March 22nd 2015 – Technology

We need it.  And don’t tell me it will diminish the game. Don’t tell me we can’t have technology at the professional level because the game needs to be the same at all levels. I’ve yet to see 5 referees/linesman at a normal game on Hackney marshes. Most pitches don’t have nets. Referees use telcoms to talk to each other. So don’t tell me we don’t want technology in the game. Where we can be binary or fact based we can use technology. We have it for goal-lines (thankfully) – but even that was slightly nonesenseical. If it was not for England’s goal against the Nazis being disallowed would we have had this technology?

Linesman need help, referees need help. And most importantly fans need help.

In due course the balls will have chips such that the linesman will know when the ball it out. The players will have chips so that we can triangulate off-side.

But please don’t give us more referees. It’s not like non-professional games can have these extra refs. I’ve yet to see what they do in those European games. I don’t think any one actually knows. And the refs are still terrible. They need help.

They should be able to get remote help form the 4th official who should be following the game on a screen. Really, what value do they add by holding up the additional minutes for the end of each half. They should be advising the ref over the ear-piece.

-LB7