Tardelli: Ireland treated like "idiots"
Thursday 19 November, 2009
Assistant manager Marco Tardelli blasted the referee for treating Ireland like “idiots” and declared “you cannot teach fair play.”
The controversy following France’s World Cup play-off winner with a Thierry Henry handling offence shows no signs of abating.
“You cannot teach fair play. This isn’t sport anymore. Unfortunately football is becoming a political game,” Tardelli told Dahlia Sport.
“There are some things about all this that seemed strange to me. For example, they changed the rules of the draw three months beforehand, when the big teams seemed to be struggling.
“We were the only non-seeded team to play the first leg on home turf. We played a great game and their goal should’ve been disallowed. At the very least we deserved to have our go at penalties.”
In extra time William Gallas knocked the ball over the line, but only after Henry had visibly handled.
“A referee should at least have stopped play and asked Henry if he had touched the ball with his hand. That was his job,” slammed Tardelli.
“I think that, if he had done it, Henry would’ve admitted to it. In any case, at that moment the referee did not even consider the possibility. He simply thought all the Irish players and management were idiots.”
FIFA have confirmed the receipt of a formal complaint demanding the game is replayed, but Giovanni Trapattoni’s assistant doubts anything will come of it.
“The request for a replay is just to provoke a reaction. It is simply a move from the Irish FA to ensure this sort of thing never happens again.”
Thursday 19 November, 2009
Assistant manager Marco Tardelli blasted the referee for treating Ireland like “idiots” and declared “you cannot teach fair play.”
The controversy following France’s World Cup play-off winner with a Thierry Henry handling offence shows no signs of abating.
“You cannot teach fair play. This isn’t sport anymore. Unfortunately football is becoming a political game,” Tardelli told Dahlia Sport.
“There are some things about all this that seemed strange to me. For example, they changed the rules of the draw three months beforehand, when the big teams seemed to be struggling.
“We were the only non-seeded team to play the first leg on home turf. We played a great game and their goal should’ve been disallowed. At the very least we deserved to have our go at penalties.”
In extra time William Gallas knocked the ball over the line, but only after Henry had visibly handled.
“A referee should at least have stopped play and asked Henry if he had touched the ball with his hand. That was his job,” slammed Tardelli.
“I think that, if he had done it, Henry would’ve admitted to it. In any case, at that moment the referee did not even consider the possibility. He simply thought all the Irish players and management were idiots.”
FIFA have confirmed the receipt of a formal complaint demanding the game is replayed, but Giovanni Trapattoni’s assistant doubts anything will come of it.
“The request for a replay is just to provoke a reaction. It is simply a move from the Irish FA to ensure this sort of thing never happens again.”
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