They want to be the 33rd team in the World cup on the grounds they lost to a bad decision.

I want us to be the 25th team in the Championship due to a bad decision in 2005.

And I want us to be named FA cup winners 2005 due to another scandalous decision in the 4th round replay against Brentford when Ross was wrongly sent off by Lee Mason.

So the record books should now read that Hartlepool United FC had their best ever season in 2004/05 when we won the FA Cup and promotion to the Championship via the play-off's.

Sepp Blater eh?

The difference is that Ireland seem to have the guts to challenge their exclusion, whereas we just meekly accepted the decisions you outlined.
See Scott's comments after Cardiff.............weak as .................
Ireland may not succeed but they are creating sufficient waves that are making FIFA consider changes as to how matches are controlled.
Our attitude is either que sera sera or well they are bigger than us so we have to cow tow..............and we are still doing it.

Apart from the time when we made an appeal against a sending off and got kicked in the balls for it?

So what are you saying???? Just because you lose one, you should just capitulate..............surely not????
Ireland can say they have been kicked in the balls............and many would agree. That hasn't stopped them fighting though has it????

Ireland can scrap as much as they like, fook all will happen and I very much doubt that A1 gord Blubber Blatter is telling the truth anyway

The point is that they are scrapping, as against capitulating.
I don't think they'll get what they want either, but at least they are prepared to have a go.
All major changes start with a ruffling of feathers. Bosman !!!!!!!!???????????????

Video replays for dubious goals will be in place before long. Each team will be given, say, three appeals for use during the match. If it was used solely for dubious goals I don't think it would take much time up.

during the europa cup they had two additional linesmen why can't they just do that? then the ref can concur with them if he is'nt too sure about what has happened,then there would be no reason to use video

The only reason all these issues are being brought to everyones attention now is because the TV coverage of the games are superb. The diving/cheating debate has always been about its just that in the past it wasn't as obvious so complaints were few and far between. If TV has brought all this to our attention then why not use TV to sort it out? You never know such an idea might be self policing. If Henry had known he had next to no chance of getting away with what he did during the game v the republic of ireland chances are he'd have admitted to it.

Re extra officials, what if the additional officials behind the goal, as being trialled in the Europa League, are as clueless as the ref?

Yes, I'm afraid I have to agree with Bob on this one - it's a desperate proposal that can't not seriously be approved.

I think it's just a move to try and push the matter back into the public spotlight.

You can see how desparate the Irish are to be at the World Cup, but I think they need to start letting go and move on now.

I totally agree with Bob and although I agree to a degree with derwents points I personally think Ireland are now appearing to be a bit of a joke. I could agree with them being granted a replayed game but in no way should there be an extra place given to them in the World Cup Finals. France OR Ireland deserve a World Cup place, France AND Ireland don't. If the handball hadn't happened then nobody knows what would have occured, but as things stood Ireland were heading for a penalty shoot out not to a place in the Finals.

That is a very fair analysis.
I don't necessarily agree with the way Ireland are going about it, nor do I back up their appeal to be included.
My point is simply that I am impressed that they are prepared to fight.
It is a fight they will probably lose, but if it stirs FIFA into at least looking at the decision making then it could be said that the ruckus they are stirring up was worth it. Maybe not.
I don't expect Ireland to go to the World Cup, but they are keeping the subject of the competence, or otherwise, Of match officials in the limelight.
I don't have a great deal of time for Blatter, or Fifa for that matter, so I suppose I am biased towards any one who ruffles their bloody feathers.

And isn't that a fact.
Concurring fully Mr Mutley.............well said.

I can understand them doing everything they can to get this reversed. I agree that they were heading for penalties but the fact is that a blatant handball caused that not to happen and that is just plain wrong. FIFA have bottled it because the French hold more influence and they'd rather have them at the WC that the Paddies.

The 33 team suggestion is just plain daft, I'd have them just replay the extra time and penalties.

Anyway, the Irish will be loving this, they love to sing about being hard done too. Next thing you know Sepp Blatter will be talked of in the same terms as Ollie Cromwell and the Black & Tans.

Totally agree. They had every right to fight for a replayed game and I think they should have been granted one with FIFA additionally announcing a big drive to eradicate the cheats. It was asking for an extra slot in the World Cup that I thought was laughable.

Mr Muttley makes a fair point, if the boot was on the other foot there is a damn good chance that a replay would have been sanctioned.

What makes it worse is that the committee that will look at Ireland's case have no powers to do anything about it. Only the Fifa International committee does and that sits next February.

Ireland would be better off asking for a replay or at the very least, for Thierry Henry to get sanctions brought against him.

Even better, they should start a movement to get that cheating b@astard, Blatter, out of office for changing the rules and seeding the play-offs to allow France and Portugal and easier route to the finals.

Come on, Frodraff, tell the lads about your interpretation of the henry-handball...

Fair play to them for trying and who knows the fair play that fifa is so found of pushing might reap benefits for the irish.

they got no chance of getting replay or 33rd team in s/a they should just move on

Exactly.

You sounded just like Roy Keane there Sam!

Makes a bit of a mockery of the 'fair play league,' where you get a passage into Europe, where you come up against a bunch of cheating bastads ((c)ADG) sanctioned by UEFA and FIFA, 'cos they're the darlings of the moment and obviously for that reason they win everything.

I do believe certain teams could go on the pitch carrying Uzi's and machetes and nothing would be said.

I'm sure even Frodraff would draw the line at machetes. Wouldn't you, pet?

Whilst I agree that Ireland should now drop this matter I can't help but feel that FIFA have been asking for a scenario like this to crop up ever since their ridiculous handling of the Bahrain v Uzbekistan qualifying match for the 2006 world cup. This scenario also gives further credence to the argument that FIFA do want cetain countries to be in at the expense of others.

Uzbekistan, at home, were winning 1-0 when the ref awarded Uzbekistan a penalty which was converted but, because of encroachment, he disallowed it. Then, rather than order a re-take he gave Bahrain a free kick! The game finished 1-0 to Uzbekistan but FIFA ordered a replay because of this refereeing error. Said replay finished 1-1 with the second leg finishing 0-0. Bahrain advanced, on away goals, to play Trinidad & Tobago who, of course, won and progressed to the world cup.

Given that the matter is not, therefore, unprecedented one can't help but feel Ireland are well within their rights to demand a replay.

I don't want this for reasons others have already pointed out but FIFA certainly can't brush the argument off as easily as some might think.

So in that scenario, the refereeing error made a difference of a 1-0 or a 2-0 win, so what possible reason was a replay authorised.

Other than getting the team they wanted through?

The Uzbek FA president certainly thought it was that reason. You are also quite right BP in that there is surely no logical reason as to why the game should have been replayed given that it certainly wasn't the first time a match had been influenced by a poor decision. Or simply not knowing the rules in this case!

As I said the situation was, IMO, handled ridiculously and now means games, in which poor decisions have been made, being replayed is not unprecedented. I believe the president of the ROI FA cited this match when they made their initial appeal to FIFA.

I can't remember now but did it involve the assertion that players breaking the rules to gain advantage is an integral part of football. If players stuck to the rules and conceded when they'd broken them there wouldn't be any need for a ref. Players cheat therefore there are referee's

When he handled the ball Henry was only doing what every other player has done in their career and in most games. The fact that he got away with a foul that resulted in a goal wasn't even his fault as it's his job to get away with what he can and it's up to the ref to ensure that the game is played according to the rules.

It's the double standards of football supporters shouting about how the other team's players shouldn't cheat but it's okay for their team to do so which I find pathetic.

Stick that in yer pipe and smoke it.