Monday 23rd November
19:45 Preston North End v Newcastle Utd, Championship, Sky Sports 1 / HD1
These two sides haven't played each other in the league since 1981. That season, Preston went down to the old Third Division and if they maintain their current form (one win in their last seven games), they might just replicate that. Click to continue reading...

Referees have once again made their way into the headlines and for once MLS has no apologies to make. In the second leg of a UEFA World Cup Qualification playoff, Thierry Henry made a vital assist, crossing across the face of goal to William Gallas' head to score the tying goal. The goal pulled France level in the match and ahead 2-1 on aggregate.

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The match fixing scandal has tainted 32 matches in the Bundesliga lower divisions. The investigation into it have been widened the dragnet. Former and current players of VfL Osnabruck have come under suspicion.

Thomas Cichon, former captain of Bundesliga third division side VfL Osnabruck who now plays for Moroka Swallows in South Africa, is alleged to have accepted an undisclosed amount of money to lose to Augsburg's (17 April 2009) by three goals.

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Is this the "new" mass threat to World Football (Soccer)?Dodgy referee decisions, intencional red cards to leave your team with less men, own goals, off-sides not called, goalkeeping mistakes...theoptions are long as "betting" money has entered as a possible factor ingame results. In Germany they are investigating up to 200 games; local,Europa League & Champions League. Click to continue reading...

Mark Ogden writes for The Telegraph about Manchester vs Merseyside

Studs Up looks at the Henry handball conspiracy theory

Oliver Holt writes for The Mirror about Henry's loss of reputation

The Times looks at how referee's favour the home team

When The Seagulls Follow The Trawler has a chat with Oliver Kay

"RoM Reads" was originally published at The Republik of Mancunia. Click to continue reading...

Right, well football's back and we can finally put the Interlull behind us. Obviously there was plenty about Thierry, Ireland and France and what have you at Arsene's press conference yesterday but I think enough has been said on here about it.

The only thing I will comment on is his call for technology to be used to help referees.

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As the Thierry Henry story rumbles on into its fourth day, a story is starting to break which might begin to put it into perspective. It is a story that is breaking from Germany and involves the arrest of seventeen people in connection with what would be the biggest, most systematic match-fixing ring that European football has ever seen.

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Thierry Henry like many afore him says "it's up to the referee!"
But what about decency from himself and the French team. Not once but twice did the ball "hit@ more like he quided the ball with his hand...and what gaul, what cheek to celebrate and blame the referee!
Imagine a French side that wins the World Cup, Henry as captain would receive the trophy. Click to continue reading...

Everyone is having their s(pr)ay about the already notorious Thierry Henry incident. That his act was abominably unethical is undisputed; the more significant fallout from his brazen piece of gamesmanship is likely to be yet more discussion about the issue of video assistance for referees.
To clear the ground first: the calls for a replay of the match are essentially unfounded. Click to continue reading...

Something to read while you watch the madness at the Maracana... Israel halts construction of Palestinian stadium (BBC.co.uk) This FIFA conspiracy goes deeper than we though (Studs Up) Five football injustices (Shortlist) What happens when you fart in a referee's face? (Sports Rubbish) A lot of Top 10s for 2010 (Pies) Goal-line referees for World Cup 2010? Click to continue reading...

Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has vented his fury at FIFA in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport.
'I would like to know what have I done to (Sepp) Blatter,' Trapattoni said. 'If he explains it to me at least I would be calm.
'I often go to schools and speak of fair play. Click to continue reading...

Many people have been calling for the France v Rep. Ireland game to be replayed, but I'm not too sure if this will be possible. Sure, I think the game wasn't fair and France don't deserve to go to the World Cup, but I'm not sure if you can simply decide to replay this match how can it be considered to be fair, when bad refereeing decisions affect matches all the time, I don't quite understand how this match can warrant a replay when others don't.

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Latest development in the already long running Thierry Henry handball incident (or "la main de dieu" as it's being called by some) is that Henry himself thinks a replay is a good idea:

"The fairest solution would be to replay the game but it is not in my control," said the Barcelona striker.

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Right then, whilst I'm here I might as well sort this shit out.

First things first, I WANT the game to be replayed. Having said that it would be an absolute travesty if FIFA ordered a rematch of the game, as it would set an extremely dangerous precedent in football whereby the result on the pitch isn't final.

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The appetite for commentary on the farce in Paris still seems strong, and I thought Arsene Wenger had a very wise take on the entire situation today.� Wenger is, obviously, a French supporter and very close with Henry.� In fairness to the Irish fans, the world football community, and for the sake of Henry, he called for the game to be replayed.

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Since Thierry Henry's handball on Wednesday, the former Arsenal striker's reaction has gone from arrogance, to indifference to being contrite. From where I sit, this simply proves that Henry is a Public Relations driven phony. He's cultivated an image for over a decade in conjunction with his handlers and now sees the possibility it can all come undone.

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Welcome to another edition of Groan in Brief, the weekly look at the world of football in bullet point form. Today, we tackle the Worst Handball Ever in History And Time Itself ™, and the curiosity of Egypt's continued absence from the grandest stage of international football.

'That' handball

Whenever the media decide to jump on a story, what transpires is the most unsightly of feeding frenzies, each reporter seeking to trump the last.

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The Football Association of Ireland or FAI has officially submitted a request to replay the 2nd leg of the UEFA 2010 World Cup Qualifying Playoffs against France on Wednesday, November 18, 2009. The match ended in controversy as France scored in extra time on a goal from William Gallas. Thierry Henry clearly had a handball before passing to Gallas for the goal but it wasn't called by the referee.

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Heartbreaking. That's all I can say about this match. Gut-wrenching, soul-wrenching, the very best kind of completely awful.

The pivot point of the match – and for the rest of time nothing else will be discussed – was Henry's unjustly-allowed goal. (Technically it was Gallas', but Henry had more than a hand in it.

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Well, at least "The Sun" didn't go with "The Hand Of Frog" as their headline. This, however, was about the best thing that could be said for the media hysteria over Thierry Henry's handball for France against Ireland last night. First of all, though, we may as well take a quick look at the incident itself.

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With most attention on the exploits of Pohang Steelers in the Asian Champions League and the national team's friendly matches in Europe against Denmark and Serbia, the fact that the K-League is about to embark upon its championship play-off series has almost gone unnoticed.
Six teams are still in with a chance of the domestic title. Click to continue reading...

The ball rebounded to Thierry Henry's hand, first once and then again. He scooped it gently, and let it fall to his feet. He made a controlled pass to his teammate William Gallas, who scored a much-needed goal against Ireland. The referee didn't call the handballs (clearly visible in recordings of the match). Click to continue reading...

The Football Association of Ireland today (November 19) confirmed that it will lodge a complaint with FIFA, following last night's World Cup play-off match between France and the Republic of Ireland in Paris.
Conclusive video evidence of a deliberate hand ball by Thierry Henry, which led to France's additional time goal, has been seen by millions of football fans worldwide. Click to continue reading...

Stile British

Contiene qualche importante omissis la singolare classifica redatta dagli inglesi del Times sulle 10 vergogne della storia del calcio.

Al primo posto svetta la "mano de dios" di Diego Armando Maradona proprio contro l'inghilterra nei mondiali in Messico del 1986.

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This past week(s) we've have a couple united boys playing for their countries, attempting to qualify for South Africa. While its not directly "United Related", there's no way I cannot bring up the most blatant handball since Maradonna's "Hand of God".

So a quick roundup of the scores and the United personnel playing before I get to more on to what is going to be the single most discussed play in recent times:

France 1 1 Ireland (2-1 Aggregate)
France : Patrice Evra
Ireland : John O'Shea, Darren Gibson

Portugal 1 B&H (2-0 Aggregate)
Portugal : Nani

Okay, so the handball (seen/touch/heard) 'round the world.

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by FRANCO PANIZO

Thierry Henry's handball heard around the world helped secure France's passage to the 2010 World Cup, but the French may not be through to South Africa yet.

The Irish federation has appealed Wednesday's night 1-1 result (2-1 aggregate advantage for France), and is demanding that France replay the second leg of the playoff.

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by FRANCO PANIZO

Thierry Henry's handball heard around the world helped secure France's passage to the 2010 World Cup, but the French may not be through to South Africa yet.

The Irish federation has appealed Wednesday's night 1-1 result (2-1 aggregate advantage for France), and is demanding that France replay the second leg of the playoff.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC-pF3OHY1c

Following the controversial decision to allow France's goal to stand as Thierry Henry clearly handled the ball prior to assisting William Gallas, it is only normal to have increased complaints and ever growing displeasure at the level of refereeing.

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Okay okay, I guess I have to write something about this Thierry Henry hand ball or something. Here is the obligatory (and slightly sarcastic) background info already reported: The World Cup playoffs are seeded, seemingly hurting the minnows like Republic of Ireland. Then, Ireland are given an away game in Paris for the second leg, presumably giving them yet another disadvantage.

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Last night's dramatic play-off between Ireland and France which ended in disgrace for Thierry Henri who twice handled the ball in the box to set up Gallas to score a very controversial goal in extra-time to send Ireland out of the World Cup and France to shamefully through.
The FAI have lodged an appeal to FIFA to have the game replayed has fallen on deaf ears. Click to continue reading...

The FAI (Ireland's ruling Soccer organization) has demanded a reply of their match in which they lost to France yesterday.� All of this comes over more bad calls/non-calls by officials and has even been brought to light by a French player who was involved in the incident.�

I want to make clear that I am writing with the question.

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The FRANCE vs. IRELAND game has transcended all frontiers.This is the French goal from Gallas that eliminated a brave Irelandside from the 2010 World Cup:(LOWER THE VOLUMEN!, incident replay 1.15min)Two points:1. There was off-side2. Thierry Henry handled the ball twice.According to the player:"Yes it was handball, evidently I would have wishedit to be differently, but I am not the referee"It is Click to continue reading...

Thierry Henry's left forearm makes first contact with the ball but then as the ball bounces off ever so slightly his hand comes up and he steers the ball onto his foot. The first touch was inadvertent but his second touch had clear intent. What is so amazing about this is that the linesman on the opposite side should have seen happened because as far as one can see his vision remains unobstructed with Henry furthest out clear of the Irish defenders and Shay Given.

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Man United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has recently been handed a two-game touchline ban but he will be allowed to be in the dugout this Saturday. The Football Association (FA) has said that the ban does not start until 14 days after the disciplinary hearing, which was last week.
This means that Sir Alex will not be in the dugout for a Premier League game against Portsmouth and the Carling Cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur. Click to continue reading...

Bad Thierry Henry. You cheated and you are the hero of all of France for it. Somewhere Michel Platini is dancing because you did it. Somewhere Sepp Blatter and the rest of FIFA are doing an Arsene Wegner impression. In Ireland your face will end up on dart boards and was the reason that children cried themselves to sleep last night. Click to continue reading...