Ireland Is Not Done Fighting For It's Spot In The World Cup

Those pesky Irish just will not go away. After being denied a re-match with the French, the Irish have resorted to requesting that Sepp Blatter and FIFA just let them in the World Cup as a 33rd team. Somehow, I think this request will fall on even more deaf ears than the rematch did. Via the Associated Press

FIFA president Sepp Blatter says that the Irish have written to soccer's world governing body asking to be let into the 2010 tournament in South Africa because of Henry's handball.

Henry handled the ball before setting up William Gallas for the tying goal Nov. 18 that put France into the World Cup at the expense of Ireland.

FIFA has already rejected a call by the Irish for a replay.

Blatter told a conference in Johannesburg that the Irish asked: ``Can we be team No. 33 at the World Cup?''

FIFA will discuss the request at a meeting of its executive committee Wednesday.

While I am in sympathy of the Irish cause, I am shocked that FIFA would even want to further discuss a request, seeing as the obvious thought is what on earth kind of precedent would this set? That if you get a bad call in the World Cup qualifying and if you complain enough, you too can be a World Cup team?

They may entertain the thought, but I would be dropped dead shocked if they bring it up and 5-minutes later they burst out in laughter at such a notion. How on earth would a 33-team World Cup work to begin with? I mean if Chile ended up being pulled out then I can sort of see how you could give that spot to Ireland and everything would be hunky dorry (although I'm sure Costa Rica and Ecuador would have a beef or 2 with that). But for FIFA to throw the rule book right out the window, put Ireland in the World Cup, and make this a 33-team tournament would create more problems and perhaps even bigger problems than just a missed offsides and a missed handball that led to a World Cup clinching goal.