How Could You Thierry?

Check this out and watch at 29 seconds.

Done? Good.


Check the video above before we go on.

I don't know about everyone else but I am still fuming about this whole incident. The fact that he has been allowed to get away with such a blatant act of cheating.

Now on the night of the game I had only heard about a "controversial" incident during the game and that it went to extra time. It was only until the morning after that I YouTube'd it and I was actually disgusted at a footballer for the first time since the genius that is Robert Pires dived against Portsmouth in the 03/04 season.

Thierry Henry is undoubtedly a Premier League legend. Probably the greatest signing the league has ever seen, Arsenal fans know this.

Watching him play on the TV was unreal. His turn of pace was frightening, he could run at defenders, take them on, score from range, he had it all. Henry tap-ins must be a rarity as his trademark finish would be to cut in from the left and side foot into the far corner, a sight Premier League goalkeepers must be glad to see the back of.

A model professional, he never bitched or moaned about anything, even if it wasn't going Arsenal's way. He was their answer to Ryan Giggs, a professional both on and off the pitch.

But the respect I had for Henry is no more.

To quote the man himself: "it was necessary to exploit what was exploitable".

Was it?

Could France not gone on to win the game fairly?

The quote above is basically saying: "Yeah, I cheated. So what?"

Outrageous.

I just got back from a seminar on TV interviewing and was interviewed on the subject and I just find it really hard to swallow that this is what this great player is going to be remembered for now.

I could rant and rant and rant about how much I think I hate Henry now. Great player (like Ronaldo) but to go and blatantly lie to the press about an obvious act of cheating just infuriates me.

The game isn't going to get replayed.

I can't decide if this is FIFA bottling it in case France didn't go to the World Cup or if it is a fair judgement. There are many moments in regular league games all across the world that are not dissimilar to what happened in France.

Another can of worms for another time.

Let the debate about the introduction of video technology begin...