There is only one game in town this week; the burning and vexed question as to whether we should or should not hand it to Thierry Henry. It is probably not a wise decision to enter the debate at this point since the wailing and gnashing of teeth appears to be continuing unabated but I have never been given to bouts of wisdom so 'print and be damned' as they say.
While it is true that the clue may in be in the name of the game – football – it seems that anyone who has played soccer at any level knows that the biggest fuss is probably being made by those who have no real understanding of the game. Most footballers have been circumspect in what they have said unless they want to gain media points as in the case of someone like Eamon Dunphy.
The reason for this apparent coyness is an awareness that in the same circumstances as the unfortunate Henry they would have done exactly the same thing. It is called gamesmanship and is something that is taught to all young sportspersons early in their development. It is in truth merely a reflection of life. If we can get away with it, whatever it happens to be, we probably will do it.
This, I suspect, is the reason why David Dunn could be seen after the game having a philosophical chat with Henry after which, to the outrage of some commentators, he stood up and embraced his adversary. He knew that he was just sorry it was not his hand flicking the ball on to Robbie Keane at the other end of the park. He was also possibly aware that there were other occasions when, for example in February 2009 against Georgia, a dubious penalty had actually brought Ireland to these play-offs and no Irish player was clamouring for a replay then. The pain, anguish, injustice, whatever, is actually what makes the game interesting because in that sense it is a microcosm of daily life.
And then it has to be remembered that this is not actually a game, not actually a sport, but a business. And since we live in a capitalist society which teaches us early that we should 'get on' at all costs, then why would these principles not be transferred to a business that just happens to play itself out on a football field? It was interesting that in much of the coverage on television the focus was on the millions that business people would miss out on by not being able to sell jerseys, flags, badges and gallons of beer in pubs where the presumption was that the Irish supporters were going to be watching the boys in green fall gallantly at the last hurdle. And of course there is the cash that travel firms are going to fail to get not to mention the three weeks in South Africa that thousands of males were looking forward to. All in all I am told that it comes to approximately 90 million euro so the handball might be seen as a profound blow for socialist revolution although I'm pretty sure Henry wasn't thinking about that at the time.
And just when you think that there is beginning to be a lull in the outrage up steps Roy Keane to the microphone. Now Roy as we know is not a particularly happy man at the best of time. (He may well be a vegetarian but I cannot confirm this.) And he has a bit of a history with Irish soccer officials so he may not be the most neutral of commentators but his views were interesting nevertheless. If you didn't hear them they basically pointed out that once again the Irish soccer team had failed to convert obvious chances and superiority and hence needed someone to blame for the same old story. So, and I'm quoting here, 'Get over it!'
By weird coincidence there was a profile of Diego Maradonna in one of the Sunday papers last weekend. He pointed out in it that his infamous hand of God was in fact just the hand of Diego but it did remind me that I can't remember any Irish person stricken with anguish at this incident or indeed any outraged calls in the national press for that game to be replayed. The words 'double' and 'standard' do seem to come to mind.
But as always there is a silver lining. Females all over Ireland can now be content that they can plan the two weeks in Bundoran in June safe in the knowledge that the holiday budget is not on its way to Capetown or that hubby is going to be spending two weeks rooted to the sofa in front of the new 42 inch television which has inexplicably been delivered. Because after this no self-respecting Irishman would have the hypocrisy to even think about watching the World Cup. Would they?
