Video Referees in Football?

[Neil Young]

So, by implication, you don't quite like my idea of automatic reviews of goals and awarded penalties.

Why not, Buttso?

[Buzzo]

So, by implication, you don't quite like my idea of automatic reviews of goals and awarded penalties.

Why not, Buttso?

I missed you suggesting that.

I suppose that would work as well, you lose some of the drama, but the key is that the correct decision is made. I'd add red cards into that as well I guess the down side is it takes some of the joy out of goalscoring in that every goal is going to be followed by some waiting around to see if it is acceptable.

[Baracus]

I don't like the idea of a challenge by either players or managers.

What would be the time frame for a given challenge to be made? Instant or within 30seconds or something

It could be open to abuse. You can have a fellow club member watch a video replay and relay a message to the manager player based on what he/she thinks, by sitting in directors box and watching a replay a microphone, hand signals. And I don't think other people should be involved other then players, managers and ref

I'd much rather have a video referee independently review each situation where he feels the situation requires it and have a traffic light situation.
Amber - decision is under review. Green - good to go.. Red - overruled and then tell the match referee the correct decision.

[Red_Polo]

I'm not sure how that example is an abuse of anything. If it doesn't change the process and results in the correct decision being made, what does it matter?

[Neil Young]

I still love my idea of an automatic review of goals and penalty awards (and maybe DD's addition of red cards). I still can't think of any significant problems with it.

Some goals would be open to question but most of them are uncontentious and there's no reason why that would change so the joy of scoring wouldn't have the edge taken off much or often (pace Buttso).

[Nick77]

Really HAS to happen imo - every other major sport has moved into the 21st century yet football is still in the 19th century! Billions of pounds cannot be at the mercy of referees/linesmen & their "mistakes" imo...

[dww]

I still love my idea of an automatic review of goals and penalty awards (and maybe DD's addition of red cards). I still can't think of any significant problems with it.

Some goals would be open to question but most of them are uncontentious and there's no reason why that would change so the joy of scoring wouldn't have the edge taken off much or often (pace Buttso).

I think you have to try the system out. However my feeling is that the rapidity of counter attacks and the fact that video evidence is often inconclusive mean that people wouldn't actually feel it was much of a benefit.

I do think the use of video evidence to punish teams and players who dive regularly or otherwise tactically break the rule (United a few years ago seemed to have a policy of hacking players down around the half way line knowing that in that location a card was relatively unlikley even if it stopped a very promising attack, for example).

NB: Just realised that there is an important thing I was missing - are we talking about only reviewing given penalties/goals?

[Alex]

I'd have appeals for Straight Red's and Penalties. These are things that can directly impact the game.

[Shaggy]

Shaggy, what about my idea of automatic goal/penalty reviews?

I think I like it. I don't see what harm it could do.

[baitman]

any foul that looked aggressive and the ref was contemplating getting a card out he could just get a quick replay and ask the video ref to rule it it is worthy of a card, or maybe the "tackled" player was trying to win a bafta...

[dww]

Also not sure that the idea that football should be as similar at professional to grassroots as possible is as worthless as some make out. The simplicity and rapidity of football are what make it what it is as both a spectator and participatory sport. I don't think the two are necessarily completely decoupled with the culture of playing impacting that of watching and vice versa.

[Alex]

any foul that looked aggressive and the ref was contemplating getting a card out he could just get a quick replay and ask the video ref to rule it it is worthy of a card, or maybe the "tackled" player was trying to win a bafta...

Thats subjective though. Who decides what aggressive looks like?

[baitman]

Thats subjective though. Who decides what aggressive looks like?

if the ref thinks about getting his card out, then he should just signal to the video ref to ask for a reply. it may just confirm the ref is correct, but as we all know, there may be some dramatic acting afoot.

[Neil Young]

I think you have to try the system out. However my feeling is that the rapidity of counter attacks and the fact that video evidence is often inconclusive mean that people wouldn't actually feel it was much of a benefit.

I do think the use of video evidence to punish teams and players who dive regularly or otherwise tactically break the rule (United a few years ago seemed to have a policy of hacking players down around the half way line knowing that in that location a card was relatively unlikley even if it stopped a very promising attack, for example).

NB: Just realised that there is an important thing I was missing - are we talking about only reviewing given penalties/goals?

Yes, although it would naturally lead referees to give more penalties and goals and assistants not to flag for marginal offsides. The downsides of wrongly allowing play to continue would be much smaller than stopping it. Basically it would encourage officials to favour the attacking side, knowing that if they missed something and a goal ensued there would be a chance to correct it.

Of course you'd have to have a time limit - either a specified period of time or the last break in play, whichever is more recent. The period should be long enough to ensure that, if there were an incident which could have been disputed, in most circumstances the defending team can get back in position before a goal results. Say ten seconds, or whatever. We could employ someone like you to analyse weeks of footage of goalscoring opportunities to determine how many seconds it takes defences to set up.

[Neil Young]

if the ref thinks about getting his card out, then he should just signal to the video ref to ask for a reply. it may just confirm the ref is correct, but as we all know, there may be some dramatic acting afoot.

You could certainly allow for the fourth official to advise the ref in those circumstances. And follow the cricket system - anything debatable and the decision is what the on-pitch referee originally determined.

Although then you probably need signals to indicate to everyone what the original decision was before it goes to review.