Video Referees in Football?

[Neil Young]

Basically there are two types of event that everyone recognises change games - goals and sendings off. Penalties often involve the latter and usually result in the former, so we can include them as well.

Wrong decisions on everything else just have to be lived with. So if a ref wrongly awards a corner when it should have been a goal kick and the attacking team scores from the corner, then that's just tough, the defending team at least had a chance to set up and clear it and they should have defended better.

[Scratch]

Basically there are two types of event that everyone recognises change games - goals and sendings off. Penalties often involve the latter and usually result in the former, so we can include them as well.

Wrong decisions on everything else just have to be lived with. So if a ref wrongly awards a corner when it should have been a goal kick and the attacking team scores from the corner, then that's just tough, the defending team at least had a chance to set up and clear it and they should have defended better.

Agree with this...if a penalty is awarded, a card is given or a goal is scored, the game has stopped anyway and the video ref can, if requested, examine the footage.

If a decision is not given (ie penalty appeal is waved away) then play continues and there can be no appeal, it's just tough luck. This doesn't mean the ref can just wave away all appeaks, as his performance will still be under review, but at least it will cut out theatrical diving in the box that results in penalties and dodgy goal decisions.

Off course, this doesn't help if a goal is not given that should have been, but you can't cover everything without disrupting the game beyond enjoyable levels.

[Fosterbloke]

Lets replace the football with a round of cheese, slope the pitch 45 degrees at one end and have all the players chase it to the bottom? The ball would always be in play and you can save money on referees, 4th officials and goal line technology. Genius.

[Buzzo]

Also, as in Ruggers the ref himself should be allowed to refer any decision to the VRef. This should only enhance his ability to make a correct call.

The ball is out of play a massive amount in football anyway, and I think people overstate how much the flow of the game would be affected. In other sports these calls really bring the crowd participation into the game a bit more.

[baitman]

Also, as in Ruggers the ref himself should be allowed to refer any decision to the VRef. This should only enhance his ability to make a correct call.

The ball is out of play a massive amount in football anyway, and I think people overstate how much the flow of the game would be affected. In other sports these calls really bring the crowd participation into the game a bit more.

yes and yes

[Fernandinho]

There seem to be so many issues in regards to its implementation. Football is such an open free flowing sport comared to tennis, cricket and even rugby league who use it a lot.

In these sports there are regular proper pauses between play, i.e playing the ball in league, serving in tennis etc.

Unless the review is only for incorrect decisions which have been given, like a red card/penalty it will be near impossible

Offsides are another whole kettle of fish...

Goal line technology makes sense, I don't know if video referees ever will...

[Buzzo]

Would have been a busy weekend for the video ref, though maybe we mainly just need him to follow Halsey around?

[Charly]

Definately not.

Refs should have to do it the same way at every level, otherwise you are going to have different sets of rules popping up in different competitions. I think the game should be the same at Sunday league levels as it is at Premier League.

I also dont want an infallible ref. Half of the fun of football is the passion that comes from blaming the ref for poor decisions. Take that away and you have a very thin set of excuses left.70

[Shaggy]

Really? You'd rather loads of wrong decisions were made, thus ensuring an often essentially false outcome, just so we can "have fun" by debating the poor decisions?

The game is already not the same at Sunday League level as it is at PL. Where are the 4th officials in Sunday league? Linesman wired up to refs? The rules however are exactly the same. Other sports such as tennis, cricket etc are all different at amateur level compared to the top professional level, in terms of video replays and how they are officiated. The rules remain the same.

[dww]

Really? You'd rather loads of wrong decisions were made, thus ensuring an often essentially false outcome, just so we can "have fun" by debating the poor decisions?

The game is already not the same at Sunday League level as it is at PL. Where are the 4th officials in Sunday league? Linesman wired up to refs? The rules however are exactly the same. Other sports such as tennis, cricket etc are all different at amateur level compared to the top professional level, in terms of video replays and how they are officiated. The rules remain the same.

I guess a lot depends on whether you think of football as primarily being entertainment or a sporting contest. If the latter then obviously one would think that the correct imposition of the rules is more important (although one should probably also decline to attack teams like Stoke for playing the way they do).

[Buzzo]

Really? You'd rather loads of wrong decisions were made, thus ensuring an often essentially false outcome, just so we can "have fun" by debating the poor decisions?

The game is already not the same at Sunday League level as it is at PL. Where are the 4th officials in Sunday league? Linesman wired up to refs? The rules however are exactly the same. Other sports such as tennis, cricket etc are all different at amateur level compared to the top professional level, in terms of video replays and how they are officiated. The rules remain the same.

Yeah - I 100% agree with this. If there are arguments the 'keep it the same sport at all levels' is not a strong one.

[Buzzo]

A video ref would have been handy about 4 mins into injury time yesterday.

He misght have got a run out at Stamford Bridge as well.

[Nick77]

Just like refs in rugby, they would ask is there any reason they cannot award the goal. It's so simple & logical, it's scary but it's the opposite of what the football hierarchy think.