Reopening goal line technology "debate" in July.

Finally giving in?

I have a feeling the tide has turned on this issue, and with respected football people like Hiddink saying he's got to either review this or resign, then I guess he has little choice. I don't mind the other stuff but honestly I decided the moment Luis Garcia's goal didn't go in that goal-line technology was needed. I don't care about the offsides or the penalties lets face it I still need excuses for when we lose, but when the technology that could make the goal/no goal decision within seconds is available it's just silly not to implement it.

As far as I'm concerned Blatter and his cronies excuses of 'it won't be the same at all levels' and 'if we introduce it for one thing how can we not extend it to everything', are ridiculous arguments that hide the fact they are just opposed to the idea for sentimental reasons.

There isn't a video referee for Under 6's Rugby or Hawkeye on the outside courts at Grand Slam tennis events but I haven't seen anybody whinging about the lack of consistency there. If a league can't install it then so be it, but the leagues who can pay for it should have it and it definitely should be there for the Champions League and the World Cup.

Edited June 29, 201014 yr by Spiller86

Ive never understood this argument against video evidence as an avid RL fan. It works really well in other sports so why not football. The argument that it would stop the game too often is one that makes no sense to me, the game doesnt need to stop. A video ref could quickly look at any decision and tell the ref to stop the game if needed.

Some people are against it because they think that the game football should be as 'natural' as possible, they think that if we should have cameras for goals then why not use it to spot divers and wrong offside decisions - therefor the delay it would cause to the game. All bollocks if you ask me.

Obviously it will only be used to see goals like Maloudas last year's FA Cup Final goal vs Everton that was not given, and Lampards recent goal that should of been given!

It's time to give those cameras a shot, afterall we are in the 21st century. Wake up Blatter.

I thought FIFA had already fixed this problem and banned replays from being shown at the stadium?

Ive never understood this argument against video evidence as an avid RL fan. It works really well in other sports so why not football. The argument that it would stop the game too often is one that makes no sense to me, the game doesnt need to stop. A video ref could quickly look at any decision and tell the ref to stop the game if needed.

Don't watch a lot of the British Super League dkw so not sure what it's like over there, but if I were to have a problem from my experience watching RL in Australia is that they dither around and carry on for ten minutes making a decision. That is why I'd perhaps have something against it's use in general play but if as the guys from Hawkeye suggest they can transmit a signal to the referee in 0.5 seconds, then there can be absolutely no reason against this, other than Blatter being a Luddite moron.

http://www.hawkeyeinnovations.co.uk/files/FifaOpenLetter.pdf

The "lets keep it the same at every level" argument is totally ridiculous. Outside of the rules, the game is radically different at many different levels. Prize money, equipment, venues, etc etc all vary at the different levels of the sport. I dont see sunday league players contesting a prize pot of 750k pounds for advancing a round further in a tournament. Why, then, are premiership players allowed to wear light boots made of composites and use the worlds best physios to heal injuries when someone at Wellingborough Town has none of those advantages? What about fields? Some are cratered bogs and some are the finest manicured pieces of earth in the world (made so, might I add, by technology). Is anyone calling for them to be dug up and made lumpy in the intersts of fairness?

The lack of accountability pisses me off too. Putting huge decisions on the officials and giving them no assistance when you have millions of dollars on the line and millions of fans watching is an abdication of responsibility by FIFA.. They are reaping the massive rewards of the game's popularity, making their money, and saying damn the consequences.

I fully expect these latest quotes from Blatter to be him placating the public while the world's eyes are on him. Then, when the issue has disappeared a bit, he will put it to a vote by the various FAs, and it will be rejected to his delight. I also expect he is posturing because this world cup has many new viewers from the potentially huge markets of Asia and North America. New fans come to watch the game, see things like these ghost goals, disallowed goals on poor calls, and obvoius offsides that swing games and think "what the hell is up with this sport, its not even fair".

In six months, I fully expect this to be back off the table as things go back to the way FIFA like them. The only time I think things will ever change is with a new leader, hopefully after this odious man is sent to jail for corruption.

Edited June 29, 201014 yr by TheWestwayWonder

I thought FIFA had already fixed this problem and banned replays from being shown at the stadium?

they did. the rule is to not show any possibly controversial issues on the big screen. the replay of the tevez goal that should have been given offside was shown by mistake.

as for video technology - go for it. if it doesn't work out as well as expected, then fine, scrap it, but at least they'll have given it a go. and if it does work out, we should see an end to the all too frequent furore over goals that should never have been given and vice versa.

The "lets keep it the same at every level" argument is totally ridiculous. I dont see sunday league players contesting a prize pot of 750k pounds for advancing a round further in a tournament, so naturally, there isnt as pressing a need to absolutely ensure the right call at that level.

Putting such huge decisions on the officials and giving them no assistance when you have millions of dollars on the line and millions of fans watching is an abdication of responsibility by FIFA to the game. They are reaping the massive rewards of the game's popularity

I fully expect these latest quotes from Blatter to be him placating the public while the world's eyes are on him. Then, when the issue has disappeared a bit, he will put it to a vote by the various FAs, and it will be rejected to his delight. I also expect he is posturing because this world cup has many new viewers from the potentially huge markets of Asia and North America. New fans come to watch the game, see things like these ghost goals, disallowed goals on poor calls, and obvoius offsides that swing games and think "what the hell is up with this sport, its not even fair".

In six months, I fully expect this to be back off the table as things go back to the way FIFA like them. The only time I think things will ever change is with a new leader, hopefully after this odious man is sent to jail for corruption.

I agree, it would have been refreshing if Blatter had publicly supported adding such technology and vowed to back it among the other powers that be rather then just saying it will be discussed again.

In all honesty, these calls are doing serious damage to the sport here in the United States. FIFA should be thankful that the US beat Algeria or else the American publics view of this World Cup would be that the US was screwed by their two disallowed goals. Not a real good way to build the sport in this country. In 2014, I wonder how many people who watched this World Cup will look forward to watching 90 minutes, seeing their team score a single goal only to have it be incorrectly disallowed. People outside the game quite rightly think this whole thing is foolish. Goals come at such a premium that the calls have to be correct. I can think of six off the top of my head they got wrong at this tournament (US vs Slovenia & Algeria, England vs Germany, 2 in Italy vs Slovenia, Mexico vs Argentina).

Video Technology should only be used in two instances - in a goal/no goal situation (Lamps the other day) and in any off the ball incidents (Kaka the other day). That way, we can keep the use of technology down to a bare minimum, and it would more than likely stop any off the ball antics (like numerous Vidic elbows I recall from seasons gone by) as they would know they'd get caught.

For me, using video technology for offsides would be taking it a bit far. Offsides should be left for the linesmen to decide - if we used video technology for every contentious decision then it would become a farce. If we take the offsides decision away from linesman, then they really won't have much to do.

For penalty decisions, we don't need penalty shouts for that either - bring in the Europa League rule of the 5th and 6th Ref at either box. It stops pushing and shoving in the box at corners/free kicks, and they get a clearer view of penalty shouts. They can do the job of making sure the keeper doesn't step off his line, too.