I know soccer means nothing to most of you on this board but I think you will understand as sports fans why I am venting and really pissed off at the moment.


I don't know if you all recently heard that Ireland crashed out of the football world cup play off  literally to the hand of the French. We qualified second in our group behind the Italians which meant we would be up against one of the runners up in another group to secure a place at the world cup.

Fifa the world governing body who are financed by "addidas" decided at the last minute to seed the play off because they didn't think that big "addidas" sponsored teams like France and Portugal wouldn't qualify automatically.

So we were pitted against the mighty French instead of a smaller footballing nation like Bosnia. They beat us 1-0 in Dublin and in Paris we were beating them 1-0 and totally playing them off the park and most likely to go on and win the game when a French player clearly in an offside position the first infringement, handled the ball into the net for all in the stadium to see and the referee allows the goal.

Without a doubt Fifa, Addidas and the French got what they wanted and the smaller nations didn't stand a chance of qualifying from the playoffs. Rightly so, there was world wide condemnation of Fifa and the French. Majority of the French supporters want a reply as they do not want to qualify in these circumstances.

Multi nationals and TV company's have to much influence in sport today. They should be happy enough with the exposure they get without having an influence on the results of sporting events.

There may well be a world cup in the summer of 2010 but it will be a tainted affair and I really do hope the French go on to win the tournament.

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Lefty...!

Sounds like the Irish would have made a tough showing to fear along the way and a viewing smash.  Soccer's unfamiliar to me, but we have this replay review thing for tough judgments in football here.



Quote:

Majority of the French supporters want a reply as they do not want to qualify in these circumstances.

But they probably don't want the loss either.  What are the chances of a convincing reply, talk is just that if the decision stands. 

Until they do a rematch I'll boycott Adidas.  (As if they care!)

I may be an American, (and proud of it), but my great grandfather was born in Ireland.  I've been pulling for Ireland all along.

Jerry

But Jerry - this is SOCCER we're talking about.

First there was Maradona with the "hand of God" and now we have Thierry Henri with his piggin' hand of frog..

right with you Lefty - its a farce and the Irish were robbed.

Agree with you lefty my mate.
But what can you expect from the French.
We saw the same with Zidane.
I'm afraid they don't like losing.
Makes a mockery of "sporting " don't you think.

wrote on Nov 20^th, 2009 at 4:40pm:

First there was Maradona with the "hand of God" and now we have Thierry Henri with his piggin' hand of frog..

;D ;D ;D....At least that has cheered me up a bit..!



Lefty...!

Well Lefty I'll cheer you up a little more then- I went to Calais, France for the day yesterday (P&O ferries this time for those of you that know the Sea France Story!)

The weather was horrific, force nine gale (and a cooked breakfast!) going over and force ten (and fish and chips!) coming home. In fact, we were sat outside the port of Dover for two hours as it was too dangerous to try and enter.. that was fun!

While we were THERE however - my Irish blood rose and I... expressed my displeasure at their naughty shenanigans on the pitch  [smiley=engel017.gif]

Actually I walked into a sports shop in Cite Europe and yelled "Thierry Henri est un sac du merde".

Lets just say I was dragged out by the scruff of the neck by my friend who was muttering "I'm going to bloody kill you one of these days you mental midget"

She did let me look in the shoe shops though! ;)

Lend Henry a helping hand ;)

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(I scored 39)


                 [smiley=smokin.gif]

Helen you aint half wise... ;)

Spaceguy I beat Ireland 51-1.. :D ;D



Lefty..!