Technology in football (warning: long post)

What we need is to use technology in ways which improve the game. So we don?t want to slow it down: it?s a fast game, and there aren?t the natural breaks which eg cricket provides (the long pauses between deliveries make cricket ideal for TV reviews). It has to be kept moving. But we do want to try to use what?s available if we can do so without spoiling the game. So here are four ideas as to how we could do that.

Number one ? let?s have post-match video review to detect cheating. Either team will have the right to cite opposing players within (say) 24 hours of the match ending, saying which player(s) they are complaining about and for what. Offences you could complain about would include off the ball violence which went undetected, or simulation. Video evidence would then be reviewed by a panel. If the complaint is upheld, offenders will receive appropriate sanction, including retrospective yellows or reds.

If I could pick one reform this is the one I would like to see most, because I think that of all the evils which beset the game, simulation is the greatest. (You could pick a thousand examples but here?s one which really annoyed me ? Henry pretending he got elbowed in the face when the only contact had been with his chest User Posted Link ). The reform would not affect the results of games ? so if a player had dived for a penalty, or had faked being hit in the face with the result that an opponent had got sent off, then the review wouldn?t be able to change that. But it would deter cheating, especially if the penalties were made quite high (3 game bans or whatever).

Number two ? dealing with offside or handball appeals when a goal has been scored. I think we need a really radical reform here, and that where either (a) the defending team is appealing for offside or handball after a goal has been scored, or (b) a goal which has been scored is going to be disallowed for offside, the ref should ask a fourth official if there is any reason why he should NOT award a goal. This wouldn?t really hold the game up ? after all, you have to wait for a restart anyway. No-one plays on after the ball goes in ? the ball is dead, and one team celebrates while the other surrounds the ref or runs towards the lino telling him he?s blind. So the review exercise isn?t causing a hold up in play (and time could be halted while the review takes place). Then the fourth official looks at the replays, with (for offside decisions) that clever white line, and says whether the goal should be awarded or not, benefit of the doubt going to the scoring team.

Number three ? dealing with claims that the ball has crossed the goal-line. This is a little harder because if the ball did NOT cross the line then it?s still live and the ref has to keep he game moving. I think what should happen here is that if one team appeals for a goal, the ref should wave play on but should also ask the fourth official if he SHOULD award a goal. Play continues while the fourth official reviews the evidence. If he can?t tell, or if he can clearly see that the ball did not cross the line, then play just carries on: play has not been affected by the review. But if the review shows that the ball DID cross the line, then the ref halts play, calls them back to the moment it was scored, and awards a goal. It?s a bit like playing an advantage and then calling them back. There's no prejudice to the other team, because the evidence shows that they should not have been allowed to play on in the first palce.

Number four ? dealing with claims for whether it?s a goal kick or a corner. Where this is disputed there should be a review by the fourth official. I don?t see any problem with this ? the ball has gone dead anyway, so there?s no (or no material) hold up in play. I?m not sure whether this should apply to a disputed throw in ? taking a quick throw can be a real advantage.

So those are my ideas. I can?t see any real way to use technology to deal with a wrong offside decision where no goal was scored ? ie where the striker times his run perfectly and is about to go through for a one on one, but the whistle goes for offside and everyone stops, then the replays show he was onside after all. The only way to deal with this would be to make all offside decisions ?provisional? and I don?t think that works for the flow of the game.

Posted By: Old Git on June 30th 2010 at 11:21:58

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