Domenech bemused by Henry handball outcry

France coach Raymond Domenech has defended Thierry Henry against accusations of cheating and claimed he cannot understand why the striker and his team-mates have been so vilified in the wake of their controversial World Cup qualification.

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Thierry Henry sits alongside Richard Dunne after helping France beat Ireland

• Paper Round: Replay not the answer
• Palmer: Deep gloom engulfs Ireland
• FAI request France replay
• Maher: Ireland hard done by
• Keane blasts FIFA and UEFA
• Henry admits handball

The FAI demanded a replay and registered an official complaint to FIFA on Thursday, with the country still smarting from Thierry Henry's blatant handball that resulted in a 2-1 aggregate defeat for Ireland, who had performed admirably in Paris.

The French Football Federation (FFF) have also been contacted while Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen even discussed the subject with French President Nicolas Sarkozy at a meeting in Brussels.

But while Henry continues to be the subject of intense scrutiny and sympathy grows for Ireland, Domenech is adamant that his team have nothing to apologise for, and neither does the striker.

"Everyone who loves the French team is pleased with this qualification," Domenech told L'Express.fr. "I too am pleased although it is tinged with a little bitterness due to a poor performance from my team, the referee and also the media reaction. I do not understand why we are being portrayed as the guilty party.

"I didn't see it (the handball) at the time. After I watched it back, I can see it is a mistake by the referee. To me this is the game and not cheating. I do not understand why we are being asked to apologise.''

An unnamed official at the FFF has firmly ruled out the possibility that France will agree to replay the fixture that resulted in their qualification for the World Cup finals.

"Look, we feel sad for the Irish," the official told the Times. "It was a really tough, important game. But s*** happens. It was a refereeing mistake just like others in the match and others in qualifying games. We are not discussing a replay.

"We understand there is a lot of upset in Ireland and England about this. Fair play started in England, but not even the English would take it so far as to replay."

Henry's impressive reputation in the game appears to have been substantially damaged by his behaviour but while critics in the press have been quick to attack him, his fellow players and Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni have been reluctant to condemn the striker too strongly, choosing instead to focus on referee Martin Hansson.

England midfielder David Beckham is the latest player to join the debate and has defended Henry against accusations that he is a cheat. Furthermore, Beckham has hinted that many players would commit the same crime.

"I honestly didn't think Thierry meant it. I know him as a player and a person. He's a good person and a great player," Beckham told Sky Sports News. "It's a shame to see Ireland go out because they have such great fans but these things happen in football.

"I really don't think he meant it. I've had a few headlines in the past which have not been nice but I don't think he is a cheat."

Asked whether he would have done the same thing in a similar situation, Beckham added: "Who knows in that situation? You're playing in a qualifier to go through to the World Cup, you don't know what you're doing. I've been involved in big games and reacted to certain things and looked back and thought I was wrong to do that."

The debate has also been raging in France where a leading government official has backed Ireland's call for a replay.

"I am obviously very happy that the team is in the World Cup but I think it's very sad to have qualified on this, well, on this cheating," Economy Minister Christine Lagarde told France's RTL radio. "And I think that FIFA would do well to look at the rules because I think it would be good, in such circumstances, to decide maybe to replay the match."

Meanwhile, Sunderland chairman and former Republic of Ireland striker Niall Quinn described the goal as "the biggest injustice I have ever seen in sport''.

He told the club's website: "I was at the first leg and it was disappointing because France were lucky on the night. We hoped it would be us who got the breaks in France but it wasn't to be.

"People talk about Maradona's Hand of God goal but I'd say that [Henry's goal] was the biggest injustice I've ever seen in sport. Maybe I feel it more because I'm Irish.

"All that I believe in and all that I love about sport was shattered when I saw something like that. It's possibly the lowest I've felt at any sporting moment in my life.''

• Does Thierry Henry still deserve his place at the top of the Castrol Rankings following his controversial handball? Join the debate.