Woweee! When I wrote the last post, I had no idea of the furore that was about to break open.
I just dashed off the post, literally as the match ended, very much writing exactly as I felt, definitely without analysing or thinking about it.
And I have to admit that I was only half-watching the match anyway.
Well, it seems one of the French players handled the ball, twice, and scored a goal from so doing. That goal cost Ireland the match, and arguably, their place in the World Cup. The Football Association of Ireland have been calling for a replay, but it's not happening.
The fans, I'm delighted to say, behaved really well, even in the face of such an unfair defeat. The Irish players were devastated. I'm told that even the French newspapers the next day were ashamed and embarassed.
The reaction here has been strong, calling for video evidence in future games, as happens in rugby.
I'm not sure if all this has thrown the country even more into the doldrums, or distracted us from our current economic situation. One thing for sure, it suits the government, the heat is off them and onto Thierry Henry!
oh dear, the issue of technology and refereeing is getting more and more frought isn't it!? The ref's word should either be final or everything should be monitored by camera with the ability to overrule on replay. I don't think you can pick one mistake to overrule whilst leaving others untouched.
ReplyDeleteYes..... I saw this on the news and it must have been a terrible disappointment to Ireland.
ReplyDeleteMy commiserations.
Nuts in May
It's hard enough to lose but to lose in such a way. Oh, that's devastating. I'm glad that the Irish fans are behaving so well. I'm not sure that I might not have thrown a tantrum! Pretty high stakes for an 'oops'.
ReplyDeleteI watched it on our TV too.
ReplyDeleteWe Americans are so dense. I wish I knew what the heck you were talking about ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your lovely comments.
ReplyDeleteIt's over now, we've lost and there will be no replay, so we get on with our lives.
Pinkerbell, I agree with you - either ref's word is final, or video evidence is admitted, you can't have both.
Oh yes and by the way - commissionerations from me too! Sorry I should have said that. I remember that sense of impotent rage when my team got beaten in a footie match recently when the opposite team scored five and a half minutes into extra time, when the ref had indicated that they would play four minutes. Our team, rightly, had presumed it was all winding down and the other team just snook the ball in. It was devastating as they should have finished playing by then.
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