The GAA, an organisation governing an amateur sport, are set to embrace technology to assist referees and the FA refuse to embrace technology. It works in Rugby so why not give it a season long trial considering the standard of refereeing at the weekend in the Liverpool and United games. If it doesn't work you get to say 'I told you so' and if it does the game as a whole will improve so it's win-win. Who is with me?
Is it a bird ? Is it a plane ? No it's a bloody back pass - What sort of technology do you need to see that - We shouldn't need machines for such obvious events. If we are going to give the referees technology make them take lie detector tests when giving interviews explaining why it was a foul and free kick outside the penalty area - but not inside the box. ( This list is virtually endless )
Celtic had a goal chopped off yesterday because Stokes was running in a manner unbecoming of a footballer or something like that. How is technology going to help that? Unless you mean laser eye treatment for the referees?
If the referee didn't give anything for it, then he must not have seen it and so there is a case for technology. Well either he didn't see it or he didn't understand the backpass rule which opens up a whole new can o' worms.
Perhaps he thought the ball's arrival in the goal keepers hands was in a different phase of the game - a bit like the explaination given a few years back about what is offside etc
Where do you draw the line though? If you start challenging every incident such as a back pass or whether a ball crossed the line for a throw in or corner the game would take forever.
"It works in Rugby" Not really to be honest. You still get errors because it's only used to decide whether or not the ball was grounded. Still plenty of other bad decisions given (like giving Wigan the scrum on Satrudaywhich led to their last try). I think that the refereeing errors actually add to the passion because we can all develop huge persecution complexes on behalf of our teams.......
By which time we would have watched a bit more grass grow. Yes, I agree with your point - but it doesn't ( and neither can any machine ) answer the question about referees interpretation of fouls inside or outside the penalty area - outside is where you see the most softest of fouls given. I don't know what the answer could be - all I know is I hate to see any form of cheating.
( I do NOT support Arsenal ) Can a machine detect unsporting behaviour - such as Anderson at the Man Utd free kicks ?
The thing is the video ref can't just butt in and say there was a foul. Its up to the ref on the pitch to ask a specific question which the video ref must answer. I've seen it go wrong in Rugby where the ref asked the video ref if the player was in touch before passing for the try....the video ref confirmed he was not out of play but could not say the pass was forward so the try still stood.
I just hate to see games decided by poor refereeing instead of good football so I think a temporary trial of technology can only be good and then assess it from there.
In principle I think technology is a good idea. However, mistakes and misinterpretations are part of the game and they're a big talking point among fans. Take that away and what's left to talk about?
