Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given has slammed FIFA president Sepp Blatter's handling of the Republic of Ireland's World Cup failure.

Given admits Thierry Henry's hand-ball in the lead-up to William Gallas' goal still burns.

He told the Daily Mail: "Had the tables been turned and it'd happened to France I'd love to have seen the outcome. That's an interesting question to ask with Michel Platini being the head of UEFA and Sepp Blatter up there. You'd love to know the outcome then, eh?"

Given is as unimpressed by Blatter as he is by Swedish referee Martin Hansson. The Donegal man is a phlegmatic character but this is a situation you feel he will never be able to relax about.

"I still feel angry about the whole thing,' he said. 'All the stuff from FIFA and Sepp Blatter - just rubbish. A couple of days ago Blatter said he'd spoken to Henry and how it wasn't his fault, it was the referee's. A couple of days on and FIFA say they're going to look into Henry.

"Blatter didn't have the decency to ring up our captain, Robbie Keane, and say, 'I'm really sorry'. Blatter's saying, 'Oh, I've just spoken to Thierry and it's all OK'. All the Irish players are sitting thinking, 'Oh, well done, brilliant. Just rub more salt in the wound, why don't you?'

"I can't get over it, I've had so many sleepless nights just thinking about it. And they show it on TV 20 times a day so it's hard to forget. I know we've to move on but then we'll get it again next year when the World Cup's on. It just beggars belief.

"The officials have said since it wasn't their fault. What can you say? It's all a load of b*******. And all that rabbiting on from Blatter? That's b******* as well.

"It's hard to explain, even now to you. My sister says she's not slept. Everyone is really hurt by it all. They say it's only a game of football but it's more than that with something like this."