I'm just watching the cup semi. First of all, what a crazy law that Cech remains on the pitch, that needs changing... secondly, after all the ridiculous decisions over the last few weeks, not least the four dodgy goals that Pompey scored yesterday to relegate Doncaster, I finally think it's time we had goal line technology and video replays of major incidents. We have the fourth official standing around doing nothing most of the time. The argument goes that these decisions even themselves out over a season, but when you see Spurs getting cheated out of a cup final place that argument no longer holds weight. Thoughts?
The 'goal' was a shocking decision! The Petre Cech red card, I honestly thought Adebayor went looking for it! Maybe, as a former keeper myself, I'm a bit biased!
I'm all for goal line technology as it would only take a matter of seconds to deem whether the ball had crossed the line or not. I'm against replays though as I don't want to see too many stoppages during the match. Refereeing decisions are part of the game, they make great talking points and you love it when it goes for you, hate it when it doesn't. To make the game too clinical would take something away from the overall experience.
I know, but I'm just a bit old school and don't want the soul ripped out of football. Like I said, you love it when it goes for you etc. I watch football because it is non-stop for 90 minutes, other sports bore me with the amount of stoppages or breaks in play. I would hate to see this happen. I mean, where would it stop, next you'll be giving managers the abilty to challenge decisions a la some american sports. In a way I want the ref to make mistakes, it makes the game unpredictable and exciting.
There's a definite need for goal line technology. I'm not so sure about other decisions because sometimes even with a replay things aren't conclusive. Perhaps they should introduce something like the tennis system where each team gets so many challanges in a match. I think whatever system is used won't be perfect but certainly how some sort of technology hasn't be installed yet I don't know!!
No there shouldn't be any challenges and it should only be used when the ref and the linesman couldn't see enough to make a judgement. You don't need it for every penalty decision or whatever, just when the ref deems 'I didn't see it and neither did the linesman, look at the replay.'
I think one thing that does need changing is this stupid rule that if the referee has dealt with an incident, it can't be looked at retrospectively! He might have got it wrong, let's have a retrospective video jury on any major incident! Players get a ban for 5 yellow cards, Tevez should have his rescinded against us, but you can't appeal against a yellow card, except for mistaken identity!
Regarding yesterday, I think if there was a challenge system it would work. Say if each team had 1 challenge, if the challenged and were proved correct they keep it if the ref is right they lose it. In all the arguing yesterday after the 'goal' it would have taken the same amount of time to re-start as Scott Parker to say to the ref we challenge that and for the 4th official has say 30 secs to look at tv replays to determine a decision, if after that time scale he can't fully reach a decision the original decision stands. seriously how long does that take! the biggest issue is how low down the leagues do you go?
Am for goaline technology, the vast sums of money that are involved in football nowadays make it imperative. It's grossly unfair on customers who pay high prices to watch football, and yet a simple thing about whether a ball went over a line, can not be guaranteed to be correct. To say it would delay the match, is nonsense, the decision would be reached in seconds, there is more delay in players protests, as was shown yesterday. Not to be rude, the referee in the Chelsea match, must seriously have an eye check, as the question of the ball crossing the line was not even close, and he did get himself into a good position in the first place.
There are so many other rules which need to be looked at in my opinion though aswell, which would make refs decision making alot easier!! Alot of the time the rules which are in place mean players are more likely to bend the rules and make it more difficult for refs to make a decision as they in effect con the ref or make a big deal out of something. Rather than sticking to the letter of the law I think sometimes refs need to be given license to make a decision based on common sense. For example the last man rule where a player gets sent off if they take the opposition player down and are the last man. Whilst if its a cynical fowl this should be the case, sometimes players make the most of this or try to get taken out by the player so they get them sent off rather than actually trying to score. I think the ref should be given license to say was it actually bad enough to send the player off rather than straight away giving a red card because he was the last man. This may stop players play acting quite as much!! Another rule which annoys me is the straight red for raising your hands, whilst players shouldn't do it, I don't think any sort of raising the hands should be a straight red. Sometimes the ref needs to just say calm down lads and just get on with it. Then I don't think we would see quite so many players doing this ridiculous play acting if someone puts a hand in their face. In rugby players proper punch each other and the ref just says calm down get on with it and they do!! I believe that because the rules are if anyone raises their hand to their face they get a straight red players overreact because its the letter of the law and they know they could potentially get a player sent off for doing it!!
This would mean a ref using common sense, and the FA has been trying (in their infinate wisdom) to get away from that!
totally agree yorkie about cech. had that been a foul in the middle of the pitch and the ref played advantage and it come to nothing, the ref would go back and book the offender. so why is it different when someone scores? should have seen red and the goal stand. as for tv replays etc - i like the challenge system - i think it works well if each team gets one challenge per half. if a decision is challenged 'frivolously' they lose that challenge, if the decision is correctly challenged, they still have that challenge available. it would stop people surrounding and hounding refs too as if players genuinely feel an injustice, they will know it will be challenged and won. time the challenges too so that they don't drag on. if a decision isn't made by the video ref within, say, 60 seconds, it is obviously not a clear decision - original decision stands.
As a football referee myself I know how hard it is to officiate and to make split second decisions on things that I have seen. The key thing that I always remember is to only give things that I have actually seen, in other words don't guess! There are plenty of times when I have missed a foul that has been commited on my "blind" side where I can't be 100% sure but that's the game. At my level of parks football I can't even rely on my lines assistants as they are biased towards their team! I will always give the defending team the benefit of the doubt when it comes to anything in the area unless I can be 100% sure and that includes penalty shouts, ball crossing the line and any slight push or pulls. I have no sympathy for Atkinson as he should never have made a huge call like that based on what he thiought he saw!
