The Thierry Henry Effect

It has been an interesting 48 hours.

So much has been said and so much has been written about Thierry Henry's infamous handball that there is no point in going over old ground. However, It appears that everyone is wading into the debate today with Roy Keane using it as an other opportunity to berate the FAI for all their failings in the past.

Does Keane have a point? He has made some valid points about the FAI in the past and you only had to watch the delivery of John Delaney's press conference yesterday to feel some empathy with Keane and the issues he's had to experience with the FAI over the years. With the world's media waiting in anticipation of the FAI's reaction, the FAI should have used the incident as an opportunity to catapult the FAI on to the world's stage by delivering a non emotive, cohesive and articulate response and one to make FIFA sit up and listen. Sadly this was not the case and the FAI's response only reinforced the stereotype that in the pool of world football, the Irish FA have very little influence.

On a more positive note, had Henry's handball happened to any other team, I'm not sure yesterday's headlines would have all been about the replays and the players reaction. Thankfully the Irish fans, manager and players have kept their dignity throughout when at times the media have been looking to fuel a more headline grabbing reaction from the Irish fans.

I for one won't be boycotting French products nor signing up to the "We Irish hate Thierry Henry" but as an Irish national with a French partner, I returned home last night to a bunch of flowers and a bottle of viognier in the fridge so the Thierry Henry effect is not so bad after all.