Seriously. There's been plenty of games I've played in where the ref didn't make a call that went my way. That's just part of the game. You keep playing unless there's a whistle.

I doubt he intentionally stopped the ball with his hand.

11/19/2009 10:29:08 AM

Yeah, I think he did.

I don't think any kind of ban is necessary though. It was just a hand ball and would have been a yellow card, at most, if it had been spotted.

11/19/2009 10:38:52 AM

Well, intentional is a red card.

11/19/2009 10:43:28 AM

Nope.

Quote :

"Disciplinary sanctions There are circumstances when a caution for unsporting behaviour is required when a player deliberately handles the ball, e.g. when a player: • deliberately and blatantly handles the ball to prevent an opponent gaining possession • attempts to score a goal by deliberately handling the ball A player is sent off, however, if he prevents a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball. This punishment arises not from the act of the player deliberately handling the ball but from the unacceptable and unfair intervention that prevented a goal being scored."

11/19/2009 10:52:52 AM

"It was a handball, but I'm not the ref. I told (the referee) but he said to me the same: 'You are not the ref.'"

I give Henry credit for being honest about it and telling the ref, but wtf is the ref thinking. If Henry really did tell him he handballed it, why would he count the goal. Every player on the field raised his hand for the hanball, its not like a questionable offsides call when a defender or two raise their hands. This was a really easy call to make, and he completely fucked ireland out of the world cup by letting it go. I don't see why they don't have replay in games, because plays like this cannot happen.

The refereeing seems especially bad this year. Hopefully its better for the world cup, cuz I dont wanna watch shit like this and Ngog and eduardo happen in more important games.

11/19/2009 11:40:07 AM

http://www.therealfootball.com/tag/rapid-bucharest/

Never heard of this before, but it's awesome. This guy refused to take a penalty and the referee obliged and awarded a drop ball so he could kick it out of bounds instead.

That would have been pretty cool to see Henry refuse to let the referee award the goal, like this article claims he should have.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2009/nov/19/thierry-henry-handball-france-ireland

11/19/2009 12:01:46 PM

I don't think Henry could have convinced the ref to take away the goal. I don't see how that's even possible. It doesn't even compare to the things the guy in the Guardian is trying to compare it to.

11/19/2009 12:09:39 PM

Hope this guy is involved somehow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r0_TS09lJc&feature=related

11/19/2009 12:11:59 PM

^^ I agree with you, I was just putting that column out there to see what other people thought. It would have been cool to at least see him try to prevent the goal from being awarded. Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see much evidence that he talked to the referee about it. Maybe he mentioned it in passing after he was done celebrating or something.

11/19/2009 12:22:49 PM

That should never happen in any sport

"Nah ref, that wasn't a foul, that was just good defense"

"Nah ref, he didn't hold me, that was just good blocking"

"Nah ump, that wasn't ball 4, I'm not going to go to first"



This isn't pick up ball where you call your own fouls

11/19/2009 12:25:50 PM

I bet gay ref has had some hand balls in his time KNOW WHAT I MEAN

11/19/2009 12:32:43 PM

^^^ I think there's a big difference in that game and a World Cup Qualifier. The hopes and dreams of a nation of 65 million people are riding on his back; no way in hell anyone ever gives up that goal. I'm sure many people in France are embarrassed at the way the game was won, but I doubt too many would rather be watching Ireland go to South Africa instead. It's a tough spot for Henry, but the fact is that what matters more than his own integrity or the integrity of the game is getting his country into the World Cup. "Cheating" into the final is ultimately still less embarrassing for France than not getting there at all. I suspect they still would have ended up winning even if they hadn't scored there, though, but I guess that's not really relevant.

11/19/2009 1:12:31 PM

as i did in '06, i will take italy over holland in the final

11/19/2009 1:21:38 PM

Quote :

"Don't try to troll me, you fucking crash helmet wearing idiot."

I'm just annoyed by the people in the USA who choose to pull for England first just because they are the best team from the English speaking world. Really though, I'll pull for them too when they aren't playing USA because I have friends from England.

11/19/2009 2:47:02 PM

Props to Algeria for knocking off the Egyptians after that faggot ass rock throwing incident

11/19/2009 3:14:12 PM

I'm pretty sure jadn has English family, you tard.

11/19/2009 3:18:36 PM

Quote :

"Nope."

Well, I checked the rules, and it looks like it only applies on defense:

Quote :

" * A red card is shown by a referee to signify that a player has been sent off. A player who has been sent off is required to leave the field of play immediately and must take no further part in the game. The player who has been sent off cannot be replaced during the game; their team must continue the game with one player fewer. Law 12 of the Laws of the Game lists the categories of misconduct for which a player may be sent off. These are: .... 4. A deliberate handling offense to deny an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by any player other than a goalkeeper in his own penalty area"

11/19/2009 3:20:42 PM

He already posted that

11/19/2009 3:23:31 PM

tl;dr

11/19/2009 3:26:36 PM

Just to be clear, it only applies on defense if it stops a goal from happening. Being intentional isn't enough.

That's why I have a problem with retroactive bans for diving and the "cheating" that seems to occur all the time. A prolonged ban for further review on a really bad tackle or punching somebody/spitting on somebody makes sense because those are red-card offenses and they had already been suspended as much as possible by the referee. Unsporting behavior, as it's written in the rules, is only a mandatory yellow card offense at the moment so I don't see how you can go over the laws and throw bans around even though the initial action wouldn't have even banned them from the game they were in. Now, if FIFA wants to amend the rules to make diving and intentional hand balls like Henry's red-card offenses, that's another thing. And honestly, I'd like to see that.

[Edited on November 19, 2009 at 3:32 PM. Reason : .]

11/19/2009 3:31:49 PM

To me, intentional dives and that handball aren't even in the same ballpark as far as being worthy of a card or some type of retroactive punishment.

I 100% am for retroactive punishments/suspensions for egregious dives because frankly, the amount of diving is getting ridiculous and that seems to be the only way to prevent it.

I have been in situations like Henry's handball and it was basically almost instinctual for me to reach my hand out and stop a ball from going out of bounds. I was in a crowd, and it didn't get called and I am damn sure not gonna stop playing and walk to the ref and tell him it was a handball. Granted, mine didn't go for a goal, but it's hard to attribute any malicious or unsportsmantlike intentions to Henry in that situation. Whereas, with a bad dive, it's pretty clearly unsportsmanlike in every instance.

11/19/2009 4:55:27 PM

Using your hands is just as unsporting as diving, and I think it's even less debatable.


While Henry shouldn't have celebrated, it is what it is.


What I think is absolute bullshit is if he did indeed tell the ref afterwards that he touched the ball, and the ref told him "you're not the referee," and went on about his business.

If that DID happen, then I think a replay is required, and that ref should be banned for life by FIFA.

11/19/2009 8:36:38 PM

"If you look closely, you can see that he hits the ball with his surrendering hand."—Tony Kornheiser, on Thierry Henry

11/19/2009 8:44:20 PM

Quote :

"I'm pretty sure jadn has English family, you tard."

IIRC, he is from England and moved to the USA right after he was born. I would hope he cheers for them. I just don't like the Americans who cheer for England over the US because their favorite EPL player plays for them.

11/19/2009 9:01:46 PM

No, I was born here. Only member of my family, though. Raised as an England fan.


Regardless, I am not the topic of discussion, and neither should be your misdirected ill-will towards anyone who doesn't cheer for the US.





LOL.

[Edited on November 19, 2009 at 10:12 PM. Reason : predominantly as a cunt.]

11/19/2009 10:10:35 PM

lol

11/19/2009 10:41:48 PM

haha cunt of the cunts

11/20/2009 12:33:08 AM

Quote :

"I'm just annoyed by the people in the USA who choose to pull for England first just because they are the best team from the English speaking world. Really though, I'll pull for them too when they aren't playing USA because I have friends from England."

I have never nor will I ever cheer for USA in the world cup or at any international soccer event. There are only two teams I cheer for and thats Italy and Egypt. There are other teams I enjoy watching and will cheer for so long as they aren't playing Italy or Egypt...but USA is never one of them.


nothing against USA...but I grew up on Italian soccer and Egyptian soccer...never even knew the USA had a team until I moved here

[Edited on November 20, 2009 at 1:19 AM. Reason : .]

11/20/2009 1:13:59 AM

Ah yes, the vaunted Egyptian national team, with their two WC appearances and zero WC wins.

(Yes, I am aware of their CAF success. The fact remains that the USA has been far more successful in world competition.)

11/20/2009 6:20:23 AM

FIFA says no to the Irish

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=701024&sec=worldcup2010&cc=5901

11/20/2009 6:54:28 AM

that sucks for ireland. did anyone read the roy keane article? He basically said, "what was the ball doing in the box anyways?" Classic Keane.

11/20/2009 8:12:18 AM

haha, I translated it as, "Fuck you FAI"

11/20/2009 8:15:59 AM

Yep. The Irish would like to point out that FIFA issued that statement as they were eating in Paris and that FIFA is a FRENCH acronym.

11/20/2009 8:22:08 AM

^ I was talking about Keane's comments

but I guess they could work for FIFA's as well

11/20/2009 9:00:24 AM

So Thierry Henry just backed an Ireland - France replay...after they'd already made the ruling that their not going to. What a bitch, if he really cared he would've done it right after the game.

11/20/2009 12:19:07 PM

The ACC came out and said the refs blew the fumble call when TOB asked for a review vs Clemson. Can we get a replay vs Clemson?

11/20/2009 12:25:03 PM

It wouldn't have made any difference when Henry said it... you think FIFA is going to let a player make a decision for them?

11/20/2009 1:08:52 PM

in the end, you have to let the refs make the calls on the field.

officiating in soccer is all about un-interrupted flow of the game. review tape at the end of the game and deliver proper sanctions to those who need them (in this case, the referee, NOT Henry, not France) if necessary. the ref and his linesmen should probably be restricted from officiating games of high significance for a while. that's about it.

i would absolutely hate it if soccer became some type of sport that allowed instant replay or reviews. that stuff can fly in football and basketball because they are sports that have consistent breaks in action. soccer doesn't, and the ruling on the field should be what stands. it sucks for ireland, very badly, but that's the way it happens some times.

a rematch would benefit nobody, because you could never replicate the ebb and flow of the original match. and getting into the habit of having "do-overs" allows the possibility of every team that's ever been screwed to be rewarded a rematch. at some point, the result has to be FINAL. that's it. sorry ireland, you guys got screwed.

11/20/2009 2:18:32 PM

My solution is to add an extra referee who is watching the game on monitors with different camera angles. The referees wear headsets anyway to communicate, and he would be linked into that. It wouldn't be a review, but in real time. In this particular case, as soon as that goal was scored he would have instantly said over the headset that it was a handball.

11/20/2009 2:22:32 PM

My solution is to add two referees behind the goals. The only technology I'm behind at this point is that chip in the ball they've experimented with to tell if it's completely crossed the line. I'd be for that because that's a very hard job for any referee.

I guess they should just do what MLB has done. They still keep the human element of the referee intact, add in extra officials on the foul lines for the world series (FIFA games, bigger leagues = World Series; we don't need 5 officials in U12 games), and use the video replay for home run calls.

11/20/2009 2:26:44 PM

I cheer for only these countries in the following order:

USA
Italy
Poland (when they get in)

11/20/2009 2:34:36 PM

The solution already exists: let the 4th referee be the video official, and give linesmen equal footing. It doesn't stop the run of play, but it does get rid of obvious fuck-ups.

2 extra refs behind each goal is unmanageable, and unrealistic. You're talking about taking a 4 man crew to 8, and there are worldwide referee shortages already.

11/20/2009 8:39:27 PM

anyone else going?

message_topic.aspx?topic=563359

11/20/2009 8:42:10 PM

I don't see how people can criticize the referees and not support retroactive punishments/bans for cheating. You have people out there who are deliberately duping the referees for their own benefit. It's possible to see some of those things happening as they happen, but it still works enough that it's worth doing.

If you have retroactive punishments and that are reviewable after the game is over, you virtually eliminate this element from the game (which is arguably the most destructive and unfavorable aspect of the sport). No matter how you look at this, it's cheating. It's deliberately deceiving the official. Just because you get away with it does not make it alright but that's the message that we're currently sending to players.

I honestly think Henry intentionally handled the ball. He celebrated after it was scored, he was ready to play it perfectly across the goal after it was handled... He's just hiding behind FIFA's decision now (which I do kind of support). Ireland got screwed, no doubt about it. I think the decision should stand, actually. But I think FIFA needs to send a message about cheating, loud and clear. Henry should be banned from the group stages. It worked, you got away with it... but that's the price you pay for cheating.

11/22/2009 3:26:53 PM

Actually, the price you pay for handling is a yellow. A three game suspension is a bit much.

11/22/2009 3:33:46 PM

Quote :

"2 extra refs behind each goal is unmanageable, and unrealistic."

I meant two officials, 1 behind each goal. I don't think it's too unrealistic. Position him behind the goal line on the opposite side from the assistant. Center referee still has ultimate authority like usual, he just has another option to look to for assistance, which leads to...

I think one problem with refereeing is that "assistant" referees are never used for assistance. I know I've been told as a linesman a number of times to only worry about offsides and out-of-bounds and that's it. It doesn't help a center to have all the decisions 100% on them nor does it help assistant referees get better if they're never forced to make any kind of decisions.

I don't think it would be too hard to add two officials for FIFA games.

Quote :

"But I think FIFA needs to send a message about cheating, loud and clear. Henry should be banned from the group stages"

Change the rule and set guidelines for "cheating" bans first. I'm all for making diving an automatic red card and even adding a couple games to the ban too. But I really don't understand all the talk about a deliberate handball ban. Because every handball that's called during a game is considered deliberate because that's what makes it foul. So what criteria are you going to use to determine if it was "cheating" or not and worthy of a ban? If a defender has a deliberate handball to stop a goal, should they too be banned for an additional three games after their red card? Of course not. So why is this any different?

11/22/2009 6:10:39 PM

http://jeu-de-main.com/

Press Jouer and enjoy

[Edited on November 22, 2009 at 6:25 PM. Reason : .]

11/22/2009 6:25:27 PM

11/24/2009 8:55:29 AM

hahahaha

11/24/2009 9:16:20 AM

lollers







[Edited on November 24, 2009 at 9:45 AM. Reason : epic]

11/24/2009 9:18:52 AM