Irish request denied

FIFA has denied the Irish FA's request to replay the match versus France, which ended in controversial circumstances. The statement read: "FIFA has today, 20 November 2009, replied to the request made by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) to replay the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ play-off match held on 18 November 2009 between France and the Republic of Ireland in Paris. In the reply, FIFA states that the result of the match cannot be changed and the match cannot be replayed. As is clearly mentioned in the Laws of the Game, during matches, decisions are taken by the referee and these decisions are final."

It's funny how both, FIFA and UEFA, haven't mentioned this incident in their post match report. In some parts it's understandable, but it does leave a sour taste to all of this.

Anyways, while most of the Irish are mad about the whole situation, one isn't. Former captain, who infamously walked out on the team in South Korea 2002, Roy Keane has come out and said that his counter parts should just accept it and move on. "They can complain all they want but France are going to the World Cup - get over it. France were there for the taking and Ireland didn't do it. Same old story", he said. The man, who racked up 66 caps for the Republic of Ireland, also went on to criticize the players: "I'd be more annoyed with my defenders and my goalkeeper than Thierry Henry. How can you let the ball bounce in your six-yard box? How can you let Thierry Henry get goal-side of you? If the ball goes into the six-yard box, where the hell is my goalkeeper? These are skills and lessons you learn as a schoolboy."

Thierry Henry, the hero of "Hand of God II", has come under heavy criticism amongst fans of the game. While current and former players have defended him. Former Arsenal teammate Lee Dixon went on record saying that the thing Henry did, cheating, is totally out of character from him, while another former Arsenal teammate Emmanuel Petit compered Henry with Zinedine Zidane. "Zidane has been sent off 14 times, some for things a normal person in the street might be in prison for - we always found an excuse for him so why can't we find one for Thierry as well?", asked the man who himself played for France 63 times. Henry himself as agreed that a rematch would be the best possible solution.

Football is all about opinions and everyone has them. While all of them might not be right, most of them do have some valuable points. It's just sad how the beautiful game is being ruined with cheating and refereeing decisions, as the cost of a win has gone too high.