Last week’s World Cup play-offs provided one moment of controversy in the shape of Thierry Henry’s hand.
But we already know that footballers cheat, so why was this incident particularly horrific? Because of the cost that Ireland paid – a place in the World Cup and many millions of euros? Or because it was Henry, the man we all thought was a model professional, who so blatantly cheated.
Henry’s refusal to confess to the referee immediately after the incident saw him throw away the chance “to right a wrong. To be a man,” according to Richard Williams in the Guardian. For many the Frenchman’s reputation has now been tarnished forever, with the delight and pleasure that he brought to so many through his dazzling displays during eight years at Arsenal now rendered null and void in the face of his barefaced dishonesty.
But looking beyond this one flashpoint the four play-offs provided significant evidence of how not just Henry’s fortunes but those of some of Europe’s biggest teams and figures have taken a turn for the worse.
France were reduced to an extra-time handball in order to qualify, nine years after dominating the football world by doing the World Cup 1998 and Euro 2000 double.
Portugal, once the scourge of England and feared by many, were reduced to scraping through their group and a narrow play-off win over Bosnia-Hercegovina.
Carlos Quieroz will probably be shown the door after what in all likelihood will be a poor World Cup campaign. To be fair, he doesn’t really have the players to succeed, but his managerial shortcomings don’t help either.
The team he fielded against Bosnia was sturdy enough at the back, with Porto’s Bruno Alves and Real Madrid’s Pepe alongside Chelsea’s Ricardo Carvalho, but lacked even a sniff of the talent going forward that Portuguese sides were blessed with in the days of their so-called Golden Generation.
Back then Figo, Rui Costa and Pauleta ripped sides apart, but now there’s only Porto hardman Raul Meireles, Manchester United outcast Nani, Brazilian-born forward Liedson and Atletico Madrid midget Simao Sabrosa.
Yes, they have Cristiano Ronaldo to come back, but he can’t carry a side that are so bereft of sizzle in every other department.
Russia and Guus Hiddink both failed to make it past Slovenia. It is the first time Hiddink has failed to get a team to a major tournament, and it’s a shame that the truly brilliant Andrei Arshavin won’t be gracing the field in South Africa.
His presence lit up Euro 2008 as Russia swashbuckled their way to the semi-finals, beating Holland 3-1 in a quarter final that provided arguably one of the greatest performances of recent times.
Finally, Greece, who sort of made everyone think they were great by winning Euro 2004 after a string of 1-0 wins, executed the same boring-but-effective game plan to come through 1-0 winners against Ukraine.
Their dirty tactics and tight 4-5-1 formation stifled a below par Ukraine and frankly the prospect of them in the World Cup is not going to excite anyone.
Although Ukraine are inconsistent and underperformed in the 2006 World Cup, they have some fantastic players, including Bayern Munich’s Anatoliy Tymoschuk, who can set a game on fire.
Greece on the other hand have a team of firemen and a lumbering firetruck of a coach in Otto Rehhagel, all of whom are prepared to extinguish any sparks of excitement in a game by closing down a team and swinging for their ankles.
The once mighty have fallen, but not far enough to keep most of them out of the World Cup. Still, the group stages will probably prove one hurdle too many for France and Portugal, although I have a sneaking suspicion that Greece might slog their way a little bit further.
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