Thierry Henry: France v Republic of Ireland replay would be "fairest solution"

20 November 2009 06:45
UPDATE: November 20: 2.09pm[LNB] [LNB]FRANCE captain Thierry Henry has admitted replaying the World Cup qualification play-off against the Republic of Ireland would be "the fairest solution".[LNB]The Barcelona forward has also spoken of his "embarrassment" at the manner of Les Bleus' victory over the Irish.[LNB]"Naturally I feel embarrassed at the way that we won and feel extremely sorry for the Irish who definitely deserve to be in South Africa," said Henry, whose handball in the build-up to William Gallas' equaliser on Wednesday night enabled the French to go through 2-1 on aggregate.[LNB]"Of course the fairest solution would be to replay the game but it is not in my control."[LNB]He continued: ``There is little more I can do apart from admit that the ball had contact with my hand leading up to our equalising goal and I feel very sorry for the Irish.''[LNB]Henry conceded straight after the game that he had handled the ball, and reiterated that admission today but insisted it was an instinctive reaction.[LNB]"I have said at the time and I will say again that yes I handled the ball," he said.[LNB]"I am not a cheat and never have been. It was an instinctive reaction to a ball that was coming extremely fast in a crowded penalty area.[LNB]"As a footballer you do not have the luxury of the television to slow the pace of the ball down 100 times to be able to make a conscious decision.[LNB]"People are viewing a slow motion version of what happened and not what I or any other footballer faces in the game.[LNB]"If people look at it in full speed you will see that it was an instinctive reaction.[LNB]"It is impossible to be anything other than that. I have never denied that the ball was controlled with my hand. I told the Irish players, the referee and the media this after the game."[LNB]The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) had formally requested a replay but FIFA earlier today ruled that the result cannot be changed and the match cannot be replayed.[LNB]The French Football Federation believe they should now concentrate on looking ahead.[LNB]"FIFA is the ruler of the game and we have to abide by what they say," said an FFF spokesman.[LNB]"What they decide we have to do and they have ruled it will not be replayed. So we should move on.[LNB]"The federation's president and the coach and all of us involved feel that it was a bitter qualification. But we don't decide how we qualify.[LNB]"We played poorly and it came down to a referee's mistake, but that's the way it went. It happened on our side, in our favour, but sometimes in history it goes against you."[LNB]Referee Martin Hansson broke his silence today by insisting "life must go on" after failing to spot Henry's handball.[LNB]Hansson has since been widely condemned for his mistake but he is hoping to put the incident behind him.[LNB]He told Swedish regional radio channel Radio Blekinge: "I cannot comment on the game itself but life must go on and I hope I will survive this too."[LNB]Reports have suggested Hansson will still make FIFA's list for next summer's World Cup finals in South Africa.[LNB]"Really? Has it been in the evening papers? Well, then it has to be true, hasn't it?" he said with a hint of sarcasm.[LNB]France's dismal performance in the play-off, meanwhile, has given Raymond Domenech's critics more ammunition, but the FFF insist he will still be at the helm next summer.[LNB]"We qualified," added the spokesman. "For sure he will be our coach.[LNB]"When you manage a team and win you don't change the coach. Sometimes you do in club football but not in an international team."

Source: Liverpool_Echo