Henry - Replay would be fair

France striker insists he is not a cheat after controversial handball

Last updated: 21st November 2009  

Henry - Replay would be fair

Henry: Instinctive reaction

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Thierry Henry has issued a statement in response to claims he 'cheated' to earn France a World Cup final place at the expense of the Republic of Ireland.

The striker handled the ball twice in the build-up to creating William Gallas' goal in extra-time on Wednesday night which earned France a 2-1 aggregate success.

Ireland's players were left enraged by the incident, leading to accusations that Henry is a 'cheat' and that the game should be replayed.

Fifa has confirmed the match will not be allowed to take place again and, while Henry feels a replay would be the fairest solution, he is adamant he did not deliberately cheat.

Here is Henry's statement in full:

"I have said at the time and I will say again that yes I handled the ball.

"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.

"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.

"People are viewing a slow motion version of what happened and not what I or any other footballer faces in the game.

"If people look at it in full speed you will see that it was an instinctive reaction. 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.

"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.

"Of course the fairest solution would be to replay the game, but it is not in my control.

"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."

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Comments (64)

Ken Smith (Braintree Town fan) says...

Football is a circus not a sport. The continued resistance to applying even basic technology to resolve key disputes is beyond most fans. A true sports organisation would play the match again to deter players from chancing their luck rather than their ability. I,m neither an Ireland or a France fan and that,s not the point to the debate.

Posted 09:37 21st November 2009

Clement Chuulabantu (Arsenal fan) says...

Thanks Henry for admitting that it was a handball. You are a true professional. Please let all soccer loving pipo know that there is a lot of cheating in football. Time and again soccer players have cheated penalties and free kicks through diving,its up to the referee to see the cheating or not. To me,Henry is my true hero. The problem is with the the referee and his linesmen.

Posted 09:22 21st November 2009

Akbar Bhana (Liverpool fan) says...

I won't be surprised if France go on and win the World Cup!!!!

Posted 08:41 21st November 2009

Matt Watson (Liverpool fan) says...

The way France are playing at the moment, they are no benefit to the world cup, they don't bring anything. Ireland however, they'd bring passion, and great football, they're a very hard working team, and I have the utmost respect for them. I myself do not think that Henry is a cheater, I do however believe that France should either forfeit the place in South Africa, or the game should be replayed on neutral ground.

Posted 07:27 21st November 2009

Franoise Adrien (Bordeaux fan) says...

Quite agree with Remi! Replay the game would be nice! with the same players and a referee who can see the offside, involuntary hands. Also a referee who can whistle a penalty ! because in this match there was a penalty for "les bleus" that has not been whistled.. Hoping that "les Bleus" play better if the match should be replayed because it was boring last time!

Posted 06:59 21st November 2009

Vyktur Dobe (Chelsea fan) says...

Well, i truly believe that the desire to win at all cost determined thiery action on the day..i cant hekp but think what if it was the other way round.....ireland had many chances in the game to bury the french but didn't...in the final analysis i believe that the team that wanted it the most won...you cannot take away chance, human judgement and a little play acting from footballl...thats part of what makes it the best sport in the world

Posted 02:35 21st November 2009

Luke Holland (Birmingham City fan) says...

I didnt hear all this replay nonsense when David Ngog dived against Blues for Liverpool last week, even though everybody knew it was blatant cheating, so why now? Some times no matter how painful you've just gotta accept the bad decisions and let it sculpt your history, just take it into account and let it bring the team together and look forward, not backwards, theres no way the game is going to be replayed, so instead of whining just accept the facts ... I can guarantee people now that had Robbie Keane done the same, all the Irish people would have been partying away not sparing 1 thought for the French people ... Qualification comes down to all the games you played, if you dont qualify after those then you're not good enough for the competition for that year, it doesnt just come down to 1 bad decision

Posted 01:49 21st November 2009

Hugh Devine (Manchester United fan) says...

We should all lay off Henry, the Irish team and the referee and lay the blame for this fiasco at Fifas door. If they would sanction the use of TV the fourth official would have been able to let the referee know that the goal should be disallowed instead of just appearing at half time and full time to let everyone know how many minutes of injury time to be played. Henry would have been penalised, the Irish team would not have anything to protest to the referee about and the referee s job would be a damn sight easier. TV evidence is used to overturn yellow and red cards its also used to either penalise or exonerate players for their conduct so Fifa can use TV when it suits them. Decisions like this will haunt teams all over the world until Fifa drag themselves into the 21st century.

Posted 22:44 20th November 2009

Jeff Norm (Manchester United fan) says...

If Henry's instincts tell him to handle the ball when it comes to him maybe he's playing the wrong sport he should be playing basket ball !!

Posted 22:41 20th November 2009

Remi Dussolle (Marseille fan) says...

Hi everyone, I'm reading all your comments but I just wanted to say, since I'm french, and since this mistake/cheat whatever you call it is going to affect deeply the french football and how it's seen in the world. Don't think that the french people is glad about this win, we didn't deserve it after the last 90 minutes, a lot of voices are raising to replay this match, we're ashamed of how we win, the only one whose happy is our F...ing coach who is under a lot of pressure since 18months, but he' s a dush so... Moreover platini's head is wanted in France since the day he became the UEFA president. In France, everyone (players, coaches, referees...) want the video in football so we can't avoid this. But afterall it's not new, every year, every competition is afflicted with mistakes by referees and I can name quite a lot all along football history : - Maradonna's hand of god against you british people. - Schumacher HUGE foul on Batiston during the semi-final of World Cup France-Germany in 1982(just look on youtube you won't believe it) - World Cup 2006, Italy - Australia, the ref gave a penalty for Italia for an ENORMOUS dive at the 94' if I recall, just ask our ozzies friend I'm sure they remembered. - Last Year semi final of the Champion's League, Pique'hand against Chelsea (just to name this mistake during this match) - 1990, semi final Marseille - Benfica, hand goal at the 85' for Benfica. All we can say is after 25 years, football hasn't evolved, in evry other sports this kind of situation will never happened, but the football directors aren't ready to live in the 21st century. I really hope this case won't end like this, I'm getting tired of the godly decision from the FIFA, it's time for teams, supporters and sponsors to raise their voices against this people who are ruining our beloved sport.

Posted 15:36 20th November 2009

Naiyer Zaidi (Manchester United fan) says...

You can touch the ball instintively once.But he touched it with his arm first and later controlled it with his palm. He had enough thinking time,at least,for the second touch.

Posted 15:33 20th November 2009

Andy Matt (Chelsea fan) says...

It is not Henry's fault because he has no control in the referee's decisions in the game, The person to blame is that lazy and inexperienced referee. Another thing is Ireland had so many opportunity to finish france, Keane could have at least stretched to get the ball in the net after going pass the french keeper. Everyone knows that you cannot beat big teams with only 1 goal. Unlucky Ireland

Posted 15:32 20th November 2009

Ayotunde Oyatomi (Manchester United fan) says...

To be sincere Henry is not to be blame don't blame him at all for any reason, life is full of risk the greatest achievement is gotten through risk, for him to have succeeded it mean his a great man.please all blame should be directed to the Ref and not to the star because he can not take any decision on him own. Irish very sorry for the ignorance from your end just wait for your turn it will surely come.

Posted 15:29 20th November 2009

Rob Horrocks (Luton Town fan) says...

Who cares, France are through, Ireland are out, get over it!!! All this talk of replay, I'm sure the Germans would love to replay the 1966 World Cup Final because of some dodgy Russian linesman but that ain't gonna happen either. One little bit of farce and all we hear about is "replay the match" or "bring technology in the game". I watch rugby league and everyone wants technology out, not in. The 2009 Grand Final was settled over a controversial video ref decision where 99% of the population could see a player was offside, yet the try was still given. Was there any talk of replaying the game then? No, there was a bit of bemusement between the players but nobody approached the officials about it, they just got on with the game. At the end of the game, not one player on the losing side used the decision as an excuse. They just put it down to the best team won. Rugby League is far from perfect and as far as I'm concerned the referees are of a much lower standard than football. But football players should take note of Rugby League players and conduct themselves professionally instead of spoilt kids.

Posted 15:28 20th November 2009

Adam Belk (Sheffield Wednesday fan) says...

I can absolutely guarantee that if this was the other way around and robbie keane had scored the winner in the same manner as Henry did and sent France out of the world cup the match would definately be replayed

Posted 15:26 20th November 2009

Arthur Rama (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

It is a poor way of France getting to the World Cup. No matter how many excuses Mr. Henry got now, he can not change the outcome of the game and i can assure you that France won't be a popular team in South Africa. Up the Irish as you deserved the win and sorry you guys are not coming as you would be more fun the " we better then anyone" French

Posted 15:24 20th November 2009

John C (Manchester United fan) says...

it is hard to take that Henry's hand ball lead to a goal which means we don't get to the World Cup but it is just glossing over the fact that we missed three or four good chances to be out of sight. If we had taken our chances there wouldn't have even been extra time. To say that football is dead and people are turning away from the sport because of things like this is rubbish. The amount of people talking about this incident and column inches it has filled is incredible, as long as there is controversy, people will continue to love the game . We , Ireland have had plenty of luck in the past and fingers crossed we will get some more in the future and qualify for the European championships, if we play like we did the other night we will definitely get there. I do agree with the fact that FIFA/UEFA do favour the bigger nations which was made obvious when they seeded the play offs. I think this is the kind of thing that should be looked at rather than an error from a linesman / referee and a handball by an otherwise brilliant player like Thierry Henry.

Posted 15:23 20th November 2009

Paul Whitworth (Derby County fan) says...

Funny how in spite of what Henry has concocted with his PR man in this ridiculous statement, he sure as hell didn't seem remorseful as the ball hit the back of the net, if he wasn't a cheat he would of admitted it there and then instead of wheeling away in celebration, total hypocrite if you ask me, lets all hope Henry and co leave South Africa with 3 heavy defeats behind them, because they are quite frankly one of the most awful French teams that I have ever seen take to the field.

Posted 15:22 20th November 2009

Jason Smart (Bristol City fan) says...

Simply just sending ireland to the world cup solves nothing, you cant say they would of won anyway, had Henry let the ball go out france could of gone on and got 3 or 4 for all we know, simple fact is they should replay the extra time with scores at 1-1 and finish it properly.

Posted 15:20 20th November 2009

Roger Dean says...

As Henry has admitted to "cheating", then why cannot FIFA issue him with a post- match ban for several games, (like the duration of the World Cup) as football authorities have done for others this season when found guilty of diving or using foul and abusive language ?

Posted 15:19 20th November 2009

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