Fabien Barthez - Israel thanks you....

Fabien, we owe you our thanks for coming. Had you followed up on your threat not to join the French team in Ramat Gan this evening for dubious, ill informed reasons, your replacement would most certainly have been taller than your below average stature. A taller keeper would have been better equipped to deal with Casey's cross rather than flapping at it as you did, knocking it to a grateful Walid Badir to head into an empty net.

So thank you - you obnoxious, Manchester United reject (they unceremoniously dumped you, no matter what your "official site" says) - on condition that you continue to gift us goals (and given your patchy history I'm sure you will), you are welcome in Israel any time.

Another great and unepected result - who would have thought that after 6 games Israel would be undefeated and level on points with France at the top of Group 4? The top team goes through automatically - second place will probably face a play off. Far too early to get too excited but certainly Israel have been encouraging, not giving away silly goals by losing concentration as they used to frequently do. They are in an excellent position and two good results could earn them a place on the biggest footballing stage in the world in 2006. Whatever happens, they will be able to hold their heads high, knowing that they have been the equals of the much fancied French not just once, but twice.

Go Israel!!!!

Gilly