It's time to talk about how to take the game forward.
Football is sport which is being rapidly globalized, the development of the game in the past three decades has been overwhelming.
Football's viewer-base extends from Japan to Jamaica and the game has become more than 'just a few men kicking the ball around'.
While it was a positive decision by the FA to move from five substitutes to seven, providing the manager with more options to choose from depending on the current situation of the game—one wonders whether goal-line technology being introduced would be a good decision or not?
One's first impression of goal-line technology is 'Finally!'
A recent Championship game featuring Reading and Watford covered by Shyam Parthasarathi for Bleacher Report revealed
'The Worst Refereeing Blunder Of All Time'If your memory allows you to trace back, Manchester United played Tottenham Hotspur, a few seasons ago.
A Pedro Mendes volley was controversially disallowed while replays showed Roy Carroll only pulled the ball back after it had crossed the goal-line.
Hawk-Eye Technology has recently been introduced in cricket and tennis, does football require something similar?
Perhaps the introduction of goal-line technology would be beneficial to football, but is there a certain element of the game which could suffer?
The 'originality' of the game would have to go under the scanner—which might not necessarily have a negative impact on the game.
An even worse effect would be the treatment that the referees would face.
Perhaps, the referees would lose the little respect that players and managers have for them. This would mean the referees would be degraded.
After considering both sides of the argument in some confusion, I'd like to leave it open...
I'd like to get your views on whether you are for or against this development.
NOTE : DON'T FORGET TO RATE OR VOTE ON THE ARTICLE.
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3 months ago
I get your point about how Referee will lose importance but there are alot of costly mistakes being made so I'm for it. Good idea for an article.
from 3 months ago
Thanks Warren. That's definetly a reason. Refs like Mike Riley and Rob Style are already under the hammer.
3 months ago
Technologies should be introduced and refs should be given the charge to call the technology into play...say three challenges for each team against the refs decision!
Why would ref lose importance? Infact it would be an additional pressure on them to perform better and more responsibly...Players cant bully them into decision making any more...It gives additional power to ref in a way that he can stand up to the players and maintain more control over the game...They will have to up their standards to make minimal errors...Players will have to be extra careful while demanding unfair challenges which could lead to misconduct and a yellow card even as for diving! Refs will gain importance in my view...
Or am I misreading the situation completely here?
from 3 months ago
You're looking at a new dimension Dev, that's more like Cricket - where the players could question an LBW situation...Although, you're perspective gives the Refs some real power, it would be hard to pull it off and have 90 minutes of intense football at the same time.
Thanks for the response!
3 months ago
I'm all for it. They have brought in technology to Rugby Union quite successfully so why not soccer.
3 months ago
If they could get it to be as accurate as Hawk-Eye (the tennis 'computer referee'), then yes, it'll be a good thing. But I don't know whether Hawk-Eye's technology scales or not.
3 months ago
I'm with Arsene Wenger as far as this issue is concerned..
Give each manager 2 challenges - let the managers choose what they want to challenge, and the decision can be reversed or reinforced.. I feel that a lack of quality referees is the main reason for all this outcry - and as long as football is played in the right spirit - I don't care whether the referees have all the control or 90% of it.. I don't think that they should be making wrong decisions and not be challenged.. that is crazy.
3 months ago
the goal at watford earlier this season was a shocker! that was the time i would have inroduced it there and then!
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