Republic of Ireland assistant manager Liam Brady has described Sepp Blatter as “an embarrassment” after the FIFA president revealed that the Irish had asked to be the “33rd” team at next year’s World Cup finals.
Brady said the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) had expected FIFA to consider the request in private after Thierry Henry’s handball helped earn France victory over Ireland in a World Cup playoff.
He expressed dismay that Blatter had chosen to make the request public in comments at the Soccerex football business conference in Johannesburg on Monday.
Brady told Sky Sports News: “He’s a bit of a loose cannon. He’s an embarrassment to FIFA.
“I’m afraid Mr Blatter is a law unto himself. I thought it was very disrespectful how he presented this fact.
“He’s currently ignored most of the controversial things that went on that evening.”
Brady said the FAI had known the request to be allowed to join the 32-team finals was likely to be dismissed by FIFA, after their initial efforts to have the match replayed were thrown out.
“We asked because we wanted to have them respond in a measured way, and see what they had to say.”
Brady added: “I think my country deserves more recognition from Blatter.
“After all Mr Blatter was responsible for the (match) official.
“He didn’t say anything about the appalling mistake the official made to miss a blatant handball.
“He never had anything to say about that at all, like Henry’s behaviour after scoring the goal and how that stands within his campaign to have fair play within the game.”
Blatter, speaking ahead of Friday’s World Cup draw, drew laughter from the crowd when he said Ireland “have not asked for any sanctions… Very humbly, they have asked ‘Can’t we be team number 33 in the World Cup?’”
“Finally they asked for that. I will bring it to the attention of the executive committee,” he added, referring to the meeting of FIFA’s decision makers starting on Wednesday.
France’s playoff with Ireland was poised at 1-1 on aggregate in the second leg in Paris when Henry used his hand to keep the ball in play before passing to William Gallas for the decisive goal.
Paul
Guest
Go Algeria!!!! one african team against another<Lets hope Algeria are the best side!
Pippinu
Roar Guru
Algeria might be able to meet up against Germany and extract revenge for their cheating ways back in 1982.
The Bear
Guest
Things have changed...Blatter says sorry. And France are unseeded with pot 4. A Real possibility of Algeria meeting them in the group stages. If not...Algeria may meet Switzerland instead. Go Algeria!!
Dingbat
Guest
listening to a few folk whinge on The Roar is one thing, but the way elected officials in Ireland + media have been whinging you'd swear playing in the world cup is Ireland's god given right.
Paul
Guest
blatter has no credibility left after the way he put down the irish as if they were just a joke to be poked fun at, hopefully will get the boot sooner rather than later! With him in charge fifa has no credence what so ever!
Freud of Football
Roar Guru
Personally I think it was a masterstroke by the Irish FA, they were never going to be included by FIFA but they forced them to make a move when FIFA just wanted to forget about it. Blatter thought he'd be smart by bringing it into the public domain when the Irish "wanted to keep it quiet" but I'd hesitate a guess they knew that Blatter would go public to try and paint himself in a better light after the debacle that was the France-Ireland tie, all he has done is draw more attention to it, make himself look even more ridiculous and showed that FIFA isn't about football, it's about friendships, the Irish might look like sooks however they were probably more interested in damaging Blatter's credibility. Platini's France was never going to miss the WC for some Irish team made up of Championship players.
midfield general
Guest
Yes I watched the press conference and heard the sarcastic tone of his voice. Blatter was clearly having a laugh at the expense of the Irish in front of the media. Irish FA should know better but the disrespect shown by Blatter was quite unbelievable.
Paul
Guest
Ah sure is'nt it grand the Irish got shafted again!!!!! I wonder if it was the socceroos who were cheated would the skippys comments on this say page lets move on???II don'tt think so!!!
Jameswm
Guest
Can someone explain - Ireland want to be the 33rd nation in case one pulls out, or they want to be added onto to the 32 so that there are 33 teams there, 7 groups of 4 teams and one of 5 teams? If it's the latter - they're kidding, right? You got a dud call, it happens to everyone. Build a bridge. As I've said, France should have had a penalty just before that anyway, so dud calls go both ways. Even if it's the former - can you believe the carry on? What about other teams that just missed out? Blatter might be a goose, but this is the greatest piece of whingeing I've seen I think.
moo cow
Guest
The way he just blattered it out wasn't very nice.
Dingbat
Guest
This episode will go down in football history as the most embarassing display of one-eyed entitlement on the part of a nation. The whinging has been insufferable. You didn't make it, go have a pint and shut up.
Viscount Crouchback
Guest
Oliver Cromwell had nothing on Blatter, eh lads?
Pippinu
Roar Guru
It was a bizarre request from the Irish FA that was only ever going to end up being ridiculed. But he is right about Blatter - a loose cannon, and an embarassement as a human being.
KB
Guest
I use to hate the Irishman Roy Keane ex Man U stalwart ... but you have to say after his speech about the France vs Ireland football debacle, he copped it on he chin and moved on... Hats off to you Roy ... Liam you are acting like an AFL sook about a rectangle stadium being built for Football.. :) ~~~~~~~ KB
The Bear
Guest
Blatter has made himself look like a fool. This will further taint his credibility and perception as a professional.
Art Sapphire
Guest
The Irish people should be embarassed that they are represented by a bunch of tools. What a disgraceful bunch of sore losers. Only a class "A" sook would have the audacity to make an unreasionable request in the first place. A few weeks ago they had the world's sympathy. Not anymore....
Savvas Tzionis
Guest
Liam, You can have your replay only after you replay your tie with Georgia!!! Hypocrite.