|
|
World Cup comment: FIFA must save role models from cheating habits
The opportunity to cheat is all too easy...
19 Nov 2009 08:16:58
By Paul Madden
Thierry Henry’s ‘hand’ in William Gallas’ all important extra-time goal was a cruel and devastating blow to the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup hopes last night. And Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni was less than happy after the game.
“FIFA talks about fair play a lot but doesn’t apply it. I'm sure that if the referee had asked Henry, he would have confessed that he controlled the ball with his hand. It is not the first time a referee would ask a player,” said the veteran coach.
Trapattoni’s 35-year managerial career has seen him fight on either side of the David & Goliath divide but surely even he has never seen an injustice as great as this in his entire footballing life. He was noticeably disappointed by the defeat, more by the manner of it than anything else, but his blind faith in Henry’s potential honesty raises a question about what is deemed important to professional footballers. Is it the winning or the taking part that really counts?
Publicly, he may claim his double hand ball was accidental but, in truth, Henry must privately know that his act in providing Gallas with the simplest of opportunities to seal France's, and Ireland's, fate was a shocking example of blatant cheating.
Trap may believe that Henry would have owned up to his misdemeanour, if he'd been asked, but I don’t feel that a player with a winning mentality like Henry would be capable of such a gesture of goodwill. In fact, it would go against everything that makes true winners victorious. Winners are ruthless in their pursuit of success and the highest achievers in football, like any sport, have no time for such benevolent acts. Such moments of altruism are few and far between in football, and are usually the work of something other than the merciless victor.
Henry has won everything the game has to offer and has that little something extra that winners possess, that selfish streak that bends and sometimes breaks the rules in search for success. Will Henry feel shame or self-loathing? Will he lose any sleep because the moral fibre of the majority suggests his hand ball was wrong? It’s highly unlikely. And although we may not all admit it straight away, had Robbie Keane or Kevin Doyle been the guilty party at the other end, Irish supporters would not have thought twice about the moral obligation FIFA bestows upon all it’s members to play the game in the right spirit.
The sad fact is that is Thierry Henry, for all his genius over the past decade, will now join a list of so-called greats that will be remembered more for the one moment of disgrace they brought to the game, than the myriad of graceful moments with which they were previously recognised.
As an Irishman, I hold no grudge against the French. They won, these things happen but honesty, sadly, is a near extinct species in the game and the expectation for fair play must be replaced by stricter rules to combat cheats, who essentially are just normal players who will do all in their power to win.
As soon as I saw the hand ball incident, which was two clear touches, I immediately thought of one man, Rivaldo. His shameless face-clutching incident still sickens me as much as the Henry incident, even though it was my team that lost out this time around.
Rivaldo’s play acting cost Hakan Unsal dearly on that fateful day at the 2002 World Cup as the Turk was sent off, while Brazil won the game, thanks to Rivaldo’s penalty and the Selecao went on to win the tournament. FIFA’s menial fine of around 12,000 Swiss Francs for the cheat was laughable and with his World Cup medal safely in his back pocket, why would Rivaldo ever care about the morals of playing fair in that Group C game?
And Rivaldo is not the only South American to benefit from such a heinous act, as England will no doubt testify. Since that infamous ‘Hand of God’ incident 23 years ago, Maradona has been heralded as a hero, because, quite simply, his team won the tournament. Had the Argentinian’s lost the semi-final to Belgium or the final to West Germany, perhaps more scorn would have been poured on Maradona’s cheating act. It wasn’t to be and FIFA could not detract from the era’s superstar by giving him the severe punishment his act of cheating deserved.
Think about Roy Carroll too, in goal for Manchester United in January of 2005, when he clawed a clear ‘goal’ from then Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pedro Mendes back over the line when he knew it was a legitimate goal. He too cheated but the culture of success at United would not have tolerated the Northern Irish stopper owning up to the goal. Imagine Sir Alex Ferguson’s face if he had!
Little has been made of Nicolas Anelka's dive in a coming together with Shay Given last night, simply because the penalty wasn't given, but that doesn't take anything away from the fact that the Chelsea striker tried to con the referee.
Sure, there are examples of commendable acts of fair play, most notably in recent memory from Paolo Di Canio and Robbie Fowler on duty for respective Premier League sides West Ham United and Liverpool. But these deeds are so few and far between that they are insufficient proof that the very spirit of the game FIFA claim to uphold is in tact.
FIFA expects all members to adhere to a list of ten Fair Play Golden Rules, two of which are reproduced from their website below.
(i)Winning is without value if victory has been achieved unfairly or dishonestly. Cheating is easy, but brings no pleasure. Playing fair requires courage and character. It is also more satisfying. Fair play always has its reward, even when the game is lost. Playing fair earns respect, while cheating only brings shame. Remember: it is only a game. And games are pointless unless played fairly.
(ii)Do not be ashamed to stand up to anybody who you are sure is trying to make others cheat or engage in other unacceptable behaviour. It is better to expose them and have them removed before they can do any damage. It is equally dishonest to go along with a dishonest act. Do not just say no. Denounce those misguided persons who are trying to spoil our sport before they can persuade somebody else to say yes.
Sadly, if FIFA do not start to practice what they preach, role model superstars like Henry, Rivaldo and Maradona will continue to have their sterling football reputations sullied by nothing other than a sheer will to win and, in the process, encourage the new generations of stars to break the rules in the pursuit of victory. Call it cheating, that's what it is, but as long as the opportunity presents itself, players will do it.
Henry's handball didn't warrant a mention in FIFA's report on the game on their website, which tells it's own tale on where their priorities lie and supports the notion that cheating is fine, providing you don't get caught.
Whether it be by introducing video technology, which I firmly believe is vital, banning players for ten games, or another form of stricter governance on cheating that go beyond the pitiful fines which are a drop in the ocean to players salaries, FIFA must take affirmative action, preferably sooner rather than later. Because as Henry proved last night, relying on success hungry players to self-govern on cheating simply doesn’t work.
Thierry Henry’s ‘hand’ in William Gallas’ all important extra-time goal was a cruel and devastating blow to the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup hopes last night. And Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni was less than happy after the game.
| Bet: | Returns: | Hungary £26.00 | Draw £32.00 | Ireland £25.00 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | Hungary £29.00 | Draw £32.00 | Ireland £25.00 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | Hungary £28.00 | Draw £32.50 | Ireland £25.00 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | Hungary £29.00 | Draw £33.00 | Ireland £24.00 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | Hungary £28.50 | Draw £31.00 | Ireland £23.50 |
|
“FIFA talks about fair play a lot but doesn’t apply it. I'm sure that if the referee had asked Henry, he would have confessed that he controlled the ball with his hand. It is not the first time a referee would ask a player,” said the veteran coach.
Trapattoni’s 35-year managerial career has seen him fight on either side of the David & Goliath divide but surely even he has never seen an injustice as great as this in his entire footballing life. He was noticeably disappointed by the defeat, more by the manner of it than anything else, but his blind faith in Henry’s potential honesty raises a question about what is deemed important to professional footballers. Is it the winning or the taking part that really counts?
Publicly, he may claim his double hand ball was accidental but, in truth, Henry must privately know that his act in providing Gallas with the simplest of opportunities to seal France's, and Ireland's, fate was a shocking example of blatant cheating.
Trap may believe that Henry would have owned up to his misdemeanour, if he'd been asked, but I don’t feel that a player with a winning mentality like Henry would be capable of such a gesture of goodwill. In fact, it would go against everything that makes true winners victorious. Winners are ruthless in their pursuit of success and the highest achievers in football, like any sport, have no time for such benevolent acts. Such moments of altruism are few and far between in football, and are usually the work of something other than the merciless victor.
Henry has won everything the game has to offer and has that little something extra that winners possess, that selfish streak that bends and sometimes breaks the rules in search for success. Will Henry feel shame or self-loathing? Will he lose any sleep because the moral fibre of the majority suggests his hand ball was wrong? It’s highly unlikely. And although we may not all admit it straight away, had Robbie Keane or Kevin Doyle been the guilty party at the other end, Irish supporters would not have thought twice about the moral obligation FIFA bestows upon all it’s members to play the game in the right spirit.
The sad fact is that is Thierry Henry, for all his genius over the past decade, will now join a list of so-called greats that will be remembered more for the one moment of disgrace they brought to the game, than the myriad of graceful moments with which they were previously recognised.
As an Irishman, I hold no grudge against the French. They won, these things happen but honesty, sadly, is a near extinct species in the game and the expectation for fair play must be replaced by stricter rules to combat cheats, who essentially are just normal players who will do all in their power to win.
As soon as I saw the hand ball incident, which was two clear touches, I immediately thought of one man, Rivaldo. His shameless face-clutching incident still sickens me as much as the Henry incident, even though it was my team that lost out this time around.
Rivaldo’s play acting cost Hakan Unsal dearly on that fateful day at the 2002 World Cup as the Turk was sent off, while Brazil won the game, thanks to Rivaldo’s penalty and the Selecao went on to win the tournament. FIFA’s menial fine of around 12,000 Swiss Francs for the cheat was laughable and with his World Cup medal safely in his back pocket, why would Rivaldo ever care about the morals of playing fair in that Group C game?
And Rivaldo is not the only South American to benefit from such a heinous act, as England will no doubt testify. Since that infamous ‘Hand of God’ incident 23 years ago, Maradona has been heralded as a hero, because, quite simply, his team won the tournament. Had the Argentinian’s lost the semi-final to Belgium or the final to West Germany, perhaps more scorn would have been poured on Maradona’s cheating act. It wasn’t to be and FIFA could not detract from the era’s superstar by giving him the severe punishment his act of cheating deserved.
Think about Roy Carroll too, in goal for Manchester United in January of 2005, when he clawed a clear ‘goal’ from then Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pedro Mendes back over the line when he knew it was a legitimate goal. He too cheated but the culture of success at United would not have tolerated the Northern Irish stopper owning up to the goal. Imagine Sir Alex Ferguson’s face if he had!
Little has been made of Nicolas Anelka's dive in a coming together with Shay Given last night, simply because the penalty wasn't given, but that doesn't take anything away from the fact that the Chelsea striker tried to con the referee.
Sure, there are examples of commendable acts of fair play, most notably in recent memory from Paolo Di Canio and Robbie Fowler on duty for respective Premier League sides West Ham United and Liverpool. But these deeds are so few and far between that they are insufficient proof that the very spirit of the game FIFA claim to uphold is in tact.
FIFA expects all members to adhere to a list of ten Fair Play Golden Rules, two of which are reproduced from their website below.
(i)Winning is without value if victory has been achieved unfairly or dishonestly. Cheating is easy, but brings no pleasure. Playing fair requires courage and character. It is also more satisfying. Fair play always has its reward, even when the game is lost. Playing fair earns respect, while cheating only brings shame. Remember: it is only a game. And games are pointless unless played fairly.
(ii)Do not be ashamed to stand up to anybody who you are sure is trying to make others cheat or engage in other unacceptable behaviour. It is better to expose them and have them removed before they can do any damage. It is equally dishonest to go along with a dishonest act. Do not just say no. Denounce those misguided persons who are trying to spoil our sport before they can persuade somebody else to say yes.
Sadly, if FIFA do not start to practice what they preach, role model superstars like Henry, Rivaldo and Maradona will continue to have their sterling football reputations sullied by nothing other than a sheer will to win and, in the process, encourage the new generations of stars to break the rules in the pursuit of victory. Call it cheating, that's what it is, but as long as the opportunity presents itself, players will do it.
Henry's handball didn't warrant a mention in FIFA's report on the game on their website, which tells it's own tale on where their priorities lie and supports the notion that cheating is fine, providing you don't get caught.
Whether it be by introducing video technology, which I firmly believe is vital, banning players for ten games, or another form of stricter governance on cheating that go beyond the pitiful fines which are a drop in the ocean to players salaries, FIFA must take affirmative action, preferably sooner rather than later. Because as Henry proved last night, relying on success hungry players to self-govern on cheating simply doesn’t work.
| Sign up with 188BET for a FREE bet up to £25 – Great Prices, Every Game |
|
| Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets! |
|
| Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
|
| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
|
| Sign up with Paddy Power - Bet £10, Get £20! |
|
Make Your Prediction Choose match
Hungary - Republic of Ireland
Hungary
Republic of Ireland
Prediction Submitted
Most Popular Predictions
-
Hungary 0-2 Republic of Ireland
- 22.34 %
-
Hungary 0-1 Republic of Ireland
- 18.09 %
-
Hungary 1-2 Republic of Ireland
- 9.57 %
Inside Goal.Com
-
Welbeck convinces Hodgson he is the man to lead the line
England beat Norway 1-0 at Wembley, with the Manchester United man hitting an impressive winner to stake his claim for a starting spot at Euro 2012
-
The five players Rodgers could sign to kick-start revolution
The new Reds boss was unveiled to the press on Friday and must immediately begin work on revitalising a thin squad with some additions in the transfer market
-
Managerial merry-go-round keeps spinning as Lambert takes Villa job
The Scot officially left Norwich City on Saturday to become the second new boss in June, following the appointment of Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool on Friday
-
Rodgers ushers in new Anfield era on his own terms
The Northern Irishman inevitably expressed his delight at landing the Reds job but evidenced plenty of the steely resolve which could see him become a success at Anfield
-
The definitive timeline of FSG's hunt for new manager
Kenny Dalglish's sacking at the end of the season sparked a massive hunt for the next Anfield boss, and the former Swansea man has been chosen after several turned the job down
