Birmingham manager Alex McLeish has called for the additional officials being experimented with in the Europa League this season to be used in other competitions.

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish has called for the additional officials being experimented with in the Europa League this season to be used in other competitions.

McLeish saw his side denied a possible win against Liverpool at Anfield 10 days ago after a disputed penalty was awarded following an alleged dive by Liverpool's David Ngog.

Then last night McLeish witnessed the crucial handball by France's Thierry Henry against the Republic of Ireland in the World Cup qualifier in Paris which resulted in William Gallas' goal which put the hosts through to South Africa.

The former Scotland boss believes both incidents would have been spotted with the extra officials in use.

McLeish said: "The ref never saw it (the Henry handball) so it is one of those things that happens in football but I think it increases the demand for technology - and even the experiment they are using in the Europa League with the fifth official.

"He would have seen that (handball) given that the referee's assistant on the far side didn't really have a view of it and the referee was unsighted.

"It was a little bit like the incident at Liverpool when we lost the penalty. The referee is unsighted and gave what he thought was a penalty but he couldn't be 100% sure.

"But when 40,000 Anfield fans scream for it then he says 'it must be'. A fifth official would have spotted that was a dive (by Ngog)."

However, McLeish believes it is unfair to brand former Arsenal player Henry a cheat."

He said: "I would never say Thierry Henry was a cheat. He has been a fantastic ambassador for football.

"It looked instinctive. It hit his arm and then it looked as if he cupped the ball before it went out of play but it is a split- second reaction by a human being.

"I wouldn't say Henry is a cheat but it has been missed and it has cost Ireland a possible place in the World Cup finals."

McLeish added: "Would I have liked to have gone to the World Cup finals via a goal like that? I think if you asked all your team-mates, everyone to a man would say 'absolutely.'"

John Collins, a former team-mate of Henry at Monaco, revealed he did not think Henry should be pilloried.

Collins said: "If you ask any striker in the world, playing on any park in the world, if he would have done what Thierry Henry did, they would say yes. It's a natural instinct.

"I'm not condoning it and I'm not saying it was right. But it's a natural instinct for a football player in and around the box, especially a striker. You don't play football with your hands in your pockets.

"I felt ever so sorry for the Irish, of course, and in the end it cost them the game. I know Thierry, I know him very well and I played with him. I wouldn't call him dishonest. I would call him honest.

"In that one instance, his hand did move towards the ball. But it wasn't thought, it was instinct. Human instinct."

Collins also praised Henry for his honesty.

He added: "He came up afterwards and said he did it. But in the heat of the moment, when the adrenalin is pumping through your body and 80,000 of your countrymen are celebrating, the first instinct is to go and celebrate with your team-mates.

"It's not to say 'sorry, it was a free-kick'. Video technology would have sorted it out so the quicker we get that, the better."

mfl

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce does not expect France to follow the example of Arsenal who once agreed to replay an FA Cup fifth-round tie against Sheffield United in 1999.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger felt his team had been unsporting by breaking up field to score from a throw-in after a United player had put the ball out due to a team-mate's injury. Arsenal won the replayed game.

Bruce, who was in charge of the Blades at the time, remains impressed by the gesture but cannot see anything similar occurring over the Henry incident.

Bruce said: "I'm as gutted as anyone else. It is going to be the big talking point for weeks and months and years.

"Surely it is time now for technology to come into it.

"I can sympathise with the referee - even the television didn't pick it up until the replay - but it was obvious from the reaction of the Irish something untoward had happened.

"It took 15 seconds on the TV to establish it was blatant handball - and he didn't handball it once, but twice.

"It might be human error but we can change that with the technology we have got. That has got to be the way forward.

"I don't personally think it will be replayed.

"If the French FA come out and offer to do it, I will be absolutely staggered.

"It's not like when Arsenal offered us one. Handball happens, it has happened for years."

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Former Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy has called for the use of technology and claimed "football is the real loser."

McCarthy, who skippered Ireland in the 1990 World Cup and guided them to the 2002 finals as manager, said: "It is a hollow win for France.

"The biggest loser here for me is football and the need for technology is a must.

"With a TV replay in Paris there could have been a real winner.

"Until someone brings in goalline technology and replays we will have to take it on the chin.

"I have got loads of thoughts on the incident and the aftermath but at the end of the day I think there are more influential people than me who can sway things.

"A lot of games this season have hinged on one decision. But it is the magnitude of this game - getting to the World Cup finals."

McCarthy can understand why the Irish FA want the game to be replayed but he cannot see that happening.

He added: "They will be feeling very sore as they were cheated out of it. But it isn't going to happen.

"Sometimes you make the point the best way you can through the right and proper channels."