I know what you’re thinking, ‘not another blog on Thierry Henry’s handball,’ but the reality is, even as club football returns this weekend, it’s the biggest topic in football at the minute.

I’m a traditionalist as far as football goes. I accept that players get sent off when they shouldn’t. That they get flagged offside when they shouldn’t. That goals stand when the definitely shouldn’t. I’ve never been advocate of technology to be introduced to the game and I found the recent experiment of extra officials arbitrating the penalty area absurd. Until now of course.

William Gallas’ controversial goal in extra time of the Republic of Ireland’s 1-1 draw with France, assisted by left hand of Henry, proved the difference between the sides over two legs as probably the most undeserved team to book their place in the world cup hijacked Ireland’s plane to South Africa.

Swedish referee Martin Hansson and his assistants should not have needed extra help to spot two blatant handballs in quick succession, not to mention the fact that Henry began the move in an offside position – something which has been overlooked such was the transparency of the more significant foul, but the Irish could really have used an extra pair of eyes in Paris on Wednesday night.

And so the debate reopens. Do we need technology or extra officials in football? Well, if we are ever to have an entirely just sport, then yes is the answer. But the prospect of technology brings with it a host of complications which could change the entire format of the beautiful game.

For instance, if video replays for referees were to be introduced, the clock system may have to change with it. Should a referee face a high number of big decisions in a single game, with stoppages being added at the end of the ninety, action-packed games could end up running up to 99 minutes long, and somewhere closer to 110 in Old Trafford.

That could prompt an American style stop-start system in which the clock would stop every time the ball goes out of play, and restart along with play, with games ending at 90 minutes on the dot. It is a format which would see an end to the nail-biting entertainment that is stoppage time, and let’s be honest, no-one wants to more like the Yanks.

Having already been experimented with in the Europa League this season, the prospect of using extra officials for goalmouth scraps at the highest level is much more feasible. The trial involves a team of six officials, the standard four plus an extra body behind each set of goals for clarification of those vital decisions which the referee is so often obstructed for.

The trial has brought mixed reaction from club managers after a lack of success in its early stages, but given time it may save the game from becoming riddled with corruption and going against everything the word “sport” stands for.

I’m not about to preach and say had extra officials been used in the playoffs Ireland would be going to the world cup, because that is not for definite. They surely would have spotted Henry’s Maradona-esque act and disallowed the goal, but the game may not even have reached that point as Patrice Evra’s legitimate penalty appeals in Croke Park may have been given the go-ahead.

However, nothing could have been as blatant as Henry’s double handball which has seen a very poor French side, second best for the large part of both legs, head for South Africa while the Republic must spend at least another four years in the World Cup wilderness.

Henry he had the chance to live up to his gentleman and role modal reputation by coming clean immediately after Gallas had prodded the ball into Shay Given’s net.

Instead, he smugly admitted to it at full time, in stereotypically French fashion – with an air of arrogance as though he was admirable for his admission – 20 minutes too late. Not the actions of a role model and this modern great will no doubt have gone down in many a football fan’s estimations.