Unjust goal makes me ashamed, says Ginola
FORMER Tottenham star David Ginola has called Thierry Henry’s handball “a pure injustice”, admitting the unsavoury episode has left him ashamed to be French.
Politicians and press across the Channel roundly condemned the hotly-disputed extra-time goal that broke Irish hearts on Wednesday night. And Ginola, who played for Les Bleus, Spurs, Newcastle and Aston Villa, conceded the manner of World Cup qualification left a bad taste in his mouth.
“I’m very embarrassed by the situation. I don’t feel very proud to be French this morning,” he said. “The Irish played very well and they deserved to go through as much as France, maybe more. This is a pure injustice. Everyone in France says there should be a replay.”
French politician Philippe De Villiers called on coach Raymond Domenech to express “public regret” for William Gallas’s goal, which was set up by Henry’s handball.
“The moral of this match is that you can cheat as long as you don’t get caught,” he said. “The France team is going to be labelled for years as a team of cheats.”
However France midfielder Lassana Diarra was unrepentant, the ex-Portsmouth, Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder saying: “Ireland was unlucky in the two games, but we deserve it because of our win in Dublin.”
Emmanuel Petit, who played alongside Henry for Arsenal and France before retiring in 2005, insisted the controversy should not tarnish the record-breaking striker’s legacy.
He said: “Thierry has done so much in his career and this is a very rare indiscretion.”