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....incident - as it has become known - rattles on. Strictly speaking, yes, Thierry Henry did cheat by handling the ball in the lead up to the goal that killed off Ireland's world cup campaign - but it happened within a culture where 'getting away with it' is almost acceptable and has become part of the fabric of football. If the boot had been on the other foot are we honestly to believe that Ireland would have come clean?

This 'cheat culture' is not going to change anytime soon though some have called for players to be more honest. Even if it worked, would it really be good for football? Can you imagine a Saturday afternoon where up and down the country players voluntarily stop the game to report their minor footballing misdemenours to the referee? It would destroy the game.

Easy to say for me perhaps, I am not Irish and this was a massive game.

It is not, however, Henry who should carry the blame. Neither should the game be replayed under the current structure of football. Nor is the answer to have more officials behind the goal - who may or may not see an infringement or may feel forced to flag everytime a corner is taken due to the melee that ensues at such set pieces.

Video technology has to be the key. Perhaps if only to verify sending off offenses and incidents in the lead up to goals i.e. decisions that crucially affect a game. I have no doubt that if introduced it will come with it's own set of as yet unconsidered problems but it has to be the way forward.

Of course for Ireland the damage is already done and it is especially tragic for those players who will have retired by the time the 2014 world cup comes around. We often think of football as 'just a game' but we forget that it is much more than that for the players - it is their careers, and for some of them that means their lives.

posted by Betting Exchange Trader