Gutted
Henry’s hand has just condemned us to four more years of gloomy depression. Thanks a lot buddy. Going to go have a little cry, now.
Email @ireland.com
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2.
November 19, 2009
12:17 am
12:17 am
I’ve never been particularly happy to be French. Quite the contrary actually.
But what I’m sure of is that I’ve never been so ASHAMED of being French. You guys deserved the win. You were far better and showed a lot more fair-play. I actually cried at the end of the game; believe it or not, that’s the truth. I was so gutted. I’ve always felt Irish at heart anyway.
It’s sad to see that there is still no justice in football.
Comment by Pluie3.
November 19, 2009
12:18 am
12:18 am
In retrospect all will say we were robbed - but at the end of the day FIFA got exactly what it wanted!
Comment by Eamonn Purcell4.
November 19, 2009
1:14 am
1:14 am
i m sorry. i m french man and this night i m irishman.
Comment by david5.
November 19, 2009
1:23 am
1:23 am
Cheating French didn’t deserve to win tonight. If you look at FIFAs websites report of the game, they dont even refer to Henry’s handball…clearly FIFA got what they wanted France and Portugal to the World Cup!
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1136804.html#gallas+breaks+irish+hearts
Comment by Jimmy P6.
November 19, 2009
2:10 am
2:10 am
Guys, I’m French, proud of it, but not tonight. Ireland was the best team on the field and deserved to win. Sorry for this & Good luck for the next WC.
Cheers
PS: As a consolation lot, we could give you Domenech… he is not that impressive, but very lucky indeed!!
7.
November 19, 2009
4:13 am
4:13 am
i realize now that trap was right about Stephen Ireland
he did not have the determination to collectively share the load of determination to subdue himself and commit to the team spirit
this is a hommage to spirit
a will to win against odds
a beutifull thing
intangible
but moving to watch and a momentary relief in our dog eat dog life
8.
November 19, 2009
10:32 am
10:32 am
Would the best thing for Football and Ireland be that France wins the World Cup 2010?
Comment by ABC9.
November 19, 2009
11:09 am
11:09 am
To all Irishmen and supporters,
As a french person, I can only tell you how shameful I feel about the way the french team made it through S. Africa. All my sincerest apologies for stealing you the chance to play in S. Africa. The Irish team was litterally robed by the ref!!! One can clearly see now why Michel Platini is against the video…
At the end of the game, even french commentators said it “c’est une honte!” It’s a shame! Ireland deserved to go to the WC!
How I can ever be a fan of this crappy team? They’re a bunch of “star players” but when it comes to play for the national team. They just SUCK!!! On the other hand, I admired the way your team has performed. You can all be very proud of them for what they’ve done for Ireland!
I’m saying it again, I would support any other team at the WC but France… They’re just a disgrace to me! I have to remain honest to myself. VIVE L’IRELANDE!!!
Paul
Comment by A330Fanatic10.
November 19, 2009
11:44 am
11:44 am
Well… im australian, and was truly pissed off when i saw what happened. It was a joke. But for some very odd reason, i get that the feeling that one or two of the “french” people commenting here aren’t exactly…. French
Sorry if im wrong, but the utter ecstasy of joining the world cup and all you can do is cry about what happened? Ireland SHOULD have won, they didn’t so that’s that.
STOP POSING AS FRENCH
No patriot would do this… accept your loss
Also sorry if i’m wrong… but seriously look at those posts… “Franck”… lol 
11.
November 19, 2009
12:11 pm
12:11 pm
To the French commentators; Merci, your support is appreciated.
To Thierry Henry; You’re a chancer, pal. You know it… the World knows it!
To FIFA and Michel Platini; Your rotten organisation got what you wanted. You riggged and pressurised to get it. I’m sure you’re delighted and there’s no point in even asking if you feel any guilt about the rotten way France got to the World Cup finals? Shame.
Comment by Caroline12.
November 19, 2009
12:17 pm
12:17 pm
Today I am proud to be Irish.we were cheated out of our world cup dreams and sepp blatter and his minion plattini will be elated.it is yet another blemish on world football, supposedly ‘the beautiful game’ that is being utterly destroyed by diving and cheating.hang your head henry and FIFA you are a shambles and everything that is wrong with football.
Stand up for our boys in green.
13.
November 19, 2009
12:31 pm
12:31 pm
Well, the Irish team should have won, I’m so sorry for the greens, even as a french, and french team fan, but that’s the point. I would dream of a world where the french federation would offer to the irish one a new game to be fair, with a FIFA’s agreement, but I’m just a f…. dreamer, because of the amounts of money french federation and even FIFA would lose without France in S-Africa…
So… Keep fighting, be sure you have a great team, young players, and that next day will be your day.
14.
November 19, 2009
12:42 pm
12:42 pm
I tried to leave a message on FIFA’s website that basically talked about ‘fair play in the beautiful game’ and called for a replay of the match. I immediately got a response that my post contained too many ‘profanities’!!!!!
Am even angrier now even though I did not think that was possible.
Only FIFA could consider fair play a profanity!
15.
November 19, 2009
12:42 pm
12:42 pm
I’m gutted and i have to say bring back the guillotine.
Comment by Iano.16.
November 19, 2009
12:42 pm
12:42 pm
Being french, I’m a natural supporter of France but as a fan of football, I’m a also supporter of Ireland’s players for their fighting spirit, intelligence and boldness on the field. I even posess the shirt of both teams at home, despite having never been to Ireland yet.
Yesterday, I had the french team shirt on the shoulders. Being a supporter of French football squad is like getting use to suffer of the lack of nice play and seeing over-technical players never playing good together as a team.
Another point is France is hardly having supporters from abroad and I understand that because french people can really be bothering in some ways.
Yesterday’s game will not arrange that reputation and I suppose over the shame I can feel about seeing France being qualified in that circumstances, I also feel ashamed because Ireland deserved a lot more to be part of the world cup.
Be proud of you, irish people, personaly, I can’t now be proud of being french…
Comment by Sylvain17.
November 19, 2009
12:46 pm
12:46 pm
I am sickened today after last night’s events.We need to start a campaign for a replay or else the integrity of the game will be lost.
There is no mention in the report of how France cheated their way to the world cup on the FIFA website yet FIFA proclaim they are all about fairplay and promoting the game.How can the game be promoted in this way.
Jason
Comment by Jason Roache18.
November 19, 2009
1:05 pm
1:05 pm
Yet again, the Irish display their unnendng penchant for self delusion.
Henry’s goal should have been disalloewed, but that goal is not the reason we’re not going to South Africa.
The brutal truth is that we missed three gilt edged chances to put the French away- regrettably, we lacked the necessary composure when the pressure was at its most intense.
And that my friends, is that ,,,
Comment by Johnny Maher19.
November 19, 2009
1:10 pm
1:10 pm
@Bobsyouruncle- if you look in the French media such as Le Monde or L’Equipe, there is no celebrating the victory and a lot of people commenting that they’ll take it but Ireland deserved the win. Both lead with photos of the handball, L’Equipe a full page photo of it with the headline “La Main de Dieu.”
Comment by Media20.
November 19, 2009
1:39 pm
1:39 pm
Hello,
I m French and I want to say how much I m gutted by this so called victory ! It s not fair !
This game should be re-played…
Domenech’s attitude toward journalists and former 98 french soccer hero Bixente Lizarazu was outrageous, this guy should get the sack !!
One last thing, at the moment in France there is a Governement survey about the “French Identity”, I can answer to that one : If you are an arrogant cheat and can t recognise your faults, then you re probably French.
Best wishes to this brave Irish team and the Irish fans.
21.
November 19, 2009
1:41 pm
1:41 pm
I’m French and I wanted you to win but the team of France has cheated. Henry could have been a great player by admitting his guilt during match.Beaucoup of French are sorry and are with you.
good luck!
22.
November 19, 2009
2:06 pm
2:06 pm
Leave your comments to FIFA here…
http://www.fifa.com/contact/validate.htmx
23.
November 19, 2009
2:19 pm
2:19 pm
No sorry about what happened that’s soccer’s rule! And soccer’s behaviours on every fields of the world is disgusting!
One day for you one day for us or other.
Can you honestly affirm that in opposite situation your player would have apologize and told the ref????
24.
November 19, 2009
2:21 pm
2:21 pm
To the Australien person. I really think they are French because i’m French and i know how we are. We don’t like unfair things. We like to win when we deserve it.
It’s not a problem for us to tell our team it is unfair and to support the Irish team.
I love Thierry Henry and i don’t know what to think. I don’t know what happened in his head.
25.
November 19, 2009
2:56 pm
2:56 pm
I’m french and i want to say “BRAVO” for the irish team ! I’m not very proud of the blues today because our team it was very bad .
More, Henry qualified us i’m happy but he was broke yours dreams with his … hand !!!!
I’m sorry and I wish see you for the next world cup and in the next Euro in 2012 !!
Your team is wonderful and i’m proud of play versus you !!
Good luck and good continuation . With your heart you can go far far away 
26.
November 19, 2009
3:43 pm
3:43 pm
To the Aussie poster # 10 (Bobsyouruncle).
I also do believe they are french, dude. I am and I can tell you today we’re not proud of what happened.
Let’s put it clear, Ireland deserved the trip to S.African a billion times more than we did : the green boys shown so much heart and guts and spirit that it’s a revolting shame they were robbed by a blantant injustice. Especially compared to a pathetic french team, unable to play football, unable to win without cheating.
The only honorable way to go would be for the french football federation to claim the FIFA for the match to be replayed. I doubt this dream will come true thought and this stain will remain on our colors.
I’m so sorry for you and your team, friends. All the glory today is yours, for your spirit on the field and your dign fair-play after this unfair game.
Brave sons of the Shamrock, I respectfully salute you.
27.
November 19, 2009
4:07 pm
4:07 pm
It looks as if there’s more French than Irish on this thread!
If loads of English-speaking French like me are looking for Irish websites, that’s basically to say “don’t blame on the French, just take one, eleven or twelve of them”. The uproars are predictible.
When we (the French) knew what had happened, we could easily predict what kind of thoughts were going through the Irish minds and what was going to be said in the Irish press. The French press doesn’t boast at all. . . all those who do are those who don’t want to talk about it and who are awash with money: FFF President, Domenech, and I suppose, all the team’s sponsors and money feeders. I don’t think that the FIFA is concerned since everybody knows that France have almost no chance to win in July. Nike will spend €50M a year for the shirts, TF1 will lose at least €80M after they’ve bought the TV rights. . . we should distance ourselves from those things. Rugby for instance, is much better, there’s a France vs Ireland on February 13. But I suggest we distance totally from such a stupid thing that sports are when it comes to watching them and make people live just from them.
Comment by Bobsyouruncle28.
November 19, 2009
4:07 pm
4:07 pm
AARGH ! Last post was a RESPONSE TO Bobsyouruncle ! I’m not him !
Comment by AARGH ! Last post was a RESPONSE TO Bobsyouruncle ! I'm not him !29.
November 19, 2009
4:46 pm
4:46 pm
Henry, you will be forever known as a cheater….not a good legacy especially after what you have done prior to this match….
I am really sorry for Ireland, they deserved at least to go to penalty to settle this game and Henry deserved a red card…
Anelka, next time play to win not to get dubious penalty…yesterday was a dark day for French football
Comment by Clay30.
November 19, 2009
5:20 pm
5:20 pm
Henry is a dishonest cheat.
Cheats on his wife, cheats on the pitch, cheats in life.
What a bad role model for children all over the world.
31.
November 19, 2009
5:30 pm
5:30 pm
To our aussie friend. You can believe it when french people say they’re very ashamed of the way our team got its ticket through the 2010 WC.
There’s absolutely nothing to be proud of. This reputation will follow us for decades to come! Do you seriously think that we don’t care about it? We’re well aware of the “bad” reputation about us worldwide. The only person that is genuinely happy is that a-hole Raymond Domenech…
Even the french media are not overjoyed.
The only way for us to regain our lost honor would be, asking the FIFA that the game MUST be replayed on a neutral field. Other than this, a million excuses would never wash away this infamy in our football history record. Period!
Henry used to be a great player in my heart. He definitely lost this place and credibility…
Mark my word. Everytime he’ll enter a stadium, people with boo him and rightfully so!
Paul
Comment by A330Fanatic32.
November 19, 2009
6:02 pm
6:02 pm
Hi everybody,
I’m French and I was in the stadium yesterday night. I think you deserve the victory because i’ve never seen my team playing so bad.
But i want to react to your idea of replaying the game, because if so you may play it against Serbia and not France.
Indeed our goalkeeper Hugo Lloris (who is excellent and you have to admit it) was sent off in Serbia after 10 mn play for a simulation of a serbian player into the penalty area. Result: we played with 10 players all the game and we finally ended 1-1, which meant 2nd place of the group and final game against Ireland.
So if the FIFA accepts your request, then many other games will have to be replayed.
I’m sorry, i think you deserved the victory yesterday but we deserved it against Italy in the world cup final in 2006 and everybody knows the end…
Comment by Laurent33.
November 19, 2009
6:29 pm
6:29 pm
HENRY for captain of the french handball team 2009
Comment by brendan34.
November 19, 2009
8:20 pm
8:20 pm
I am French and to all Irish people I want to say how ashamed I feel about last night. For me, either this game needs to be re-played, or victory should be given to this brave team of yours.
Probably the only way to have the game replayed is to have many people in both Ireland and France sign a petition. If this has been started already, I am ready to sign and convince people around me to sign. FIFA will otherwise never accept a replay.
Vive l’Irelande!
Stéphane
35.
November 19, 2009
9:12 pm
9:12 pm
never mind ireland fans! Now you can concentrate on giving England your full support in South Africa next summer!
Comment by SiyEFC36.
November 19, 2009
10:28 pm
10:28 pm
je suis français et j’ai honte
il vous reste l’honneur nous nous avons perdu le notre
37.
November 20, 2009
12:49 am
12:49 am
The Italian dive against Australia at Germany 06.
French handball against Ireland 09.
It is hard being the little bloke in the world game. My commiserations to the valient Irish side.
Comment by Ben Hoffman38.
November 20, 2009
12:58 am
12:58 am
It’s easy. FIFA wanted France to go through. They did. Nothing less than a fix. Henry should play basketball…but then I suppose he’d kick the ball and blame the referee. The man has no sense of basic honesty, and if there is to be replay not only should he banned from it. he should also be banned from all soccer matches next season. Cheats should be penalised, end of story.
Comment by mike39.
November 20, 2009
10:34 am
10:34 am
The Irish spirit has a wonderful forceful quality.Let the French have the win.There will be other days.The whole world knows that the Irish are strong and fearless and that is as important as anything else.
Comment by Steve40.
November 20, 2009
11:49 am
11:49 am
i’m French and today im very sad for Irish team who was the best team on this two matches.
today in france a lot of my compatriots are Shameful because of this result and how we have
qualified to wold cup. the french people is not cheater people and we dont like win in these conditions.
Domenech since 2004 is not appreciated in our country and this shame result confirms to us that is not
a man with human qualities.
i would like to say to irish people, like lot of my compatriots in differents blogs in france that ireland should be at wold cup and not us.
i would like to say to irish people that we are your friends and not cheaters !!!! we are not happy for this qualification in this conditions.
Comment by Fred41.
November 20, 2009
1:01 pm
1:01 pm
misery loves company
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2986495&l=734d70cf05&id=780839231
Comment by paul m42.
November 20, 2009
1:25 pm
1:25 pm
As an Irish person I could not have been prouder for the first time in years I was not screaming at my TV, I found myself on the edge of my seat saying well done, the lads were attacking and winning the ball. They absolutely deserved to win, they were amazing to watch and sent a message to everyone watching they are a world class team. The French have gotten through on a technicality, that ball would have ran over the line only for a hand that pushed it back into the game. Otherwise it was Ireland’s deserved win.
If the French go on to win the World Cup their handball cheating moment will always be remembered. Their victory will never be sour. This game will be tarnished in the history books forever.
43.
November 20, 2009
5:21 pm
5:21 pm
It’s a shame that this match could’nt be replayed..the winner isn’t the best team definitely.
I’m French and I don’t like what happened,I don’ like that result ,because Ireland people are my best friends.
44.
November 20, 2009
7:53 pm
7:53 pm
I understand that many of the French soccer public absolutely hate their manager Domenech, and they knew that if France had lost to Ireland that he would have been fired. Now their “win” and qualification for the World Cup has paradoxically punished the French with the possibility that Domenech may be there for some time yet. No wonder the French want a replay…so if they lose they will be able to get rid of him! If there is no replay the French will go to to South Africa and be subjected to painful reminders that they went there only because of cheating.
And if there is anything the French do not want, it is to be repeatedly subjected to such world shame. Over 80% of French in a telephone poll are calling for a replay, and I believe now that that there will be one. The French media will keep up the pressure of the shame being brought to the heretofore good Name of France.
The French are a very proud people, and will in the end -unlike that disgusting body FIFA- demand the replay. But that cheat Henry should be banned from playing soccer for France for a long long time. Vive le France.
45.
November 21, 2009
11:45 am
11:45 am
MAKE me laugh miserablea Irish! and look at the face of that cheater on this video, then you can have a march on the French Ambassy when the Georgians should have a march on your! ALLEZ LES BELUS we are at the World Cup!!!
Comment by patlelion46.
November 21, 2009
6:13 pm
6:13 pm
Hey, the Eire team got a very raw deal. But come on,if this leaves anyone with depression, then that person just does not have a life. ITS ONLY FOOTBALL! The sun will soon be out.(shining,of course)
Comment by eamon47.
November 21, 2009
9:22 pm
9:22 pm
Ok. Its all over like the fair of Carney. Now, I suggest that all those who have spent hours going over the replay of Henry´s foul deed stop watching football for enough time to read Proust´s “In Search of Lost Time” It will do them a lot more good. And even better if they would read it in French “À la recherche du temps perdu”
Comment by eamon48.
November 22, 2009
1:19 pm
1:19 pm
If I were French I’d hate to think of my team winning the World Cup now. Talk about the Sangreal turning to a poisoned chalice.
Comment by kynos49.
November 22, 2009
3:55 pm
3:55 pm
THE “HANDof GOD” STRIKES AGAIN. Now you know how it feels.You deserved to win.An English/Irishman, Ken
Comment by Ken NOLAND50.
November 23, 2009
5:29 am
5:29 am
Oh for god’s sake!!! get a life and come together on things that really matter. Not the triviality of some silly English football game. With priorities like these is it any wonder we’re up the creek as we are?
Comment by Emily51.
November 23, 2009
11:37 am
11:37 am
Amazingly no-one has, as yet, blamed the Catholic Church for what happened at the Stade de France.
Comment by Frank Jameson52.
November 23, 2009
11:53 am
11:53 am
Next time you see those garish FIFA Fair Play banners, try thinking of the following…FIFA Fair is foul and ( foul is fair), The Witches,Act 1, Scene 1, ,Macbeth, William Shakespeare.
Comment by James Keenan53.
November 23, 2009
11:24 pm
11:24 pm
Stop complaining. Ireland left it to the last minute of the last game to qualify. They played well the other night, but had they played like that earlier in the tournament they wouldn’t have been in that position.
Cheating (e.g. diving, feigning injury) etc.) happens all the time in soccer, you just happened to be on the receiving end this time.
Tony, Australia.
Comment by Anthony Boyle54.
November 26, 2009
8:18 pm
8:18 pm
Guys…absolutely gutted….realistically it could be another two decades before they qualify…..Euro’s possibly but then it’s the end of a generation for Irish soccer……sad but true….feel sorry for Duff and the Boys…..
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12:16 am
Being french, I feel very regretful for your team.
Comment by TualThierry Henry has lost an occasion to be a great guy. He should have told the referee. This is a praise for video help in football. Congratulation to your lads.