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The furore over Arsenal-legend Thierry Henry’s deliberate handball against Ireland will not be going away any time soon, but FIFA have ruled out any possibility of a replay, despite everyone asking them to bend the rules, including Henry.

The Republic manager Giovanni Trapattoni has derided FIFA for ignoring the calls for “fair play”.

“I would like to know what I have done to Blatter. If he explains it then at least I would be calm. I go to schools and speak of fair play, but perhaps I am a dreamer,” he said. Read the full article here

The Republic of Ireland have appealed to FIFA to declare the extra-time defeat to France on Wednesday as null and void after Thierry Henry was seen to commit a blatant handball in the lead-up to the decisive goal, but it has been rejected out of hand by the World Football governing body.

“As is clearly mentioned in the Laws of the Game, during matches, decisions are taken by the referee and these decisions are final.” they said.

Meanwhile the French Economy Minister, Christine Legarde, has also called for FIFA to change the rules so that the game can be replayed. Read the full article here

The Arsenal and France defender Bacary Sagna is not happy with the way the Republic of Ireland players have been talking about Raymond Domenech and the way he has run the team, and he says the France team will answer them at football rather than in the media.

He said: ‘They’re trying to attack the coach, they’re trying to attack us. But the game will be played on the pitch. We’ll try to give our response on the pitch.’ Read the full article here

The Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is not sure that France are hot favourites to beat Ireland in the World Cup Play-offs this week, and he has great respect for the Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni, whose assistant Liam Brady also works for Wenger at the Emirates.

“It will be very interesting,” said Wenger. “Liam Brady and I… we have very interesting conversations at the moment.

“I am keen to see the mixture of Irish passion and drive going forward, with the shrewd, calculating style of Trapattoni, against the French national team, which is still very young but with a lot of quality.” Read the full article here