@ Carey Baird. I can tell you, as a defender with 18 years' experience, that regardless of whether they play the ball, or the ball is played to them, having an attacking player in such a position, IS interfering with play because it creates doubt in the mind of the defender and impacts on where they will go and what they will do next (maybe I SHOULD go and mark the offside player IN CASE the referee doesn't award me a free kick for him being offside - i.e. defenders are told to play to the whistle). Another example is the goal Chelsea scored against Man Utd 2 weeks ago. I don't believe that the offside player touched the ball I forget whether it was Anelka or Drogba) but he faked it, and as a result the goalkeeper was left in two minds which way to dive. It's human instinct, much the same as if I were to pretend to throw a ball at your face, you would blink. If I did that during a blinking competition, then even if I DIDN'T throw the ball at your face, merely pretending to forces you to react and therefore I am interefering with you. For me, this ref made a mess of the handball because even if he didn't see the incident, he should have seen THREE Irish players are appeal for handball SIMULTANEOUSLY and BEFORE Henry even kicked the ball. Dead giveaway.

Carey you've only pulled a select quote out of Law 11...the two French players in an offside position were clearly interfering with play and the defending Irishmen. I doubt the most fervent French supporters would deny that it is offside. About the supposed penalty, where was the foul on APG? and is it really 100% that they would convert it against one of the best shot-stoppers in the world? Anelka has missed a pretty important penalty in the past...

thems the breaks. Oh dear, how sad, never mind.

I live in Ireland and whilst everyone here is (justifiably) upset about what occurred, most agree that if it was someone in their own team that handled the ball, it would have been excused. The game could have been won by Ireland at several other points in the match - they missed opportunities and were the better team on the night. Cheating happens in every sport and is unfortunate but you have to overcome ref mistakes and win regardless.

At least the All Whites will now have a few million more supporters as everyone loves the underdog and I’m recruiting people to our cause! Would have been great to play Eire in the groups though.

This always happen in football. Henry is wrong for the handball, the referee is also wrong for not spotting the handball, then FIFA is clearly not doing their job as they do not have policies to prevent such incident.

Its unfortunate that this took place after nearly 23 years after the Diego maradona blunder. We live in a modern day and age and yet Football refuses to have a TMO (television match official). Many a goals have been scored in football because of cheating such as dives and intentionally getting a player penalized which would have been avoided had there been a TMO. Soccer need to move away from the early 90's and move to this millennium cause this incident just shows why its important that a major decision doesn't lie on just one pair of hands...

Whilst this is normal in "soccer" eg the hand of God, the Itlaian world cup dive etc the idea that the game is end to end is rubbish !! We need to do what basketbal did years ago once you have passed the ball over half way if you kick it back you lose it.Made a hummungus difference to the NBL etc

I think what happened is OK. Interupting the flow of the game with video replays aint a good idea. But...

There should be a judicial system where players can be called up, like in Rugby. Henry should be told he can't play for the next 20 internationals for his country for a blatantly cheating. This should also happen for players that fake injury or injure others off the ball.

There is only 1 way to change human nature - carrot and stick. The carrot already exists (with the psychology of fair play), but in football there is no stick. Make a big stick and you will solve the problem. It will be in the best interest of clubs (and hence players) to play fair when the penalty for cheating is serious.

you know the best thing, no matter what magnificent things that Thiery Henry does in the future, he will always be remembered by this. You were a known cheat in England. No matter where you go, leopards never change their spots. Sleep well...

I notice no one here is howling about the Irish defender (No.5) elbowing the French No.11 in the side of the head and then pulling him to the ground. Also note that both of these offenses occurred BEFORE Henry handled the ball! No question of a penalty kick for either one of those, and almost no chance of a Frenchman failing to convert the spot kick.

And just so you know, I am a football referee of eighteen years experience.

And also, the so-called 'offsides' where not, as football's Law 11 clearly states that 'it is not an offense in itself to be in an offside position'.