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By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
July 3 – Sepp Blatter has apologised privately to the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) for the way in which he handled the controversy over Thierry Henry’ handball that knocked them out of the World Cup.
But John Delaney, the chief executive of the FAI, admitted that despite further high-profile incidents during the tournament in South Africa he does not expect Blatter to back down over calls for the introduction of technology that have intensified since Frank Lampard’s shot over the line was not given in England’s match against Germany earlier this week.
Delaney said: ”I think November shook him [Blatter], he wasn’t seen for a while.
“He subsequently apologised publicly as to how he behaved and subsequently apologised privately.
“But apologies are fine, it’s easy to say sorry to Mexico, it’s easy to say sorry to England and I think he knows there is pressure being brought to bear from people who want to reform the game.
“Ultimately he’s President, but what actions will follow?
“That’s what I want to see but I’ll be surprised if there are changes.
“The International Football Association Board looked at goal line technology for two years, the system they have in tennis, and one day they decided, ‘No we’re not gong to have that’.”
Delaney revealed that during his meeting with Blatter he compared the Henry incident - when he controlled the ball with his arm twice during France’s World Cup playoff match against Ireland last November and set-up William Gallas for the winning goal – to other high-profile carriages of misjudgement.
Delaney said: ”I’m not going to go into details on a private meeting.
“He spoke about [Diego] Maradona in 1986 and the French player [Patrick Battison] and [Harald] Schumacher [in 1982], he spoke about those.
“I just said to him, ‘When is it going to stop?'”
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