Blatter/Platini 1, Common Sense 0

[Bruno]

Not to pile on, but since when has anyone in the top leagues given a flying feck about the lower reaches?

Not very often, but then you'd either need to amend the laws of the game (which is fraught with danger when applying this to every game of football sanctioned by the FA in this country, of which there are tens of thousands every season), or the rules of a competition (ie make it Premier League only). Neither of these are ideal situations, as it furthers a break between the existing strands of the professional game in this country, or makes an unenforceable or potentially financially ruinous rule at anything below a certain level of football.

On that basis, I'm out.

[Prufrock]

Not to pile on, but since when has anyone in the top leagues given a flying feck about the lower reaches?

Not very often, but then you'd either need to amend the laws of the game (which is fraught with danger when applying this to every game of football sanctioned by the FA in this country, of which there are tens of thousands every season), or the rules of a competition (ie make it Premier League only). Neither of these are ideal situations, as it furthers a break between the existing strands of the professional game in this country, or makes an unenforceable or potentially financially ruinous rule at anything below a certain level of football.

Ney ney ney. You wouldn't be changing the laws. There's no law saying there must be a fourth official, but they are allowed. I'm not sure how it creates two tiers of competition. The game isn't changing. All it would be doing is allowing the better enforcing of the rules where affordable.

I definitely agree with your surprise it hasn't happened in the top leagues yet though particularly the goal line stuff, because with that, it's not so much you take responsibility away from the refs (which seems to be FIFA's main gripe with technology), because a most of the time, there's no way a properly positioned linesman COULD make the call. See Malouda on Saturday, or the Pedro Mendes Roy Carrol incident.

[H. Pedersen]

Why is anyone surprised that goal-line technology hasn't happened yet? 90% of the sketchy calls benefit the rich clubs, and 50% of that 90% benefit Liverpool. Of course it hasn't happened.

[blurred]

Why is anyone surprised that goal-line technology hasn't happened yet? 90% of the sketchy calls benefit the rich clubs, and 50% of that 90% benefit Liverpool. Of course it hasn't happened.

[Prufrock]

Back on topic, how is this a goal against common sense? I would prefer technology, but surely it's a step in the right direction??

[fatshaft]

Refresh my memory, what's wrong with goal-line technology?

The fact that you'd be making a change to the laws of the game that couldn't be applied evenly? That it would have prohibitive costs for clubs far down the football pyramid? The fact that it'd effectively create two tiers of competition?

But that exists all over the country as it is when games take place without linesmen etc.

Which means they're not adhering to the laws of the game, but presumably the park teams that do this agree to it beforehand. More due to a lack of qualified refs available to do this at Sunday league rather than a desire to just do away with linesmen, I'd fancy. Getting a ref on a Sunday morning can be near-on impossible, never mind 3, but that's not to say that the laws of the game have changed for really low level football, just that the infrastructure isn't there to support it.

Have you not played amatuer or Sunday league football? Their requirement in any league I've ever known is for a ref only, there will be linesmnen for cup finals and that is all.

They are not breaking the laws of the game, those are simply the rules of amatuer football, and why? Because of cost!!! You couldn't run amatuer football if you had three officials every match, and yet FIFA try to use cost as an excuse for not at least trialling technology; it is a specious argument.

[fatshaft]

Back on topic, how is this a goal against common sense? I would prefer technology, but surely it's a step in the right direction??

It is an admission that there is a problem, so in that way, yes it is progress.

[Verbal]

Refresh my memory, what's wrong with goal-line technology?

Well, there's clearly no need for it.

You've got a doctored image there, Bruce. I think you'll find that the ball was nowhere near to being over the line

[blurred]

Which means they're not adhering to the laws of the game, but presumably the park teams that do this agree to it beforehand. More due to a lack of qualified refs available to do this at Sunday league rather than a desire to just do away with linesmen, I'd fancy. Getting a ref on a Sunday morning can be near-on impossible, never mind 3, but that's not to say that the laws of the game have changed for really low level football, just that the infrastructure isn't there to support it.

Have you not played amatuer or Sunday league football? Their requirement in any league I've ever known is for a ref only, there will be linesmnen for cup finals and that is all.

They are not breaking the laws of the game, those are simply the rules of amatuer football, and why? Because of cost!!! You couldn't run amatuer football if you had three officials every match, and yet FIFA try to use cost as an excuse for not at least trialling technology; it is a specious argument.[/quote]

I didn't say they were breaking the laws of the game, just they're not adhering to them (in their fullness). I'm aware that it would be an expensive exercise, and am aware that most pub/park teams agree beforehand whether one of their own will run the line or if they'll just do away with them completely or whatever. I said above that the teams have agreed to it beforehand and lack the infrastructure to support 3 refs. It's obviously competition specific, in this case it's the pub/park competition rules. I know tournaments (that aren't FA registered, incidentally) that still run with a ref and 2 linesmen in each game, it's just their choice and teams agree to it.

[fatshaft]

I didn't say they were breaking the laws of the game, just they're not adhering to them (in their fullness). I'm aware that it would be an expensive exercise, and am aware that most pub/park teams agree beforehand whether one of their own will run the line or if they'll just do away with them completely or whatever. I said above that the teams have agreed to it beforehand and lack the infrastructure to support 3 refs. It's obviously competition specific, in this case it's the pub/park competition rules. I know tournaments (that aren't FA registered, incidentally) that still run with a ref and 2 linesmen in each game, it's just their choice and teams agree to it.

Ok, but my point being, FIFA are using cost and inability to implement across all levels of the game as a reason not to use technology, and instead run with 5 officials, where in practice leagues are run with only one official now.

The argument on cost is a total red herring, so given that it is so, why are they so against goal line techonology?

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Refresh my memory, what's wrong with goal-line technology?

Well, there's clearly no need for it.

You've got a doctored image there, Bruce. I think you'll find that the ball was nowhere near to being over the line

Depends which direction you think the ball should be moving when it crosses

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/footbal ... 076829.stm

Great, now they can employ two more idiots to show bias towards Liverpool. Refresh my memory, what's wrong with goal-line technology?

Calm down, dear, at least they're trying something

There are just as many hysterical theories that video technology - such as goal-line cameras - would hand too much power to the likes of Sky, and if your jaundiced world-view is correct, would that help us poor ickle cwubs whose pwayers never get picked for Engwand?

[FaninOz]

The footballing authorities and big teams are all luddites, not a technological brain cell between them.

Mind the video ref in Oz got a lot of stick recently for some very close calls on tries in Rugby League, so its not all roses with the video solution either!

[Montreal Wanderer]

The footballing authorities and big teams are all luddites, not a technological brain cell between them.

Mind the video ref in Oz got a lot of stick recently for some very close calls on tries in Rugby League, so its not all roses with the video solution either!

It works well in ice hockey but the nature of the game makes it a more practical solution. All judging incidentally is done in Toronto by a league panel.

[H. Pedersen]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/footbal ... 076829.stm

Great, now they can employ two more idiots to show bias towards Liverpool. Refresh my memory, what's wrong with goal-line technology?

Calm down, dear, at least they're trying something

There are just as many hysterical theories that video technology - such as goal-line cameras - would hand too much power to the likes of Sky, and if your jaundiced world-view is correct, would that help us poor ickle cwubs whose pwayers never get picked for Engwand?

I thought they were testing some system with a chip in the ball and sensors on the line which send the referee a signal when the whole ball is over the line. Would have at least prevented the Watford/Reading debacle.

Still, I'm sure Rob Styles would claim a "technical malfunction" whenever a goal was scored against United.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

This Rob Styles?

[americantrotter]

Holy shit the man is a master media manipulator. Everything he said in that article was everything they don't do.

[H. Pedersen]

Call me cynical, but does anyone else think that Platini's resistance to technology and faith in referees might have something to do with the time he spent at Juventus, a club notorious for match-fixing and bribing referees? I bet quite a few calls went HIS way.

[boltonboris]

Why change the game at all? I and billions of others love it the way it is

[Verbal]

Why change the game at all? I and billions of others love it the way it is

Is implementing a system to ensure a higher ratio of correct decisions changing the game? I mean, proper changes (such as the new offside law, and 'keepers moving along the goal line for pengys) have been made with relatively little fuss...