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Cheating soccer 'star' Thierry Henry will be French toast if he comes to New York

By
Niall O'Dowd

Published Thursday, November 19, 2009, 8:39 AM
Updated Thursday, November 19, 2009, 12:37 PM


French toast: Thierry Henry hand ball which led to William Gallas' goal in extra time to send France to the 2010 Fifa World Cup
French toast: Thierry Henry hand ball which led to William Gallas' goal in extra time to send France to the 2010 Fifa World Cup

They say Thierry Henry will be playing with the New York Red Bulls in the near future that he will do a David Beckham and make some money in America.

After yesterday the Red Bulls may not want him –not if Irish fans have their say.

Henry can expect a very poor reception from Irish fans in the New York area  if and when he shows up here. Right now he’d be French toast.

All across New York yesterday there was a profound sadness in Irish bars and restaurants as this gallant Irish side went down to undeserved defeat.

There was anger too, at the boneheaded decision to award the French goal. A great sporting contest should not have been decided by a cheat.

As always, we had gathered in our locals, around 3.p.m yesterday hoping to cheer our boys in green on from 3,000 miles away. It is a time-honored tradition by now, something we do just by force of habit.

We remember the glory days here in 1994, when the Italians were vanquished in New Jersey and an entire nation of Irish from all over the world descended on the U.S.

Midway through yesterday's game I phoned my wife and said I was heading to South Africa, hell or high water next summer and she should come with me.

We had a hell of a time back in 1994 in New York and Florida traveling with the Irish fans who, yes, are the best in the world. A repeat in South Africa would have been a wonderful do-over.

I was that convinced the Irish were going to win. I had been a sceptic at the start but it became obvious this was an inspired Irish side.

They were playing superbly, chasing and harrying the French off the park and setting up sweet passing movements that brought me back to the glory days of Roy Keane and  Paul McGrath.

In the end the game came down to  the lack of a video replay Americans find it very hard to understand how soccer has managed to defy the modern era.

American football and baseball the two premier sports here use video replay as a matter of course.

It solves all the arguments, ends all controversy. Was it a touchdown? Lets go to the videotape. Was it a home run or did a fan interfere with the ball? Check the videotape.

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Cheating soccer 'star' Thierry Henry will be French toast if he comes to New York | Irish News | IrishCentral


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Posted by letterhome on Nov 20, 2009, 08:34 AM EST
It certainly is interesting living in France at present. Okay it does ensure everyone knows where Ireland is, but even more surprisingly any of the french people I have spoken to here feel that they now have a slight on their character. It is still headline story here two days later.
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Posted by MalcomAC on Nov 20, 2009, 12:18 AM EST
On PTI TonyK and MichaelW said that if this had happened in the NBA, Henry would be called for palming the ball. They led their show off with this story. Rightfully so.
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Posted by Rebelforce on Nov 19, 2009, 10:49 PM EST
To his credit, the French player has publicly admitted it was infact a hand ball----not that he could deny it given the evidence of the video tape.
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Posted by jacersisityourself on Nov 19, 2009, 06:38 PM EST
*LOL* @ Dublinman - "PALMa" - I luvvit!
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Posted by jacersisityourself on Nov 19, 2009, 06:37 PM EST
In Paris - a French beret - €6; croissant - €4; ‘Fighting Irish’ scarf - €10; match ticket €60; watching Thierry Henry play Gaelic football? – Fruckin’ PRICELESS! The ‘Gaul’ of it all!
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Posted by jacersisityourself on Nov 19, 2009, 06:26 PM EST
Dead right SteelTown – we Irish are not just gutted but really angry because on the balance of play between the two teams the Irish deserve to be in the World Cup competition proper. FIFA has issued a statement tonight (wait till you research it! – wow!) saying the game cannot be replayed on account of Rule 5 of FIFA’s official rules. This, according to reports, says that the referee “has full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed” and that “the decisions of the referee regarding facts connected with play are final”. Talk about “shooting yourself in the foot”. By this statement, issued for attention of the whole world of soccer, FIFA has left itself wide open to ridicule and the best lawyers’ attacks. Who's facts???? Who has ‘regarded’ the facts of last night’s match? None of the officiating officials, it seems... Game on again Irish Lads!! Here we go, here we go, here we go, here we go-oh! gOle, gOle gOle!






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