The Ball Bounced in the 6 Yard Box

6th Apr 2010

The ball bounced in the six yard box. We all saw it.

It's been nearly five months now since the infamous 'Hand of Frog' incident when Thierry Henry's liberty with the rules allowed the French a badly needed goal against the Republic of Ireland to put them through to the World Cup in South Africa this summer.

McShane lets Henry inside him.

As the metaphorical slow motion video footage of Ireland's financial woes has emerged in the last ten days it's astounding how applicable The Boy Keane's tirade against the FAI and their appeals for a replay is to the economic mess and the government.

There's a part in this parallel drama for every one. Substitute the FAI for Fianna Fáil, Thierry Henry for former Anglo-Irish boss Seán Fitzpatrick and the referee could be played by Patrick Neary the hapless former financial regulator.

The play's narrator, Keane, begins as Seánie Fitz is brought on stage:

Did he bend the rules? Yeah, but I'd focus on why they didn't clear it. I'd be more annoyed with my defenders and my goalkeeper than Thierry Henry.

Fitzpatrick bent the rules like Thierry Henry but why did our elected defenders not clear the ball? Why did Seánie Fitz get away with borrowing billions at the end of each financial year to cook the books at Anglo Irish Bank? Where was our Minister for Finance and his regulator?

By focussing on the child who stole the bun instead of why the freshly baked confectionary was left to cool in the school yard we're missing the point.

So where was Ireland's financial goalkeeper? Before Cowen took up position in Ireland's six yard box, Charlie McCreevy was in the thick of the action receiving a €1.5 million loan from Irish Life and Permanent boss Michael Fingerton for a luxury residence at the K-Club.

Cowen lets Seánie Fitz inside him

Remember the link: Fingerton was the one who lent Seánie Fitz the money to bluff the balance sheet at Anglo. For eight years.

If that was my team I'd go into the dressing room and I wouldn't even mention the handball I'd just say 'why didn't someone put their head on it?'

When Brian Cowen togged off as Minister for Finance and tagged McCreevy as he jogged off the pitch why didn't Cowen come powering in and "put his head on it" as the greedy high-risk banking activities continued unknown to the general public?

Oh how we'd all like to get Cowen and McCreevy into a dressing room now for the hairdryer treatment. When you see your local government TD you can ask them.

How can you let Thierry Henry get goal-side of you?

How did Ahern, Cowen and McCreevy let Seánie Fitz and all the other chancers get goal side of our nation?

Last week a Dublin based tabloid ran a headline with "They Should be Shot" next to Seánie Fitz and Michael Fingerton's mugshots but we should be more annoyed with our so-called defenders than this pair of poachers.

Fingers helped Seán Fitz cover up the cracks at Anglo

Back in November, Cowen misguidedly jumped on the FAI bandwagon and suggested Thierry Henry's crimes were big enough to warrant a replay yet with his "we are where we are" mantra in the Dáil we are told we should all just get on with it and take pay cuts to cough up for Seánie Fitz's 'misjudgements'. In contrast Keane reminded us of the ludicrous penalty Ireland were awarded against Georgia:

It was one of the worst decisions I've ever seen and changed the whole course of the game and Ireland went on to win. I don't remember the FAI saying after the game that we should give them a replay.

Fianna Fáil's decision to let Seánie Fitz score unopposed and ignore his cheating changed "the "whole course" of our economy by fuelling property speculation.

When we were presented with ballot papers in 2007 this dark web of corruption was unknown. Fianna Fáil won the general election so under the same criteria should Brian Cowen not be suggesting a replay for that too?

Ireland has been robbed by the cute-hooring of a devious operator who was willing to bend the rules as much as he could but do you blame the prisoner if he escapes from jail or do you focus on why the governor didn't get his guards to repair a gapping hole in the fence?

The government are delighted that attention has deflected away from their goalmouth and the media are focussed on the bankers. It lets Cowen and company off the hook.

That interview.Click here

As the media berate Seánie Fitz government TD's nod their approval and shake their heads pretending to share our disbelief as the country is saddled with crucifying debt.

Don't let them try to hoodwink you into believing their blameless version of events. As if he was talking about opportunities to defeat the cheating bankers Keane laments Ireland's opportunities against the opposition at Croke Park:

Ireland had the chances and they never took them. They stood off the French - usual stuff. Afraid of that next step. Mentally not strong enough.

The government stood off the bankers. We need strong leaders untainted by the stupidity of the last decade that will be undeterred by devious vested interests - the type of leader who won't be afraid to put their "head on it" when they see a dangerous incoming ball.

But for now we have to focus, not on those chancers who broke the rules but on our weak defence and why those in power, representing their country, didn't do their job or even worse maybe they were playing for the other team all along.

See the penalty awarded to Ireland V Georgia here

The ball bounced in the six yard box