Becks - Henry not a cheat

England midfielder defends under-fire Frenchman

Last updated: 20th November 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

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David Beckham has defended Thierry Henry as the row surrounding Republic of Ireland's controversial World Cup play-off defeat to France continues.

Ireland have requested their second-leg draw with Les Bleus in Paris be replayed after Henry handled in the build-up to William Gallas' extra-time goal which gave the home side a 2-1 aggregate win.

Fifa is considering a written approach from the Football Association of Ireland, but it is thought to be unlikely that the world governing body will grant Giovanni Trapattoni's side's wishes.

As a result, Henry has been described by some as public enemy No.1 in Ireland, but LA Galaxy midfielder Beckham, who is expected to be a part of England's World Cup finals squad, doubts the Barcelona star intentionally handled.

Beckham told Sky Sports News: "I honestly didn't think that Thierry meant it.

"I know Thierry as a player and a person. He is a great person and a great player. I really don't think that he meant it.

"It is a shame to see Ireland go out because they have such great fans and are so passionate.

Bad headlines

"But these things happen in football. Whether it is right or wrong, I really don't think that he meant it."

Asked for his reaction to newspapers branding Henry a 'cheat', Beckham said: "I've had a few headlines in the past which have not been nice.

"I don't think Thierry is a cheat. There are good headlines out there and there are bad headlines."

Beckham, who was infamously sent off at the 1998 World Cup when England were dramatically eliminated on penalties by Argentina, does not know if he would have owned up to the foul if he was in Henry's position.

He said: "Who knows in that situation? You are playing in a World Cup qualifier. It is such a heated, emotional moment that you don't know what you are doing in games.

"I have been involved in big games and tense situations and I have reacted to certain things.

"You look back and think, 'wow, I was wrong to do that'."

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Comments (41)

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Fergal Mcguire (Everton fan) says...

Beckham, how you can even attempt to defend this cheating is beyond me. Underlines your obvious lack of intelligence and insults the intelligence of the average football fan. Yes he may be a "great player and a great person" but the bottom line is he cheated.

Posted 11:50 20th November 2009

Anna Frew says...

He blatantly handled the ball twice and FIFA need to call for a rematch! I know people are saying that Ireland and the Irish fans need to get over it but if it were England playing against France at this crucial stage there would be an outcry and you'd all be calling for a rematch! It's disgraceful that FIFA don't care that henry cheated, deliberate or not, and doesn't promote fair play.

Posted 11:46 20th November 2009

Charlie And the bhoys (Celtic fan) says...

Eduardo was hauled before UEFA for cheating in the Celtic v Arsenal Champions League match. HENRY should be hauled before FIFA and should be banned for the group stage matches in the Finals. That way he won't play in the World Cup because France aren't good enough to make it out of the group stages. It won't be replayed so that's the next best bet....

Posted 11:43 20th November 2009

Paul Bailey (Leyton Orient fan) says...

Who cares if it was handball.....COME ON ENGLAND....!!!

Posted 11:42 20th November 2009

Chris Calvert (Leeds United fan) says...

The arrogance of football authorities is unbelievable.Practically every major sport in the world uses video technology except the so called beautiful game.Its not 100% but it would have sorted that hand ball out easily by a video ref in 1-2 mins.So while the irish are very unlucky to be out, this sort of thing will just carry on happening until FIFA, or whoever, get their elitist heads out of the sand and start using all available new technology.I suggest the irish top brass start a campaign to bring in video refs instead of asking for a replay because a replay just ain't going to happen.Then maybe something good could come out of the whole sorry incident.Incidentally i once read a newspaper article that argued against video refs because debate would be stifled in the pub on sunday morning.As if arguing the toss about poor decisions is more important than getting the right one.You couldn't make it up!

Posted 11:35 20th November 2009

Niall Whelan (Everton fan) says...

its not only about Henry it's about the way FIFA treated Ireland in general, changing the play-offs seeding to suit the likes of france and Portugal.

Posted 11:26 20th November 2009

Barry O'brien (Manchester United fan) says...

Thank God, David Beckham is not a ref, because he would fail miserably at. If by watching that reply he thinks it was anything other than intentional he's delusional. Henry practically caught the ball end of. He should be banned from the World Cup, as he doesn't deserve to go. Sorry Beck's, your a great footballer but I think you've headed a few to many football's.

Posted 11:10 20th November 2009

Michael Lynch (Liverpool fan) says...

Hey, I'm Irish and I didn't celebrate "the hand of God". I cired my eyes out !! I was just 7 you see and a certain Peter Shilton was my hero.

Posted 11:08 20th November 2009

Brian Graham (Aston Villa fan) says...

To say that what Henry did wasn't "cheating" is rediculous. If to handle the ball intentionally and gain an advantage is not cheating then what is? The argument around Henry should not be whether or not it was "cheating" or even wrong because it was clearly both. The argument should be whether his actions are understandable given the situation at the time and what can be done to prevent further incidents such as this. So, I would argue that there has to be retrospective punishment. Whilst it wont do Ireland any favours it will atleast discourage further incidents. It's all well and good people shaking their heads and tutting but untill this is backed up with action the decision to cheat is understandable if not condonable.

Posted 10:59 20th November 2009

Kieran Sullivan (Aston Villa fan) says...

David Beckham playing the nice guy of football again but was it only a few months back that Mr. Beckham had a fight with a fan at an LA Galaxy match and wasnt it David Beckham that was sent off in the world cup for KICKING Diego Simeone and this is a man who went to LA for money cause it sure wasnt for Football. If Thierry Henry isnt a Cheat, why did he Touch the Ball twice with his hand??? if he had touched it once it would of crossed the line for a goal kick but he actully kept it in play with his superb basketball handeling. Thierry Henry is a Cheat and if England were in the same postion as us, I think ye would be going a small bit crazy, ye are still talking about Maradona and the ''Hand of God'' and how long ago was that?

Posted 10:49 20th November 2009

Tony Jones (West Ham United fan) says...

Nobody can dispute Henry cheated. Okay, others do it and get away with it. Henry got caught. Same as in any other walk of life if you are caught cheating you are punished. France should be chucked out of world cup and their place taken by Ireland. No need for replays.

Posted 10:48 20th November 2009

Peter Innes (Aberdeen fan) says...

Get over it!! Henry handballed it, they scored, officials didn't see it - the referee's view was blocked as it was on the far side of Henry, the linesman had a clear view but was maybe too far away to see the handball - remember, they only have split second to make decision, they don't have rewind and slow motion. You could bring television evidence into the game, but where do you draw the line, every decision will get questioned, the referee will be made to feel like a fool because he genuinely missed a handball or a foul. You will end up with referees afraid to give any decisions or blowing for every incident, the game will end up as a farce. Demanding a replay? Get real!!! Every team is on the receiving end of poor decisions or bad luck at some time in the game. Yes, this result has major consequences in that Ireland missed out on the World Cup and believe me, I would have loved to have seen Ireland at the finals over France, I can't stand the arrogance of the French and this will just make them even more arrogant. Did Henry cheat? Yes. Does every player 'cheat' at some time in their career? Yes, without a doubt, most of the time, the officials catch them and penalise them, but its only a big issue if they get away with it. It doesn't make it any worse. Henry should not be hammered for this, its just part of the game. I feel for the Irish and their fans but they've just got to get on with it, hope they get the French in the next Euro Qualifiers and take their anger and frustration out on them then.

Posted 10:47 20th November 2009

Steve Laird (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

My my. Beckham has a short memory. Does he not recall his free kick against Greece in 2001 which put England into the World Cup finals of 2002? Teddy Sherringham fell over a blade of grass (a defender's leg was definitely not involved) and Beckham coverted the resulting free kick in the 93rd minute. I was watching the match and as a Spurs fan I felt the same sort of shame that some decent French fans feel just now. There is no excuse for not using video technology to sort these things out. If Henry knew he'd be caught (and booked) he wouldn't bother cheating. Those who claim that this would slow the whole game down are right - but surely it's worth a 20 second delay to get the right decision? Referees and linesmen are mere mortals like the rest of use - they are not perfect and can't be looking in five directions at once. As the saying goes - hindsight is everything. Absolutely right - all the more reason to use it when you can!! So -why not give teams two chances, per half or per match, to challenge a decision? If it's not then the dinosaurs - Platini, Blatter et al - who run european and world football will find that plenty of us will vote with our feet. It seems to be the only thing that might change them.

Posted 10:42 20th November 2009

John O connor (Manchester United fan) says...

Ireland were cheated out of it!!if it was england we would never hear the end of it.....if it had happen to england,i wouldnt be surprised if fifa let it be replayed!!!Open your eyes,henry cheated to get to south africa

Posted 10:36 20th November 2009

Will Wood (Rangers fan) says...

Henry could not control the ball with any other part of his body but his arm and hand. So yes he did mean it, it was deliberate. What makes me sick are the players and managers defending him. What they should say is that Henry was wrong and he should be a true sportsman and admit his guilt and apologize. Saying it is part of the game and blaming the officials and not the player for cheating just reflects what football has become. What next, football players claiming that they did not mean to break the law, it's just part of life and it's up to the police to control all their actions?

Posted 10:33 20th November 2009

John Mcgowan (Arsenal fan) says...

If Damian Duff did the same as King Henry (Arsenal Legend) & he crossed the ball for Robbie Keane to score, then i think the french would be asking Fifa for a replay & they probably would get it aswell because we all know that Fifa would rather see the french with all their stars play in the World Cup over Ireland anytime.

Posted 10:33 20th November 2009

Chris Kagann (Chelsea fan) says...

What could Henry have done? Instinctively, he stuck out his arm and France scored from it. Do you really think he is going to tell the ref that he handled it, in front of a home crowd and a entire nation watching at home? And what if they went out...Henry branded a villain and given the kind of hideous treatment that Becks received after the 98 World Cup. Don't get me wrong, Henry did not play within the rules of the game but you can watch football every week - at any level - and see many instances where the rules are broken without holding hands up to referees to admit fault. If players did do that, FIFA wouldn't have to come up with pointless schemes like their Fair Play programme - and the Press would be bored stiff!

Posted 08:50 20th November 2009

Daniel Betts (Arsenal fan) says...

Funny that, Robbie Keane handled the ball purposely at least 4 times in the second half of the game - unfortunately for him none of those resulted in a goal. Just because you don't succeed when you cheat, doesn't mean it isn't cheating. If this had been the other way, the press would be banging on about heroics and a fully deserved spot in the World Cup

Posted 08:49 20th November 2009

Paul Ritchie (Liverpool fan) says...

I would like to say what Henry did was low and disgraceful, in addition, it's hard to beleive that none of the officials saw, his hand was no where near his body when he handled the ball twice, even though I doubt it will happen, I am hoping fifa sanctions a rematch and France goes out like they deserve to, I hope Henry and all who are backing him are extremely proud of arriving at the world cup by cheating in a match that had blind officials.

Posted 08:49 20th November 2009

Vijay Mehta (Liverpool fan) says...

Erm - David Beckham, are you blind? In fact, it is the mutterings of a rich super-being defending another rich super-being. Money does funny things to people.

Posted 08:48 20th November 2009
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