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Goal-line technology ruled out just as Birmingham Need it

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.

The Damned United – Movie Review

The Damned United – Movie Review

The Damned United depicts the story behind Brian Cloughs 44 day reign (or lack of) at Leeds United in 1974, as well as showing how he got to manage the club, with a story from 1968 – 1974. With Michael Sheen as Brian Clough and screenplay by Peter Morgan it also shows the relationship he had with Peter Taylor who helped him by scouting some of the best players he ever signed.

The Damned United – Movie Review

There is very little in the way of live action, which is usually filmed poorly with a few notable exceptions. Instead most of the key scenes are build ups, pre FA Cup matches (mainly against Leeds), Pre-UEFA Cup ties (Juventus). The retro scenes are well filmed – I was constantly looking out for continuity problems, i.e. satellite dishes on houses etc. but it could easily have been filmed in 1974.

The film could easily have been titled “Brian Cloughs EGO” as that issue is one of the main storylines.  Clough was a master of football management, hiring great players, including Roy Keane at his time in Notts Forrest, however, Cloughs family have apparently discredited the movie (not sure if this is true) as the film is quite favourable – less so for Billy Bremner who is painted as quite a villan of the soccer world in 1974.

Very enjoyable as a film and one of the best soccer films in ages. There are some wonderful one liners and great quotes which only Mr. Clough could utter. You Don’t need to be a soccer fan to go see this film – that cannot eb stressed enough. This is a story about ambition, ego, a man with a desire to succeed at all costs … and then soccer.

Running Time : The movie is 90 mins with 7 mins of injury time.

Overall Score : 8½/10