Goal-line technology ruled out just as Birmingham Need it

by | Mar 6, 2010 | In The News, Soccer

The IFAB and FIFA, Football’s rule-makers, have voted against goal line technology being used in soccer and effectively ended any chances of goal-line video replays coming into the game of soccer.

This comes only hours before the Portsmouth v Birmingham FA Cup game, where Birmingham scored a perfectly valid headed goal from a corner. The ball was over the line but David James’s hand scooped it out of the net before the linesman saw it. Goal Line Technology would have proved that this was a goal but the decision from the International Football Association Board (IFAB) meeting in Zurich voted against continuing any further experiments with goal-line technology although the English FA and Scottish FA both voted in favour of the technology being used.

FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke said, “‘The door is closed. The decision was not to go ahead with technology at all.” The IFAB will decide in May whether to pursue the system of having an extra two officials behind each goal-line.

It seems FIFA are extremely backward – just as the game needs to move with the times, any efforts to do so are rejected by an organisation who seem not to care about fairness, i.e. a ball that crosses the line is a goal, but only if the officials see it … and … a ball the touches the hand of a player is a free kick and possibly a card, but only if the officials see it (and if the player is not French as FIFA is mainly made up of French personnel).

If you think Goal Line Technology is just for “is the ball over the line” type arguements, have a look at the video below, where the ball actually goes into the goal and the ref still did not see it!! The video is of Clive Allen hitting the stachion back in 1980, and Freddie Sears’ non-goal against Bristol City thirty years later.



Conspiracy Theory? – Chelsea / Barcelona

Conspiracy Theory? – Chelsea / Barcelona

by | May 7, 2009 | Soccer

Is it possible the game was destined to be a win for Barcelona – after seeing the ridiculous referring decisions it is fair to see why Didier Drogba was so irate. I would be too. I watched the replays of the 5 incidents – 2 were definitely 50/50 and not penalties, but 2 were very clear cut and the 3rd one, I have seen them given too. UEFA would prefer a Man Utd / Barca clash rather than an all Premiership clash as it would give better pan-european coverage. This was brought to light on Sky Sports last evening by one of their commentators. Based on the match result, this might look to have some truth in it – especially since there were so many chances for Chelsea to get a 2nd goal or penalty.

I’m sick and tired of watching a game where one team plays very well, and decisions go against them and they end up drawing or losing the game.

UEFA and the other bodies really have to tackle this refereeing issue before the game of soccer’s reputation is damaged. They need to look at simulation, using TV for making decisions like last night ( a 4th official could review the match on TV and pull back the play if a decision was not given ) and other issues such as off the ball incidents and decent to referees (which again we saw last night).

It should have been Chelsea! I am not a Chelsea fan but last nights overall result was not an overall reflection of the game and the referee was not right in not giving at least one of those decisions. (just my opinion on the Chelsea Barcelona game!)

 

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