Goal-line technology systems given green light

[Bender]

Goal-line technology has been given the go-ahead by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) following a vote at Fifa headquarters in Zurich.
Two systems - Hawk-Eye and GoalRef - have been approved after passing a series of scientific tests.

They will first be used at December's Club World Cup - which features Chelsea - and, if successful, at the 2013 Confederations Cup and 2014 World Cup.
It could even be introduced during the 2012-13 Premier League campaign.
In a statement following the announcement, the Premier League said it had been a "long term advocate of goal-line technology".

"We welcome today's decision by IFAB and will engage in discussions with both Hawkeye and GoalRef in the near future with a view to introducing goal-line technology as soon as is practically possible."
FA general secretary Alex Horne said it was up to the Premier League to decide on a timescale for implementation.

"It may be December until the technology is absolutely finally approved and installed in stadia," he said at a press conference in Zurich. "Priority is given to the Fifa Club World Cup in Japan.

"The Premier League need to talk to the two [technology providers] and the clubs. My understanding is that clubs are supportive and, in principle, as long as all clubs agree it could be introduced part-way through the season, it could be before the start of 2013-14 season, it could be part way through.
"It might be that it is possible to have it part way through the [2012-13] season. If all 20 clubs agree a switch-on weekend I don't think anyone is disadvantaged."
bbc

[Muddled]

****ing FIFA and ****ing Blatter.

Surely the irony of the timing is not lost on anyone.

The corrupt set of sexypants.

[Neil Young]

Where do they put the green light?

[kingfunk]

In the goalies bum.

[Neil Young]

That doesn't sound very practical.

[little dave hedgehog]

very good

[kingfunk]

I hope they use hawkeye. Arsene, you have no challenges left...

[Charly]

This is bull****. Football should be refereed by humans only How long until they start introducing other bits of technology?

The worry is we will end up with different sets of rules for different competitions, or depending on what league you are in.

I dont really want a game where every decision is correct, or where the best team always wins. Refereeing mistakes are part of the game, part of the drama. They tend to even out over time anyway.

The other thing is, how confusing is it going to become for refs, if different standards are used in different matches, if a lines man forgets he needs to be on the line as that game does not have goal line tech.

I dont think you can have one set of rules for rich clubs and another for the poor. How are non league clubs going to afford this?

How much does Blatter stand to gain from the shares he owns in Hawkeye?

[CJ]

This is bull****. Football should be refereed by humans only How long until they start introducing other bits of technology?

The worry is we will end up with different sets of rules for different competitions, or depending on what league you are in.

I dont really want a game where every decision is correct, or where the best team always wins. Refereeing mistakes are part of the game, part of the drama. They tend to even out over time anyway.

The other thing is, how confusing is it going to become for refs, if different standards are used in different matches, if a lines man forgets he needs to be on the line as that game does not have goal line tech.

I dont think you can have one set of rules for rich clubs and another for the poor. How are non league clubs going to afford this?

How much does Blatter stand to gain from the shares he owns in Hawkeye?

With the greatest respect what a load of bollocks

[G]

You need only look at rugby union to see how to successfully implement technology while maintaining the integrity of the game. Goal line tech should only be the start IMO.

[Liverpool]

what else would you have? I think goal line is as far as it will go for sometime, what else could be instant and that important to change?

[Red_Polo]

With the greatest respect what a load of bollocks

Can't understand why people would want error in the way rules are applied.

[MrMichael]

Yup. Goal line tech is a no-brainer, being probably the one and only thing in football that isn't a question of interpretation. Either the ball crossed the line or it didn't, no discretion or context matters. I don't think I'm much in favour of any further implementation of technology, certainly not as I can currently conceive of it functioning, but in this case I can't see a downside. If the tech can't be afforded everywhere fine, they can go on as before, but in the world's biggest competitions etc it is insane to allow a situation where clearly scored goals are not given (or vice versa) through human error.

[Liverpool]

goal line is all I want, maybe something offside related at a push, GPS in shirts and the ball?

[G]

In time I'd have a video ref available to the match ref if he wishes to refer something to him to check. Each coach could have a number of challenges per match like tennis too. Maybe just one each. Could be used for a red card, offside, handball etc. It doesn't take very long to sort these things out given the multitude of cameras these days.

Scoring or conceding goals is the most critical part of the game so I'd look at contentious penalty awards and offside. It's a physical impossibility for a lino to be looking in two places at once. A video ref could be used for both if the match ref requests it.

Goal line tech might rule a ball has crossed the line but there may have been an offside in the build up. Or a team loses a game or fails to win because of a poor penalty award. Still not fair.