Richard Dunne reflects on infamous Henry handball, addresses own goal/red card records and talks about rise of Evan Ferguson
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In the fourth and final part of a Ladbrokes: Fanzone interview, former Manchester City defender Richard Dunne discussed that infamous Thierry Henry handball against the Republic of Ireland in 2009, his own goal/red card record and the rise of Evan Ferguson.
Henry sat down after World Cup Qualifier and told me he handled the ball…I’ve no idea what he wanted from that exchange!
I honestly don’t think about that night at all, but I get asked about it too often. I live in France, as well, so when I come across new people it’s always “oh, you, you played in that match!” I feel like I’ve said it a million times, and everyone knows the story inside out. It’s something that unfortunately happened to us, but it’s something I’d have done myself, so I can’t really have too many complaints. It is what it is. It’s never going to change. The video is always going to be there.
Thierry [Henry] came and sat down beside me on the pitch – there’s a photograph of both of us sat down on the pitch after the match, and that’s why everyone asks what he said to me. He just said “look, I handled it.”
I’ve no idea what he wanted from me from that exchange. What’s the point in coming and sitting next to me to tell me that? I’ve no idea. It doesn’t change anything. Whatever. It’s one of those things, something that happened in the heat of the moment, with so much at stake. Nobody is thinking straight at that stage of the game, so if you can do something to help your team get to the World Cup, then great. If, then afterwards, you sit down and admit to what you’ve done, thinking it’ll make them feel better, then fair play to you. He’s done something every player would have done. If you’ve got a chance to take any advantage you can, you will. I’d have done the exact same thing.
ON THIS DAY 2009: Thierry Henry handball helped France to the World Cup knocking Republic Of Ireland out at the same time #ROI pic.twitter.com/99DS9J2emp
— FootballAwaydays (@Awaydays23) November 18, 2020
It was just a room full of disappointment, immediately after that game. The feeling is disappointment. You’ve missed an opportunity to take your country to a World Cup. It’s very easy to sit there and go ‘oh well it’s all because of that moment’ [Henry’s handball]. But there were loads of other contributing factors as to why we didn’t qualify. The game was played over two legs, and we didn’t perform well in Dublin.
We didn’t qualify for the World Cup because we didn’t deserve to, not because Thierry Henry handled the ball. Over the two games, we didn’t deserve it. We played really well in France, but no so well in Dublin. And so, for us, you just think if we could have gone and beaten them at home, then maybe it was a different scenario altogether. So, with that in mind, all you’re thinking about in that dressing room is your own professional disappointment. It’s a shame, of course, and we gave everything – but it just wasn’t enough.
The excuse is that Henry handled the ball. It’s a fact that he did do it and the result changes because of that. But there’s a million different other things that happened over the two legs which we could have changed.
A lot of clubs will be trying to sign Evan Ferguson this summer
Evan [Ferguson] is a very good player. I was out coaching with the Irish Under-16s a few years back and he was in the squad. Even then, you were just looking at his physique, and his style of play, and he was just so talented, and ahead of his time. I played with his dad, Barry, at Home Farm, and have been friends with him ever since, and so I’ve always known that his son was a very good footballer. As time’s gone by he’s just gone from strength to strength.
I think that what he’s done this season is just incredible. The way that Brighton have dealt with him, too, has been brilliant. They’ve given him games, taken him out at times, put him back in…it’s been perfect for his development. The times he’s had with the national side already will only improve him as a player and as a person.
A lot of clubs will be trying to get him away from Brighton this summer, but I’d be very surprised if he moved. He’s an intelligent boy, and I think he knows he’s still got a lot to learn about the game. He’s getting so many opportunities with Brighton, and of course, they’ll be playing European football next season, so I imagine he’s more than happy where he is, for now.
Ireland have built a side over a few years which has left me, and other supporters, wondering where exactly we’re going. There hasn’t been anything at the end of what we’re doing at the moment. Evan Ferguson can be the final piece of that puzzle. He needs more supply, he needs better players linking up with him, but for Ireland, he’s the great hope. He’s also still just 18 years old, though, so he’s got a lot to learn and a long way to go.
Someone’s going to break my unwanted Premier League records soon
I feel like those two records of mine – most own goals and joint-most red cards in the Premier League – are going to be broken at some point, surely. The own goals one feels likely, because quite a bit has changed within the game nowadays, and so there’ll be deflections which will count as own goals now.
But I hold those records because I played over 430 games in the Premier League, and not for a team that was ever challenging for titles, but teams defending for the majority of games, so of course I’m going to be there or thereabouts. While it’s not great, it is what it is.
Someone’s got to hold these records, whether they’re good or bad. But it’s not something I think about at all. I don’t wake up and think ‘s*** I did that’, you just move on.
I honestly never knew how many red cards I had or how many own goals I scored. It just never interested me whatsoever. As soon as you start thinking about it, it begins to take over your game, and you can’t be playing in the Premier League as a defender, scared to make a mistake through fear of breaking a record or whatever. You just can’t let it consume you because you’ll be thinking about it every time you block a shot or intercept a pass. I never, ever knew until I hit those records that I was anywhere near them. I literally don’t care about setting those records. They’re just a consequence of doing the right thing, and the more you play, the likelihood is you’re going to do the wrong thing at times.
I don’t remember a lot of my red cards, but the one I think was the most clear and obvious came against Middlesbrough on that final day of the season when we [Manchester City] lost 8-1. I got sent off inside 15 minutes when Tuncay got in behind me and I’ve just made a professional foul, clipping his ankle just to stop him for going through and getting a chance to score. But, as I said, I don’t look back at the games in which I’ve done well, so why would I look back on the bad games? I don’t really look back at my career at all, to be honest.
I’m putting no pressure on my son, but he is a really good player
Tayo is very young, still. He’s 14, so he’s one of the youngest in the international set-up. The one thing which excited me when I looked at the Irish Under-15 squad was how talented it is. It was unbelievably good, and what I can say is that the whole academy set-up has progressed so much in recent years. There are some really talented players coming through.
When it comes to my own son, it’s just a case of keep working hard, keep learning in training, things like that. If it happens, great, if it doesn’t, well then you’ve enjoyed the journey of trying to get there. There’s absolutely no pressure on him from me to make it as a superstar. I just want him to enjoy whatever it is he’s doing and try his best.
There are so many kids that want to grow up and become footballers, and there are so many that just miss out. For it to happen, you have to work hard. You have to do things when people aren’t watching, you’ve got to put extra shifts in, all the time. I know how hard it is to become a footballer, so I wouldn’t put pressure on anyone to think they can go on and make it – I certainly wouldn’t for my own son.
He’s not far off the age I was when I moved from Ireland over to England to sign for Everton. It’s hard to think about that happening with him, to be honest. With my daughter, she moved out when she was 16 and went off to study at college and that was difficult to take, so to think about the other one leaving at 16 and all of a sudden we’re home alone here, it’s hard to think about! But it’s a dream for him, and so if the opportunity came, I’d be so happy for him, and delighted he can go on and prove himself.
I don’t want to compare him to anyone, but I will say he’s a massive Man City fan. He’s a midfielder and he loves Man City, so obviously he loves Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, those guys…he’s not like either of them in particular, but he’s a really good player. It’s very hard to talk too much about your own son and what he might go on to achieve in the game in the future, because he’s just 14. He’s out in the garden whenever he’s got a spare minute, kicking the ball around, because that’s what he loves doing. It’s brilliant to see him doing that kind of thing, but above everything else, as I said, he’s still so young, so the most important thing for me as a dad is that he enjoys his childhood too.
