When Irish Eyes Are Crying

Yesterday, one of the great injustices in sports history happened, and no, this is not another article blasting Colin Cowherd... but something that is perhaps more important. The field of 32 is set for the World Cup, but not without controversy. Of course, you probably know by now that traditional power France defeated Ireland 2-1 on aggregate thanks to a goal by William Gallas in extra time. That goal was directly set up from an obvious handball on French icon Thierry Henry (see pic from Sky Sports above, c'est manifeste). Henry knew it was a handball, he even admitted it afterwards, the other French and Irish players knew it was a handball, the millions watching around the world knew it was a handball... and yet, the goal stood. France are in the World Cup and Ireland are out on not just a missed call, but a blatant disregard for the rules of soccer. Here's the video evidence from a scarred Irishman...

Sure, bad calls are made all the time... but as American sports fans, it might be hard to realize the magnitude of this decision. Imagine if a blown call cost your favorite team a spot in the playoffs... only that it would be 4 years until you could get another chance back in. Oh, and it's not just you and the fans of your favorite team, it's your entire country that feels cheated. Needless to say, this is the blown/missed call of all blown/missed calls. This makes the Tuck Rule and Phil Luckett's coin toss look like child's play.

Many in Ireland are calling for a replay of the game, which if it happens would be the most stunning thing in sports I've ever seen. Have a look at some of the Irish quotes surrounding this incident and tell me if FIFA and world soccer has some fences to mend...

"We got robbed. ... We feel cheated. We were the better team," said Irish defender Sean St. Ledger. ''It's cost a lot of us our dreams - as a boy I used to dream of playing in the World Cup, and now I'm not.''

"Throughout the country today there is an air of bitterness. We were beaten unfairly and there is general disgust in France too," Irish lawmaker Joe McHugh said. "Friends of mine who attended last night's game phoned me this morning from a cafe in Paris to report that the French people are ashamed and do not regard this as an honest victory."

"If the game's going to survive, it's got to be an equal playing field," Irish Ast. Manager Liam Brady said. "If we're going to have integrity and dignity in the world game, the game should be replayed. And we'll go to Paris to play it."

"If that result remains, it reinforces the view that if you cheat you will win," said Irish Justice Minister Dermot Ahern.

But, the best and most damning quote came from Ireland Captain and Tottenham star Robbie Keane, who questioned the ethics of FIFA President Sepp Blatter and UEFA head honcho Michel Platini...

"They're all probably clapping hands, Platini sitting up there on the phone to Sepp Blatter, probably texting each other, delighted with the result, with France (getting through)."

And we thought conspiracy theories only existed in the NBA?! This is on, hello, a WORLD scale. This is the captain of a national team calling out the presidents of the two most important governing bodies in the world's biggest and most popular sport. Can you imagine if Tom Brady accused Roger Goodell of this sort of behavior??

Of course, Ireland felt hard done by the whole seeding process of UEFA and FIFA which was done to protect the bigger countries like France and Portugal (which beat Bosnia to go through). The Henry Hand controversy is only going to reinforce the notion that there is an unfair playing field and that nations like Ireland will never get a fair shake in world soccer. The Football Association of Ireland has now lodged a formal request for a replay of the game.

If life were fair, a replay would happen next week in Paris. (The only similar scenario I can find occurred in 1999 when Arsene Wenger offered an FA Cup Replay to Sheffield United after questionable circumstances surrounded a winning goal by Arsenal). But, we're living in dreamland if we think that Ireland is actually going to get the chance to play France for a spot in the World Cup again. First, FIFA and UEFA have gotten their wish of France going through to South Africa. Secondly, a replay opens up a Pandora's Box that soccer or any other sport can't afford to deal with: every game decided on a missed or disputed goal would need to be replayed. Of course that would be insanity.

So, sadly, injustice reigns again. And, you know, maybe France would have won a penalty shootout, but maybe they wouldn't have won. The nation of Ireland will sit at home and watch France play in South Africa knowing that they were robbed of what could be a once in a generation chance at playing in the world's most prestigious sporting event. So when your team suffers at the hands of questionable officiating, keep the Emerald Isle in mind and know it could be much, much worse. Keep the Guinness on tap come next June...

What are your thoughts on the France/Ireland controversy? Should Ireland get another chance? Is FIFA corrupt? Does soccer need video replay? Should the French do the honorable thing and offer a replay? Are the French capable of such a thing? (Just kidding to all 1-2 of our French readers) Let us know what you think!