Henry's divine intervention a la, "le main d'un dieu" (roughly translated, hand of god), sunk the underdogs last week and still leaves a very, very bitter taste in the mouth of most purists.
For those who are oblivious to what happened, Thierry Henry making his usual run on the left flank is fed a high ball from midfield. The ball had a little too much weight on it so Thierry decided it might break his leg and used his hands instead. The three blind mice knew it was handball as did the 81,000 fans at the Stade de France in Paris but they didn't care. And why would they? Their team was going to South Africa to try and lift a cup that they had done in 1998 at the very stadium.
And there in lies how disgusting the thing the Irish did was. Everyone loves the underdog story and people were (pun unintended) Irate at the fact that the Boys in Green are not booked for a place in South Africa. Maradona's excuse for delivering a similar blow to England was that they deserved it because they colonized nearly have the world. As an Indian, I found it hard to argue with such solid logic. But Ireland have done nothing in the history of mankind to deserve this.
It is strange that the name Henry is so intertwined in the history of both these nations. King Henry the VIII that is. He was King of England, which ruled Ireland so in turn he was the Lord of Ireland, and then of course, he took over France. King Henry the present has imprinted his name in footballing folklore yet again and this time it has been for another curler from the left. As a United fan I was in awe of the stuff this guy did in the premier league, even putting him down in my Premier League Team of the Decade but this incident leaves a bad taste in everyone's mouth.
After the game Henry didn't take much time in using the most oft said French phrase. "I surrender," he said "A replay would only be fair". A little too late son. You should have let the ball be and said "A throw-in would only be fair". Sadly, that is the way the game is played these days. I would know which current footballer to tell my son to follow. They are all just a bunch of well paid show horses. But even show horses get up when they fall.
Fifa's idea of rejecting the replay is laughable. What would have happened if the roles were reversed and Robbie Keane had fed in Liam Lawrence to send the Irish to the World Cup, deservedly ending France's dreams and hopes? A replay? A FIFA ban? Who knows! All I want to see is the USA, once occupied by France, humiliate Les Blues in Jo'burg.
Until then, Bring in the Beers.
