World Cup play offs

Watching intently the Republic of Ireland v Denmark game - I'm a fanatical REI supporter as well as Norwich! Just wondering when was the last World Cup play off, no indeedWorld Cup qualifier or even World Cup game that had two ex-Norwich players as international managers in charge of the two teams!!!!!!!!

 

Gutting for NI to go out in such a tight 2 leg fixture against one of the better sides in Qualifying. They got very unlucky with the draw. People were amazed The Swiss didn't automatically qualify with how good their campaign was. Portugal really got out of jail.

NI did themselves really proud. From the read up they sounded unlucky. I'll watch a play back of the game tonight at some point.

McGovern Got MOTM.

"McGovern performed heroics in the Euro 2016 defeat by Germany and the Norwich keeper was again in top form to deny Switzerland.

He blocked Steven Zuber's fierce strike with his legs early in the game and finished by keeping out an angled drive from Breel Embolo."

Really strange how he is a completely different player for his Country.

 

Isn't it????

 

And Ruddy too since leaving Colney and CR. Have the keeping coaches been substandard? Ruddy was obviously good going on great whilst here in his early days other than injury was there another issue?

Bah!

 

I was listening to Webber on a podcast early on in the season. He was asked if they were going to employee a GK Coach. Webber said a youth GK coach had stepped up, and was doing a good job. So not out of the question, but not at the moment (when that was aired).

Wonder if it’s still the same guy in position.

 

Watched it last night and you're spot on. Excellent game, though the Swiss eased off towards the end knowing the referee in the first leg had virtually assured them of progressing
How tragic to think that the dreams of a nation were shattered by one unbelievably poor / wrong decision by an official - yet despite having the technology available to eradicate such ginormous cock-ups, nobody in the game's upper echelons can be arsed to introduce and use it properly?

 

I think you are over egging the pudding a little bit! The reality is that NI couldn't score in 180 minutes of football.

 

And neither could Switzerland - barring a little 'divine' intervention.
But my major point is if technology and replays work, and are good for (and now an established part of the fabric of) tennis, rugby and cricket, why the hell haven't they been incorporated into football?

 

Football is a "continuous" game whereas Rugby, Cricket and Tennis are all stop start. I have been a referee for over 20 years and Yes I have made my fair share of genuine mistakes over the years but it is accepted as part and parcel of the game! The decision against NI was very poor but NI still had the opportunity to win the tie.

 

Nothing to add!!!

 

We'll have to agree to differ on that. And anyway, for a 'continuous' game, how come the ball spends approximately only 65-70 of the 90 in actual play. The remainder could be used for video catch up without affecting the pace of the game while the ball is in play.
http://www.soccermetrics.net/team-performance/effective-time-in-football

I define effective time as the total amount of time that the ball is in play in the match, after removing all stoppages due to fouls, ball outs, corners, substitutions, injuries, goals, and so forth.
It takes some skill on the part of both teams to have a match with close to 70 minutes of effective playing time,

 

I agree 100% with the introduction of Goal Line technology but that's as far as I would want it to go.

 

I think Rugby Union is as much continuous play as football (soccer) but they use it effectively as could football if they introduced it.

I didn't see much hold up in play in the England v Germany match!

 

You are joking aren't you?

Rugby is all about territory and the set pieces such as line outs, scrums , penalty kicks and conversions all take an age! If every foul on the football pitch was subject to video technology the game would take hours to complete!

 

Que?? So football doesn't have throw-ins, free kicks, corners, players down injured, penalties, substitutions, etc all of which constitute a break in the flow of play while the players get into position, the referee marks out the 10 yard line with spray, then waits for all the pushing and jostling in the area to stop.
All the above take time out of active play - during which time, video evidence could be reviewed.
I can't see any valid argument to the contrary when the infrastructure is already in place elsewhere in sport?

 

So a penalty claim is turned down but the ball is still in play and the team which the penalty claim was against go up the other end and score. Does the video evidence then take effect and the referee then has to award the penalty? Is the goal still allowed for the other team or is it chalked off for the original foul which they committed in their penalty area? How long does the "advantage" remain?

 

The video ref is miked up to the match referee, he can call it much quicker than it takes to run the length of the field and score, plus, if the penalty is awarded, then the goal scored is not a legitimate goal!

 

Just imagine that happening in the Old Farm Derby! There would be open warfare!

I still remember the "Kevin Lynch" incident!

 

Offside is another "either it is or it isn't" decision which could be cleared up with the same kind of technology.

 

Too many games decided by a bad call. VAR could be used only when the Ref issues a red card or awards a penalty. There is plenty of time then for the Var to be consulted without interfering with the flow of the game. I wouldn't want it used every time a player claims for penalty; that would certainly be cumbersome for a couple of reasons.