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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger described Thierry Henry as the biggest loser in the controversy over the hand ball that helped France qualify for the World Cup and renewed his call for video technology to assist referees.
Wenger said on Friday that Henry – his former striker at Arsenal – was in an impossible position after his hand ball set up an equaliser for William Gallas in the 1-1 draw with Ireland.
Wenger, who is French and was at the game, said if Henry had admitted the offence to the referee, he would have angered all of France for potentially stopping the team from reaching the World Cup. By saying nothing until after the game, Henry was denounced by much of the world as a cheat.
“He was the big loser in this story,” said Wenger, who admitted he was embarrassed at the way France qualified. “If he had come out and said it was hand ball, half of France would say: ‘how crazy is he?’ If he does not say it straightaway he is as well guilty.”
Wenger also said Swedish referee Martin Hansson knew from the reaction of the Irish players that he should not have given the goal but received no independent assistance.
“What is terrible for the referee is that he gave the goal knowing that something was not regular yet he got no help,” Wenger said.
“From the unanimous reaction of Ireland he knew something was not right. He asked for some help from the linesman who could not give him help. I saw him walk from the linesman to the middle of the park thinking I have now to give this goal knowing this is not a regular goal. And that’s where football is guilty.”
Wenger said the incident supported the call for video technology to help referees by allowing an extra official to watch TV replays.
“The biggest issue is how can football sort out these kinds of problems and make sure it doesn’t happen again,” the Arsenal manager said.
“The best one would be technology and the biggest anger for me is that we are in 2009 where 2 billion people see what happens and one guy doesn’t see it and we cannot help him.
“Football is the biggest, most popular sport in the world and we are still having to endure these kinds of mistakes and turning anger against a player who is one of the fairest players I ever managed.”
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