Coventry City striker Leon Best has crossed Thierry Henry off his list of heroes after last week's hotly controversial hand-ball by the Frenchman led to the goal that robbed Best and his Republic of Ireland colleagues of a potential place at next year's World Cup finals in South Africa.

Best was watching from the Ireland substitutes' bench as Barcelona's former Arsenal star Henry clearly handled the ball before crossing for William Gallas to score the extra time goal that gave France an aggregate 2-1 victory over the Republic in their two-leg World Cup qualifying play-off tie.

"Thierry was definitely a hero of mine, in fact I got his shirt from the first leg," said the 23 year-old striker as he ruefully reflected on what might have been. "He's somebody I've always looked up to," added Best. "He's a massive player and he knows what he should have done straight away.

"I thought straight away something was wrong and our players went mad before the ball even went in. It was a horrible feeling. It was dodgy and the fourth official should have seen it, especially when it was so blatant on the replays. I couldn't believe it - you can't just turn a blind eye on it.

"I don't think the football world is happy that France went through. I'd rather they had beaten us 3-0 with three good goals. We played well, took it to them, and to go out on a handball is not a good feeling. It was a dream to play in the World Cup, and to not be able to do so over something so controversial is difficult to take."

What was also difficult for Best to take, between the international game and Coventry's Coca-Cola Championship meeting with Crystal Palace on Saturday, was the continual TV re-runs of the now infamous incident as the debate went on as to whether or not the play-off tie should be replayed.

"I tried to block it out and not watch the TV," said Best, "but even when I'm walking in the streets people are asking me about it and it's hard. Everybody has an opinion, but it hurts a bit more because I was there and I saw it. I was so disappointed, and I'm devastated that we didn't get through."

The possibility of replaying the tie has been ruled out by FIFA and so Best's World Cup hopes, at least until 2014, are ended. Instead he must concentrate on helping keep Coventry in the Championship after Saturday's 1-1 draw with Palace left them 18th in the table after taking just three points from the last 21 available.

Best's equaliser at least meant the Sky Blues avoided a fifth defeat in six matches. "I've got eight goals for the season now," he said, "and I'm just happy to keep plugging away and prove I can keep scoring. I need to keep scoring to help the team get back to winning matches and moving up the table."

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