Le tricheur a gagné – mais, qu’il l’est a gagné?

Le tricheur a gagné – mais, qu’il l’est a gagné?

Tonight, I have witnessed an event which may be perceived as life-changing. I’ve watched my country and team, Ireland lose the World Cup 2010 playoff qualifier against France in the Stade de France. The two teams on show contrast each other in many ways. Ireland was the unseeded team for these playoffs, while France was seeded. Ireland was regarded as the underdogs while France was the fancied favourite. Ireland had a squad made up of players who are not the most technically gifted players, whereas the French team had an abundance of skilful, technically gifted players.

However, one team came out tonight to win the game, to play for themselves and for each other as a team, to play for their fans and for their country, to play for pride and to do so with passion. Ireland was that team. Against all the odds, Ireland went out and assembled a performance which was first class. From front to back, the players worked out of their skins throughout the 90 minutes of normal time. The shape system that Trapattoni has invested so much time into, with sheer resilience and confidence in its effectiveness, was proven tonight to have produced the best performances out of each player and to produce an industrious, yet excellently varied fluid passing team. For all the limits each player in the team possesses, the strengths of each player blossomed and bloomed tonight. The link between each key component of the 11 man team combined to produce the brilliant performance tonight. Don’t get me wrong – there were still mistakes, as is to be expected from humans. But regardless, this system, this approach to the game which has received so much criticism and against all the odds tonight, provided Irish minds and hearts with the pleasure that ‘we were the better team’.

For all the money the French players receive, for all the arrogance and swagger to their way of life, for all their reputations, careers, skilfulness – they were outplayed tonight and were made to look like the weaker of the two sets of players – players who were playing individually and not as a team. Their gameplay was full of mistakes. They kept over-hitting passes, under-hitting passes, mis-controlling the ball, taking one touch too many, being out-tackled and out-strengthened to many balls. In simple terms, the Irish players were on the whole first to the majority of 50-50 balls and when not in possession, worked in small pockets of two and three players to ensure the French players couldn’t make space.

All of these efforts were futile however. Granted, the Irish players were tiring by the minute, especially in extra time, yet they still played with heart and courage and passion. Their efforts were destroyed by a moment which will never be forgotten. A free-kick from around 40 yards out, hoisted into the box, where Henry was on hand (pun intended) to control the ball with his arm and then use his palm to guide the ball into the path of the on-rushing French striker who finished with ease. 1-1, in the 103rd minute of the game. Irish players protested in vain, that Thierry Henry had handled the ball in the box and that the goal should not be allowed. The match officials – the referee and his assistant, hadn’t seen this however. The goal stood. The game petered out, although Ireland kept plugging away for the rest of the game, while stretching themselves in the process in search of a winner. Game over. France qualifies for the World Cup. Ireland yet again are almost achievers.

However, what should any true believer in the game of football take away from the events tonight? The better team on paper have qualified and perhaps for viewing purposes the World Cup will be a much better sporting event because the big French stars will be playing at next year’s tournament. Most people will accept this to be the message and also accept this to be the correct result of the playoff fixture. But what matters to me is how the event was settled – through cheating. The goal that France scored tonight should not have stood. Thierry Henry cheated by handling the ball. What makes the issue worse is the fact he celebrated the goal, and celebrated after the game too.

In my opinion, money has, is and will continue to ruin the game of football, and for that matter will continue to ruin professional sports. The game tonight was not simply a battle to see which nation would qualify for next year’s World Cup; it was also a test to see whether or not the maximum revenue could be attained for next year’s World Cup. There is no doubt that FIFA and UEFA were hopeful of France qualifying. France will bring a lot more revenue to the World Cup than Ireland will, because they have the bigger stars, and they are perceived to play the better and prettier football – which is what spectators and viewers expect to see at the World Cup. FIFA and UEFA will accept the result tonight, because it is the result they wanted. They will not listen to public opinion on how the other team on the night has been severely cheated by allowing a goal that should never have been given. Whether or not the referee or his assistant did actually see the handball(s) or not is irrelevant. It happened. Furthermore those on the sideline, including the 4th match official saw what happened. Yes, there aren’t sufficient rules in football to deal with the fact that it shouldn’t have been a goal and that technology proves so, but this is not an acceptable argument. France cheated and have gotten away with it too and will go to the World Cup next year and that is that. FIFA and UEFA will make a statement no doubt, Blatter and Platini will accept that it was a mistake and should not have happened and efforts will be made to try and improve the rules of the game for future games.

But cheating will persist, because if cheating is successful, it simply breathes more cheating. I am not simply referring to the handball, but also time-wasting and diving, and all other forms of cheating. Money rules the sport and adds pressures to the game which makes people act in such a way in order to achieve and be successful. Money corrupts and has corrupted the football I watch, and the officials which are in charge of governing the game and overseeing the game. It will continue to do so.

But, I can walk away from the stadium tonight with a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye, knowing Ireland will not play at next year’s World Cup. I can sulk and moan all I want – nothing will happen. However, I can put my hand on my heart and hold my head up high, knowing that the Irish players and manager tonight have instilled faith and pride into the hearts of Irish people once again, and even though they have ultimately failed to succeed, they were the victors tonight in a football sense and in a humane sense. They were the ones to show the true values that we expect of professional sports people and athletes. They wore the shirt with pride, they worked their bollocks off for that shirt and they died for the shirt tonight. They may be down and out tonight, but they’ll do it again the next time, and they’ll continue to do it for the right reasons – for the game of football.