Goal Line Technology

[leviramsey]

Any player (not the manager) can appeal a decision of a matter of fact to the referee, providing:

* the appellant makes a specific allegation

* the fact is actually in dispute (e.g. if the appeal is that "a shirt was tugged" and the referee responds "a shirt was tugged; in my judgment it did not rise to the level of a foul")

* the appeal is made in the course of a stoppage of play (e.g. ball out of bounds, before a free kick)

* the fact being appealed occurred within a reasonable amount of time before the appeal

* no goal was awarded for either side between when the fact being appealed occurred and the appeal was made, unless the successful appeal would result in the disallowal of the goal

If all of the above conditions are met, the appellant shall be booked for dissent and the review shall be undertaken. (alternatively, and this just occurred to me, perhaps if the review is undertaken and the allegation made by appellant is found not to be true, it results in a sending-off for false appeal)

A decision is only game-changing, really, if overturning the decision is worth taking a booking for, with the ramifications thereof.

[leviramsey]

It fosters a feeling of unacceptance of poor decisions though

Seriously, this is where you cross the line to batshit crazy.

[Hiney]

The thought of waiting for the video ref's decision and some Americanised shite coming over the tannoy or screens announcing his decision really does fill me with a sense of fear for the future of the game.

The game has been the beautiful game for over 100 years, why do people insist on changing it. You get some decisions go your way, you get some that don't.. over time they generally level each other out.

Was i not cursing the "cheating bastard" linesman on Sunday? Yes of course i was.. but i'm still strongly against any type of video ref being introduced.

[Wainy316]

Replays no.

A chip in the ball to say it has crossed the line, big big yes.

I'm open to controversy in football such as offsides or penalty decisions (although I wasn't on April 10th), but when concerning a ball crossing the line like it did on Sunday it is just too big a decision. Basically that was a made up scoreline. We scored a goal but it didn't count becuase the referee said so. So basically can the ref has the power to just choose what he wants to be a goal or not, and a 4-3 game could end 0-0 due to his ineptness.

I don't think the games should stop cricket style whilst a reply is watched with the countdown theme ticking, but just a simple chip in the ball that beeps in the refs ear when the ball has crossed would surely benefit the game.

[DeepDish]

I say no. If we had this technology during all World Cups, it would rob England from the 1966 triumph...

[Condimentalist]

I agree that football is not just about the players, but I don't see technology as some sort of ogre that's going to destroy everything upon it's implementation.

The ball has a chip that alerts the referee as soon as it crosses the goal line. The game is not slowed, no-one is undermined, and injustices such as Sunday can be eradicated.

It fosters a feeling of unacceptance of poor decisions though, which would seep into other aspects of the game. It would not stop at the goal line.

And as has been argued a number of times, other decisions lead to goals as well and change games - why would you not want those corrected as well, now that we have accepted that a wrong decision isn't allowable.

Once the taboo is broken, it's only a matter of time.

And unsurprisingly, I believe that those injustices that colour the game add to the interest and to the nature of it.

I don't agree that injustices improve football, and I don't agree with your logic.

People are smart enough to see that goal-line technology can be implemented easily, without hampering the game, and that other 'technological assistance' isn't so comfortably facilitated.

[maqroll]

The thought of waiting for the video ref's decision and some Americanised shite coming over the tannoy or screens announcing his decision really does fill me with a sense of fear for the future of the game.

The game has been the beautiful game for over 100 years, why do people insist on changing it. You get some decisions go your way, you get some that don't.. over time they generally level each other out.

Was i not cursing the "cheating bastard" linesman on Sunday? Yes of course i was.. but i'm still strongly against any type of video ref being introduced.

The game is always evolving though, isn't it? From goalkeepers not handling back passes, to holding up the digital clock to signify stoppage time....the changes in the "Golden Goal" rule......to some leagues using spray paint to draw the line for free kicks....the introduction of headsets for officials....players with cuts have to come off the pitch....I know none of these are as drastic as video replay, but you get the point...

I'm for video technology if it is employed in the most unobtrusive way possible. If it is deemed too radical and detrimental to the game we know, then it should be scrapped. But it should be considered, and FIFA should consider experimenting with it for a year or two in competitions that agree to it, like Europa League, MLS, the English League Cup, Serie B, the Faroe Islands League, whatever....

There is a reason why this topic keeps coming up, and ideas to fix the problem should be at least looked at.

[bickster]

Leave the game alone, sure rules may evolve slighty with time but in the main the game is mature, it now needs very little tweaking and the introduction of technology that will stop and start the game is unacceptable. I can see the argument for the goal line technology thing but for me it would be the thin end of the wedge.

[Stevo985]

Just Goalline, absolutely. No big screens, no crowd going "OOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH". just something in the ball that sets off a buzzer in the ref's ear or the 4th official's ear so that they know it was a goal or not.

it would take seconds, if that, to tell them and wouldn't stop the game apart from when someone had actually scored, which obviously it should have stopped earlier.

I would not like it to lead to any other technology in the game, but as Chindie alluded to I fear it might.

[TrentVilla]

Leave the game alone, sure rules may evolve slighty with time but in the main the game is mature, it now needs very little tweaking and the introduction of technology that will stop and start the game is unacceptable. I can see the argument for the goal line technology thing but for me it would be the thin end of the wedge.

Totally with you on that Bicks.

[maqroll]

They got it right when they banned the short shorts. Change can be good.

[kidlewis]

all it will take is a referee to get murdered by some gang after a team goes out to a ridiculous and obvious decision and the change will happen most certainly.

[Chindie]

I'm growing frustrated, in a bad way, myself that so many don't get this at all.

Waaaah, people have different values from me, waaah

Thats really, really pathetic from you especially Levi.

It fosters a feeling of unacceptance of poor decisions though

Seriously, this is where you cross the line to batshit crazy.

And this.

I'll not bother again.

[BG_Villa_Fan]

(alternatively, and this just occurred to me, perhaps if the review is undertaken and the allegation made by appellant is found not to be true, it results in a sending-off for false appeal)

A decision is only game-changing, really, if overturning the decision is worth taking a booking for, with the ramifications thereof.

Even though I'm against these appeals, I can see your point, Levi, however I'm afraid this would raise another problem.

You say that if the appellant is found to be wrong then he should be sent off. Imagine the following scenario - last minute corner, lots of players holding each other's shirt, ball goes close to some of these and the attacking player falls to the ground, he appeals, as his shirt has been pulled, however, the referee finally decides ( after watching the replay ), that even though there's been contact it hasn't been sufficient enough to reward a penalty. Basically it's a matter of opinion, some referees would give the penalty, others would decide against it. Should then the player be sent off only because this specific referee's opinion is that the severity of the shirt pulling is not sufficient enough for a penalty?

Don't think so. Also, if the severity of the punishment for false appeals is lowered, say a yellow card, then it'd make a mockery of the game, as every player would appeal for every little challenge that some referee might decide to be enough for a penalty to be given. It'd also be used for tactical perposes in the same way that players make tactical fouls to stop dangerous counter attacks.

[ED]

I agree that football is not just about the players, but I don't see technology as some sort of ogre that's going to destroy everything upon it's implementation.

The ball has a chip that alerts the referee as soon as it crosses the goal line. The game is not slowed, no-one is undermined, and injustices such as Sunday can be eradicated.

It fosters a feeling of unacceptance of poor decisions though, which would seep into other aspects of the game. It would not stop at the goal line.

And as has been argued a number of times, other decisions lead to goals as well and change games - why would you not want those corrected as well, now that we have accepted that a wrong decision isn't allowable.

Once the taboo is broken, it's only a matter of time.

And unsurprisingly, I believe that those injustices that colour the game add to the interest and to the nature of it.

is that last bit another way of saying 'it gives us something to talk about in the pub afterwards'?

[kidlewis]

oh come on of course people aren't going to accept poor decision that are so bad everyone excluding the referee and the linesman are shouting 'are you **** joking?'

some decisions in this world cup are equivalent of you buying something in the shop and they forget to give you your change. would you accept that?

where's my **** goal and my change please!

I play league cricket and close decisions that don't go your way you dust yourself down and move on, whether it be a caught behind that the umpire didn't hear or a close run out that wasn't given, or an LBW that looked out but hey it's an LBW and rarely get given unless it's absolutely plum.

but there has been the odd occasion where something is so blatant and it hasn't been given, and yes we don't accept it and go nuts, because it's so obvious and they need to be told.

I played in a game once where the batsman was caught at first slip and was given not out. it swung as it passed the bowler apparently. we went nuts we told the batsman he was a cheating bastard etc etc, he denied it. then 3 overs later he retires hurt because his thumb was disolcated. we just laughed.

some decisions you can let go but others don't deserve to be let go when there is a solution. It has happened on the highest level (2 major decisions in one day) resulting in those games changing big time.

if FIFA want to carry on as normal then fair enough, but I cannot see how it can be seen as the greatest tournament in the world when referees and linesman are so shit. Don't even get me started on some of the joke red cards in this world cup. Obviously video replays cannot sort them out, but it's a disgrace to watch a referee make some really shit decisions.

they make decisions in the premier league look like a non issue.

[MrWeedMcGrass]

Or is it just bullshit that is easily solvable?

Only it isn't is it. Because you are struggling to demonstrate a system in which it could be solved without damaging the game.

Is there any change that could be made (in any facet) without the chance of damaging the game?

Substitutes arguably damaged the game (would Villa have won the 1957 FA Cup final had Busby been able to substitute a second keeper for Wood?). ****, introducing offsides could have damaged the game.

Agree completely with this. Remember the back pass rule? The game has always evolved and will continue to do so , as with most other sports.

[snowychap]

This idea about the game being slowed down by technology is nonsense. Watching on tv we knew within a couple of seconds that Lampard's shot had crossed the line.

If all line decisions were as clear cut as that then they might well only take a few seconds but if they were all as clear cut as that then there probably wouldn't be much of a debate about goal line technology because we'd write them off as crap calls by rubbish officials (like the bod who missed the ball hitting the back of the goal and bouncing back out - was that last season?).

They aren't all that clear cut, however, and the closer they get, the more time and viewings a video official will want to have before making a decision.

[Stevo985]

Yeh, look at that Italy goal that Skrtl stopped. I still can't tell if it was over the line. i don't think it was, but point is, I didn't know for certain, even now.

If it came in it wouldn't be video replay, imo. It would have to be something like Hakeye, or a chip in the ball, that told the ref 100% accurately if the ball was over the line.

[BG_Villa_Fan]

They aren't all that clear cut, however, and the closer they get, the more time and viewings a video official will want to have before making a decision.

True. In no time they'll start playing commercials during these 'time-outs', then when 'we're back' some guy will be telling us 'the final decision'. YAY!