WHAT DOES THE IRISH AND FRENCH NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAMS HAVE IN COMMON?
In 2009, Paris, the venue, France faced Ireland in a World Cup play-off. Thierry Henry handled the ball twice before setting up William Gallas for the winner that put France through for the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa. The whole football world went haywire. Thierry Henry had gone from hero to zero. He was being demonized by every pundit, analyst, and self-righteous commentator across God's green Earth. It was as if he had never set the Premier League alight with silky skills. It was as if he had never won all the medals football has to offer. It was as if admitting to the handball wasn't enough. You know why? Well, because cheating against the Irish to deprive them a place at the World Cup(as if that was even guaranteed) made every other positive achievement by Henry(and indeed France) count for nought. Well, two years on and Mr Trappatoni's team faced Armenia. Both teams in a position to reach the play-offs in a bid to qualify for Euro 2012. With the score at 0-0 ...