The Republic's Handbook of Heartbreak - Brown Envelopes, Larsson and the Linesman of No Spine.

I wonder when one Martin Hansson, a Swedish native from the small village of Holnsjo, walked out onto the lush grass of the Swedbank Stadion last Wednesday to officiate a match between Shamrock Rovers and Malmo FF, wonder what to expect. Not from the cut and trust of a friendly between a Swedish Premier Division who’d once reached a European Cup final, against an Irish club who have finally broke from the shackles of European club qualification campaigns to finally qualify for a major club tournament on the continent, but from a tiny pocket of fans in Green & White who will remember his name as long as any of his relatives ever will, but with less warmth.

The 40 year old official’s actions on the night of 18^th of November 2009 in Stade De France will indelibly be linked with hurt, heartache and of course a handball.

But time seems to have been kind to Hansson. The next summer the Swede went to the World Cup, as we watched Nemesis – the goddess of divine retribution in Greek Mythology extract revenge for a nation, gleefully glued to the unfolding drama of a French side at odds with themselves, their manager and dumped out of the football’s biggest global spectacle by our new allies Mexico- who even wore green for us. He continued officiating high profile Champions League fixtures and as time passed by I’m sure the Swede (but more importantly his spineless linesman on that faithful night) thought the loveable Irish will pass it off as another ‘close but no cigar moment’ whilst lamenting about it over a cup of tea.

Forgiving nation we may be (I mean were where stupid enough to re-elect Bertie and his cronies several times...only to replace them with new ones) but forget?

I had the pleasure of Eoin Hand launching Just Follow the Floodlights in my home town of Waterford last month. There was never any question in my mind that the Dubliner who made his name in England with Portsmouth before returning here to successfully double job with Limerick & the Republic, was my first and only choice.

You see I needed closure from 30 years of hurt. Hurt that had been deep routed as an 11 year old who cried himself to sleep on the night of the 25^th March 1981 when I watched Hand’s Republic of Ireland side that included the talents of Brady, Stapleton, Lawrenson, Robinson and McDonagh cheated out of a scoreless draw against Belgium in the 1982 World Cup Qualification Group 2.

And cheat is a word never more apt.

Portuguese referee, Fernando Nazarre was about to write an unwanted chapter into the handbook of heartache that seemed to befall us in the days of moral victories and brown envelopes on the continent.

Under pressure but holding their own in the Heysel Stadium that night, a faithful moment one minute before half-time would cause as much controversy to Irish fans of a certain age, then that of Henry’s handball.

Liam Brady’s perfectly flighted free-kick was met by a solid Frank Stapleton header that beat Michel Preud’Homme in the Belgian goal. The linesman kept his flag down – but, with a Belgian defender lying on the ground in the six yard box, the referee charged up to the box and indicated a free-out. No Irish player went near or even close to the Belgian defender.

“You kind of feared the worst after that” Eoin said at my launch.

Still however, Hand’s warriors in Green (Seamus McDonagh being exceptional on the night) held in there...until another shocking decision from Nazarre finished us off.

The Portuguese official awarded Belgium a free-kick in the 87th minute following a dive by Eric Gerets..a clear blatant dive. The free-kick was whipped in, hit the crossbar, and Jan Ceulemans headed home past McDonagh for the winner.

We lost out on World Cup Qualification to France on goal difference..

That point would have ensured we qualified for the first time in our proud history for the World Cup and ironically would have been playing England in our opening game in Spain.

Tea and lament yet again.

Nazarre went home, probably with an envelope wedged in his back pocket and forever to be held in infamy by our nation of football followers.

If he didn’t get paid, he should have been banned from officiating such was his naivety and stupidity.

As Hansson shook hands with the teams in Wednesday’s 2-0 Malmo victory I wonder did he feel a sense of relief at the luck (which had so blatantly deserted us for years) that seems to have been paid back in spades to Trap’s men, has made us forgive, forget and look at him now as somebody who isn’t all that bad considering we’ve qualified for Euro 2012.

Make your own mind up..mine is...

(above pic; Eoin Hand berates Nazarre at the final whistle in Brussels)

Also that goal - first video only)