Henry anafikiria kuacha timu ya taifa

[Ng'wanza Madaso]

Henry anafikiria kuacha timu ya taifa

Thierry Henry anafikiria kuacha soka ya kimataifa kufuatia kuushika mpira wakati Ufaransa walipocheza na Jamhuri ya Ireland kuwania nafasi ya Kombe la Dunia.

Mshambuliaji huyo amejikuta katika mzozo mkubwa kutokana na kitendo chake hicho ambacho kiliisaidia Ufaransa kuitoa Ireland na kujipatia nafasi kwenda Afrika Kusini.

Alipoulizwa iwapo anafikiria kustaafu kufuatia utata uliojitokeza wa bao la kusawazisha dhidi ya Ireland, Henry alilieleza gazeti la Ufaransa la L'Equipe: "Ndiyo".

Chama cha soka cha Ireland kiliandika barua kwa Fifa wakitaka warudiane na Ufaransa.
Maombi hayo yalikataliwa licha ya Henry kutoa taarifa akisema kurudiana na Ireland ndio suluhisho.

Source:BBC

 

[Ng'wanza Madaso]

THIERRY HENRY admitted last night he came close to quitting international football after his World Cup shame.


The disgraced France skipper will forever be remembered for last Wednesday's infamous double handball in the play-off, second leg against the Republic of Ireland.

It helped him control the ball before centring for William Gallas to nod home.

But for the first time, the Arsenal legend has also expressed genuine regret for the provocative way he celebrated the tie-winning strike.

Henry, 32, said: "Of course I thought about quitting international football.

"On Friday, when everything went too far, I was very disappointed. And it wasn't the first time.

"After the 2006 World Cup, I thought about it. But it was very early. After Euro 2008 also but it wasn't the right moment. There was a generation of players that needed me.

"The day after the game and one day later I felt alone. Very alone. It was only after I issued my statement that the French Federation came out and said something.

"Despite everything that happened, and even the fact I felt abandoned, I will not quit playing for my country."

Henry knew he had handled but, instead of owning up to referee Martin Hansson, he ran off in wild celebration of Gallas' tie-clinching extra-time decider.

The Barcelona star's impeccable reputation was left in ruins and Henry admitted that celebrating as he did compounded the injustice to the Irish.

Henry added: "You can reproach me for the explosion after the goal. I shouldn't have done that. That I regret.

"It's for that reason that afterwards I went to salute the Irish players one by one. Afterwards we did not celebrate, even in the dressing room."

On the final whistle, Henry made a point of sitting alongside Richard Dunne on the Stade de France pitch to console the Irish defender.

The Frenchman insisted he did not do it just for the cameras but knew what Dunne was going through.

He declared: "It has been very hard. It has gone too far. Too far. I said I was sorry both on and off the pitch.

"That is what I said to Richard Dunne after the match. After playing against each other for six years in England, I thought it normal to tell him I was sorry.

"I didn't do that for the photos. After having lost an FA Cup final in similar circumstances, I knew what the Irish were feeling. It was the least I could do to apologise. He accepted it."

Cynics blasted Henry for issuing a statement calling for a replay only after FIFA had rejected the Republic's appeal for one.

He insisted: "We worked with my lawyer on the statement without knowing FIFA would respond to the issue on the same day."

Amazingly, Henry is sure the incident will not have a lasting impact on his reputation.

He declared: "I don't think this will stain my career or that everything I've done until now will be affected."

Think again, mate.


Source:The Sun