World Cup 2010 - European Qualification

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAFRICAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SLOVENIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

What a game, anyone has seen Russia?

Although Ireland's defending on the French goal was abysmal in with letting the ball bounce inside the area, the goal was a disgrace. No question about the offside - and especially the handball. Can't believe Henry did that. It was sick.

I was going for the Irish in this tie. Its heartbreaking stuff. They undeservedly go through. Hope they do trap in South Africa.

Just to echo everyone else, I am so disappointed that the brave Irish team was undone by one moment of unsporting behaviour.
It is becoming too regular an occurance that incidents that have no part in a fair sport are deciding matches. I read an article that
suggests a tennis style "challenge" system, 3 challenges where video evidence and technology are used to check decisions - yes it
may slow down the game to a degree, yes it may provoke more controvesy, but in the end it should help result in more correct decisions.

I am sure we haven't heard the last of this but what punishment is metered out is anyones guess.

Nice to see a team like Slovenia go to the WC. If I have to be honest I though that Russia will win this tie without a problem but apparently I was wrong. Slovenia played great last night and showed the world that they have what it takes to go to South Africa. Congratulations to all slovenians. :)

I don't like Ireland (not because they were in one group with Bulgaria) and France but if I have to be honest I'd prefer to see France in Africa because they have better players. What Henry did was really, really unfair but thats football these days. I feel bad for all of those who like Ireland because the team played good and deserved to be at the WC but in football nothing is fair ..

It's nice to see Greece going to the WC and also Portugal. 2 good teams which will make the WC even more interesting.

Just saw the Henry-gate. What an asshole, a cheat bastard.

Like Sile said, Portugal was lycky in the first game and Bosnia should and could score atleast one away goal, it would be much easier. Three suspended key players plus Misimovic injured, it's too much for a small roster like BiH.

Congrats to Edi and slovenians for the victory, I saw you have many Bosnians in your NT, so acctually Bosnia did qualify to the WC

Congrats zmajceki

Edi can you give me little update on your NT. Last that I remember Slovenia had Katanec as coach and Zahovic as key player old news I know.

Some people didn't take it too well

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thierry_Henry&oldid=326715091

Caxi wrote:

Some people didn't take it too well

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thierry_Henry&oldid=326715091

As someone who has admired Henry throughout his carrer as a player i cannot now believe he wiil be labelled as a cheat , players such as Henry are not only footballers but role models for millions and at a time when their reputations are constantly under the spotlight regarding saleries , off the field behaviour etc i feel he has let himself and the French down.
Fifa are constantly spouting retoric about fair play and respect but their words sounded hollow last night and Mr Blatter and Mr Pllatini need to take a long hard look at themselves and the situation .
As an englishman and therefore a neutral observer of last nights game i believe the French FA and fifa should offer the irish a replay although i fear nether have the balls to do it .
There is a place for sportsmanship - remember Paolo DiCanio when he caught the ball while playing for West Ham instead of scoring whilst the Everton goalkeeper Gerrard was injured and Arsenal offering Sheff Utd a replay after the fa cup tie when they scored a goal after players stopped for an injury.
Football is about the best team winning in an even contest without being blighted as it is by cheats and Henry as a world ambassador for the game last night had a chance to restore my faith in modern football but fell sadly lacking.
I only hope the football association of ireland press the matter and try to force Fifa to act in a just and true way .

Good comment but I would say I am one of the few Irishmen who doesn't want a replay.

It defeats the purpose of refereeing. We can't keep replaying matches over ridiculous decisions. Not only that but it wouldn't be fair for our boys to go out and carry the hopes of a nation with increased pressure after last night's performance.

All that aside, I couldn't watch another tie. What happened last night hurt...a lot...but the clock cannot be turned back.

Thanks everyone.

Katanec and Zahovič are history... We have a good team, no particular single players to make the difference, but the strong points certainly are Handanovič (I guess you all know him), Novakovič (Köln captain) and Robert Koren (WBA). Can't wait for Rene Krhin to mature, I'm sure he'll be one hell of a player- Mourinho likes him already.

Sam: hahah, it's true

The purpose of refereeing is to ensure the game is played in a fair and proper manner snd if the gsme has now become so intense that 3 officials cannot spot a deliberate double handball then its time for Fifa to act to assist them maybe with tv replays as other sports or other technology .
My point was the actions of the players themselves and the consequences of them . For a player with the profile of Henry to now be labelled a cheat shows how standards within our beautiful game have dropped .
Like i said i don`t for one minute think Fifa or the French FA have the balls to offer a replay as an example of fair play or to make players think about their actions but if they do i`ll be the first to applaud !

A replay will never happen so there's no point in discussing that. Hopefully we'll see that idea of 6 refs that's being implemented in Europa League come to life also in other competitions. Then if a combination of 6 referees keep making these same mistakes then ditch that whole system and go with TV replays and other technological solutions.
There's not only a nations pride at stake, it's a matter of millions of euros than are now going to France instead of Ireland.
And it seems to me that the instant FIFA start losing money (like for instance if this same crapp eliminated the likes of Italy, Brazil, Germany, Argentina and so forth) resulting in fewer sponsorships and less TV rights money then they'll act promptly.

Oh , and many congratulations Slovenia , well done , sometimes the little guys can win .

My point Sile , was standards , everyone knows Fifa`s motivation is money , why were the bigger nations seeded in the playoffs if for no other reason than to give them a greater chance of qualification .
At a time when they are trying to clean up footballs image with their Fair-play and respect principles to suddenly sweep last nights incident under the carpet as i assume Mr Blatter and Plattini will would be hypocritical .

At this point anything they can do would be hypocritical, apart from overlooking the incident completely, which is probably exactly what they will do, issuing some lame ass explanation. Meanwhile the Irish FA gets absolutely dick and the French FA go on about their business.

The Spanish "Marca" found out the seeding pots for the World Cup. They claim that the top world teams will be in pot1, other best european and south american teams in pot 2, everyone else in pot3 apart from Oceania and weaker asian teams in pot4.

We are trained to believe this is "normal", "for the best", but I was and always will be against the seeding system. Being the best in any competition means being better than everyone else overall not skimping through rounds based on opposition awarded by some draft.

Sile wrote:

A replay will never happen so there's no point in discussing that. Hopefully we'll see that idea of 6 refs that's being implemented in Europa League come to life also in other competitions. Then if a combination of 6 referees keep making these same mistakes then ditch that whole system and go with TV replays and other technological solutions.
There's not only a nations pride at stake, it's a matter of millions of euros than are now going to France instead of Ireland.
And it seems to me that the instant FIFA start losing money (like for instance if this same crapp eliminated the likes of Italy, Brazil, Germany, Argentina and so forth) resulting in fewer sponsorships and less TV rights money then they'll act promptly.

Completely agree, 20million euro is how much that result has cost our economy according to various estimations. Europa League system doesn't seem so idiotic anymore...

im so happy about Slovenia...to bad about Ireland and Bosnia i think they both deserve to go in the world cup...especially about the big injustice made to Ireland

I know many people believe American Football to be boring (I'm not one) with it's 20 refs and countless stoppages for video replays but one thing is for sure, at the end of the game there is never doubt over who won the game.

I wonder if 1 league (Serie B or Ligue B for ex.) should decide to use the idea of video technology and hope that others will follow if it's a success, unless they need UEFA's permission.

American Football is boring because of the incredible amounts of time it takes for the teams to setup their plays and in it's essence it is not dynamic because of the rules and the way it's played. Their system of "challenges" doesn't take much time out of the game as does the game itself tend to be incredibly long in its own.

In football video replay screen could be set up between the boxes on the sidelines, and the coach in co-operation with the team captain can call for a challenge once in one half. Both coaches along with the main ref and 4th ref view the replay, make a decision, the game moves on. I'm sure it would take up less time than the average footballer takes up laying on the ground feigning an injury or the amount of time it takes for some teams to execute a free kick.

Congrats, Slovenia! Well done. And what a shame for France... Ireland had to go to South-Africa!

Zoran/Jofo, is it true Macedonia's supporting my team, G. Beerschot, because Tome Pacovski's our goalkeeper? He said it in an interview, so. He's doing great at the moment. Also toningt he did very well & we won in Bruges, 1-2.

Sorry Nickx, this is the first time that I heard of it. Actually I had no idea that he is playing in Belgium.

Really? Also Igor Mitreski played for us last year. Anyway, he's doing great!

OFFICIAL: Sepp Blatter has confirmed that Ireland have requested an extra World Cup spot.

We are a nation of chancers...