this position.
From acm11siro on Fri Nov 20 05:51PMPaul Parker, you're wrong.
So it's OK to excuse Henry cheating with "the ball coming at pace amid a crowd of bodies" but it "beggars belief" the refs didn't see it?
Also, yes, the seeding was ludicrous (many said as much when FIFA made it up out of thin air), and yes, the Irish should not have missed their chances and should have defended better in the goal situation. Yes, they might have lost anyway.
Still, it is a blatant act of cheating, and for Henry to try and come out of it clean, and even get applause for fessing up and requesting a replay (which he well knows is not happening!), is laughable. A great player, but an even bigger cheat.
From is_spc on Fri Nov 20 05:51PMHey Gavin, the real "bottom line" is if you were EVER an athelete, you play to the whistle. But you probably didn't know that. Henry apologized for the handball which was not called, asked for the replay which was not granted. Anything else you'd like him to do?
Big up Mr. Parker and to Keano for tellin it like it is.
From min_e_cooper on Fri Nov 20 05:53PMSo basically the question is was it deliberate or reflexive? Henry is guilty if it is deliberate and innocent of it was reflexive.
From axhixhrai on Fri Nov 20 06:10PMwrong. Mr parker. he is a cheat plain and simple. he knew exactly what he was doing.
From andyunderwood on Fri Nov 20 06:12PMevery fan should protest at every match to bring pressure on the clubs so clubs them selves put presure on fifa to install video tectnollegy and stop this farcical situations happening in our sport, other sports have adopted it so why is fifa so anti, platini's idea of two extra goal line officals clearly does not work as they still made important desission errors when enployed, WHY NOT START A POLL TO ASK THE FANS DO YOU WANT VIDEO TECTNOLLEGY IN OUR SPORT.
REMEMBER WITHOUT THE FANS ANY SPORT IS DEADFrom webb984 on Fri Nov 20 06:15PMmin_e_cooper - Henry probably did the natural thing for an athlete, and he's doing all the right PR moves after the incident.
Which does not make him anything but a refined cheat. He will always be remembered as the French who cheated, despite all of his great goals and successes on the pitch.
From is_spc on Fri Nov 20 06:15PMnow all of you english and irish people have got something to write about. people kill others and you alwayz come out to defend them as sleep walkers, partly insane this and that........henry made a mistake , he owned it, he is embarrased, ashamed of himself and asking if possible for the game to be replayed... what else do you want from him you serial loosers.........jesus said whoever is clean should cast the first stone................so please quiet and go back to your bars, gambling shops and streets........
From kalangeadam on Fri Nov 20 06:20PMHey is_ Have you not seen any other "football icon" involved in an illegal play and got away with it? Rooney, Ronaldo, Messi, Zidane, Pele, Maradona, etc? Despite the fact that he may have been held on a high pedistal as an honest player, this incident only proves he is human. Just like you. Do you ever screw something up, and immediately apologize seconds after it happened? Sure it happens sometimes, but sometimes not. And he has admitted his error. Maybe to early to forgive, but for gawd sakes MOVE ON. It happened and can't be undone. That's my point.
From min_e_cooper on Fri Nov 20 06:30PMHurray to France (Thierry Henry in particular) for cheating their way to the world cup finals. What a great example to the young kids to know that you can cheat your way to glory! Thierry Henry can deny all he wants and many can come to his support but the whole world knows that he cheated and he knows it too.
From sri_ganesh2000 on Fri Nov 20 06:52PMPAUL PARKER, I'M FED UP WITH YOU!!! YOU ARE SUCH A HYPOCRITE!!!!!!!
It was just a couple of weeks ago that Ngog was dribbling on the left wing and then Lee carsley made a hard tackle and then Ngog jumped and landed on the ground. Whether it was a deliberate dive or injury evasion, you can't really tell because only the player him self knows. And you - paul parker - had your hands around his neck and called for panel of shame and that his name should be put on it.
Now, Henry is on the left side and he almost caresses the ball as if it was a baby and it did not just touch his hand, yet I see that you're defending him and saying that he's not a cheat. Are you really that biased? Idiotic? Hypocrite? YES YOU ARE, you - paul parker - should be put on the journalists panel of shame. And blaming the Irish who played a great gamed and had great commitment throughout the game pffffffffff
From itani_yassine on Fri Nov 20 07:06PMparker you are a @#$%, henry handled the ball and did not own up so he is a cheat o.k its that plain
From mickbev on Fri Nov 20 07:08PMok, huum, sorry for the WorldWide wellknown IRISH SPIRIT (FAIR PLAY), but how about Ireland's penalty kick awarded against Georgia this year? isnt it the same situation? Should Keane have told the ref about the NO PENALTY call ?? should we replay that game as well? no moral lessons can be thrown at the French after this, honestly....please
From sketka912 on Fri Nov 20 07:09PMhuuuum
From sketka912 on Fri Nov 20 07:11PMFootballers have been punished after the event before why not in this case. Ban Henry from the group stage of the World Cup Finals.
From john_moulding on Fri Nov 20 07:21PMPaul Parker, you have been wrong before. You were in Malaysia recently to talk about the Chelsea-Manu game and how Manu is going to get whipped by Chelsea. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. Guess what? Another big cheat, Drogba was at work and did it well. Btw, is Ngog french?
From sri_ganesh2000 on Fri Nov 20 07:31PMIt was clearly a hand ball by Henry who has admitted to it. But it was done on impulse and not intended at all like some commentators are implying. He certainly didn't say to himself: I'll stop the ball with my hand and then whack it into the net. Instinctive it was, like most normal humans do, not enough time to think.
From maciuvatu157 on Fri Nov 20 07:32PMDoes anyone remember Arsenal vs Portsmouth, when Arshavin told the referee and linesman that he wasnt fouled in the box???did it change the referees decision???NO!!!!!IReland went out because they couldnt capitalise on their dominant period in the game!!!At the time of Henry's intervention, the French were on top, and probably would have won on penalties...Arsenal were knocked out of the Champs quarters in 2008, cos of a controversial penalty, so as Roy keane said...GET OVER IT!!!!
From toluorems on Fri Nov 20 07:36PMWhether or not Ireland should have won the match is irrelevant, as is speaking about how they should have scored instead of moaning about Henry's goal. Henry cheated, and arguing that Ireland should have won the match anyway has nothing to do with the issue. So, if Ireland had won the match, would Henry have been excused? I don't think there should be a replay as this will provide a presendant to future cases- everyone will start wanting a replay after a referee's decision is seen as being wrong. But something should be done. Maybe Henry should be suspended from the World Cup 2010, or even the whole team.
From gianlucabusuttil on Fri Nov 20 07:47PMInstinctive?????? HE'S NOT A GOALKEEPER!! Nor in deed a handball player!! Why would it be instinctive for him!!
From keith_lowney10 on Fri Nov 20 08:00PMAgreed - how long has Henry been a top footballer? Yet he still "instinctively" uses his hand to control the ball?
Get real - he knew exactly what he was doing, just as he knew exactly how to make himself look better by 'fessing up after the game. Why didn't he do so immediately? Because the rules say that the ref can change a decision only before the game finishes...
From pyanfaruk on Fri Nov 20 08:29PM
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