...Or at least if you had just read the reactions from the fans and trigger-happy journalists, you'd think this is what Henry had actually done:

On a serious note, the 'victims' the Irish team have been refreshingly objective about the situation and have laid the blame squarely on the horrible refereeing and to a much lesser extent on their own poor finishing as the real reasons why the French and not the Irish are headed to South Africa.

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Morning, morning.

Well can I just say:

FUCK YOU INTERLULL. I HOPE YOU GET KNOCKED DOWN BY A BUS. THEN RAPED BY A BEAR. IN THE FACE.

Leaving aside the fact we've had no Arsenal for two weeks the hysteria over last night's handball by Thierry Henry has been ludicrous. The ire of Ireland fans I can fully understand but the vitriol levelled at Henry from some quarters has been way over the top.

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The Gazzetta dello Sport is arguably the most famous sports newspaper in Italy, selling more copies than rivals Corriere dello Sport and Tuttosport. It is world famous for it's pink pages and has been printed in pink since 1899. The current head editor of the Gazzetta, Luigi Garlando, has always been a critic of Lippi since his return to the national team, has always been pro-Cassano, and doesn't understand why Lippi hates to answer questions at press conferences.

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Big Story
There is an excellent debate going on at the pages of A More Splendid Life about the future of soccer journalism (or really, the future of journalism in general), with his post yesterday on the impending doom for us all as the "so-called "newspaper model" seems as yet irreplaceable when it comes to affording a living wage for journalists".

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The papers are very entertaining. Over the last few weeks, not a day has gone by without another back page headline about Chelsea being ready to splash the cash in January either on some La Liga mega-star or a Brazilian wonderkid currently plying his trade in South America.
Last week I wrote an post on how Chelsea had – since the suspension of the transfer ban – been linked with 17 players.

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The papers are very entertaining. Over the last few weeks, not a day has gone by without another back page headline about Chelsea being ready to splash the cash in January either on some La Liga mega-star or a Brazilian wonderkid currently plying his trade in South America.
Last week I wrote an post on how Chelsea had – since the suspension of the transfer ban – been linked with 17 players.

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For a couple of years, it looked as if "100 Greatest" or "50 Greatest" television programmes might just eat up the whole of the schedules in Britain. Channels gave over whole evenings to raiding their archives and there was hardly a subject that they didn't broach. The results, perhaps predictably, were often mixed but occasionally they got it just about right and this is what happened with "The 100 Greatest World Cup Moments".

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Diego Maradona was banned from all football for two months by FIFA on Sunday over his sexually-explicit rant last month. The Argentina coach, who was also fined 25,000 Swiss francs (24,691 dollars, 16,565 euros), fell foul of world football's governing body after losing his cool with journalists following Argentina's qualification for . Click to continue reading...

Soon after the start of Saturday's 0-0 friendly between Italy and Netherlands, an Italian fan ran out onto the pitch wearing a Superman t-shirt with "Cassano in Nazionale" (Cassano in the national team) written on the front and back. Once he got his shirt message of support for the ignored Sampdoria striker seen (hooray for s-words!

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There's never a dull moment in the life of Diego Armando Maradona. Following last month's crunch World Cup qualifying victory over Uruguay, guaranteeing his side's passage to next summer's Finals, the current Argentina coach unleashed an almighty, foul-mouthed tirade at journalists and critics.

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Rafael Benitez has revealed that he has been offered other jobs in Europe by clubs wishing to recruit him in the past 3 years.
Speaking to ITV journalists recently, the genial Liverpool boss said: " I have had offers from many clubs over the last three years, but I want to stay at Liverpool because it is a great club and because of the loyalty of the fans towards me. Click to continue reading...

Nicklas Bendtner has claimed his most prestigious award yet after being named the Danish Footballer of the Year for 2009.

The award was presented to the injury-striken front-man in a special programme called Dansk Fodbold Award on the TV2 television network in his homeland.

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One suspected it was bound to happen. Every year we are presented with a new edition of the internal drama at Bayern Munich. It's a phenomenon that takes place frequently at Saebener Strasse and leaves the club's management in sheer disillusion and the fans in astonishment while blood-thirsty journalists start sharpening their pens. Click to continue reading...

When we beat the Mancs last week, everyone including his pet rock was jumping with joy I am certain. Everyone except those in the clueless bandwagon. Then, afterwe lost to Fulham, the dam burst further!

How do some fans miss the obvious I do not know. We have been overachieving with Rafa at the helm and yet these people scream murder and want Rafa to be sacked.

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The same way the U20 World Cup generated some analysis, the failure of the U17 deserves even more talk. First of all, being eliminated in group that had Mexico, Switzerland and Japan is a shame. There is simply no excuse.

This pathetic elimination was so bad that no projections for the future can be made.

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For once, UEFA President Michel Platini has said something nice about England. Platini has said a lot about the Premier League's spending, which was mainly aimed at Man United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and more recently Manchester City. However he didn't say anything about Real Madrid's spending and other high profile European clubs. Click to continue reading...

I never thought I'd say it, but this is it the eyebrow of seduction is just too powerful. It needs to be reigned in and controlled like a military grade weapon. The UN needs to sanction it and ethics professors need to include discussion of its proper use in their curriculum. This simply cannot go on.

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Just as the referees' apparent lack of fitness stole the headlines in the aftermath of Sunderland's last game, their latest encounter – and encouraging performance – was lost amongst the furore surrounding that red balloon.
Journalists, match officials, and former referees were left to scramble through the rule book to work out whether the goal should have been chalked off, as confusion reigned at the Stadium of Light on Saturday. Click to continue reading...

Wow, waking up just to see all those journalists crying on how Bilic (or Markovic rather) picks his friendlies ain't the best way to start the morning. But seriously though, the journalism in Croatia is rubbish. Like fast food. It's all around, lacks the attention & nutrition of a real meal, and in the end will leave you plunging the nearest available restroom.

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Wenger says Arsenal are ready this year to compete for titles. Well, technically, he said the following:

I know that we haven't won a trophy for four years, but we have been very close and I believe that this year the team will do it. When I say that, it is not to please you, it is because I am really convinced of it.

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Sir Alex Ferguson doesn't have any time for journalists asking him about his most recent FA charge.

""Silly Question Gets No Answer"" was originally published at The Republik of Mancunia. Click to continue reading...

We have had a great deal of discussion this week about officials' bias in CONCACAF towards Mexico. However, I was a bit disappointed that many American fans see the US as a victim in all this. The truth be told, the US benefits from much of the same bias, albeit perhaps from different parts within CONCACAF.

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Fans of a bit of blue will be happy with the news that Argentina has now finally booked their place at South Africa 2010.
It's not just on their famous striped shirts however that the blue will be found but also coming from the mouth of Diego Maradona if his latest press conference is anything to go by. Click to continue reading...

One goal and all of a sudden journalists find out he's a great interview. Sean Michelle:

"(Conor) Casey should be worried," [Padula] said jokingly. "We have two games left. I can score eight (in one) and eight (in the other)."
Casey, a striker for Colorado, leads MLS with 17 goals.

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Let's get to it:

• Beckham says Milan move is 95% done.
  
• Sunderland teen signs a new deal.
  
• O'Neill not concerned with Heskey rumors.
  
• Barca defends Messi contract.
  
• Adriano would only return to Inter.
  
• That must rule out a Tottenham link.

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Congratulations to Switzerland, Slovakia, Honduras and, drum roll please, Argentina on clinching World Cup berths Wednesday!
So that's 23 of 32 teams down.
And, of course, it means Maradona is vindicated. It didn't take him long to slam his country's journalists and even name a couple guys (not Messi) to the final World Cup roster. Click to continue reading...

Late Goal From Supersub Bolatti Puts Argies Into World Cup.
Diego lashes out at journalists:
"They can suck it and carry on sucking it," he fumed in the press conference after the dramatic win. "This is for all Argentines, minus the journalists. Click to continue reading...

• So Argentina qualified for the World Cup and Tevez looks confused. Seriously, though, why does The Dona look like he's being pushed around? How dare you! We can almost imagine the amused look on everyone's faces at the press conference after hearing this : "Our victory is going to all Argentineans, except the journalists.

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Well Maradona's boys are on their way to South Africa. To the delight of this football crazy nation, the two time World cup winners (1978 and 1986) managed to pull off a 1 – 0 score. A solitary goal from Mario Bolatti gave them victory over their worthy opponents� at the Estadio Centenario, Montevideo in Uruguay last night in front of a very disappointed home crowd.

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1.� We will play two defensive midfielders. (A+) Too easy.

1.� Benny Feilhaber will enter the game around the 65th minute.� I'm going to guess it's for Jozy Altidore this time.� (C-:� Jozy Altidore did not start because of illness, so this one didn't even have the chance to happen.

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Now that the United States team has qualified for the 2010 World Cup, the agonizing wait begins until the final draw is held on December 4, 2009. The draw will be beamed around the world, and we'll finally be able to learn which countries will be grouped against each other next summer in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

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That is according to today's 'Gold Coast Weekend Bulletin' where the 'glamor' club is back page news. But not promoting tomorrow's game. It is Jason Culina complaining about his club's poor job at attracting crowds.
Funny that, some of Brisbane's leading journalists praised Miron's non-attendance and refusal to promote the opening game of the season as an act of marketing genius - by attracting interest to the game(? Click to continue reading...

Them Yankee boys are off the plane and in country. But judging by the amount of guns and journalists around it's not another country, it's another world; no matter how much you follow the American game, sometimes you forget what the game is like in the rest of the world. Click to continue reading...

1.� We will play two defensive midfielders. Too easy.

1.� Benny Feilhaber will enter the game around the 65th minute.� I'm going to guess it's for Jozy Altidore this time.

2.� No matter the result, American soccer journalists will insist that getting a result was never going to be easy because of the extreme difficulty of CONCACAF road qualifiers.

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Interesting article from Graham Spiers on the Times website following the Old Firm match on Sunday. Spiersy is wrestling with a dilemma: Should he report the sectarian abuse he heard from a Rangers fan at Ibrox on Sunday?He's in two minds:"But journalists getting involved? It is one thing for someone in my position to report it and comment on it, but quite another to wade in and become an active Click to continue reading...