Is it time to introduce electronic referees (video playback) during football matches?

Answer 1

I don't know about DURING matches - but I would certainly support TRIAL BY TELEVISION after matches to give, remove, upgrade or downgrade red and yellow cards. The more foul play and cheating that is dealt with afterwards, the less there will be on the pitch - in the end, the players will realise they will be caught in the end.

Answer 2

I think the managers should have the right to challenge decisions throughout the game, same as in American football, if the manager has three challenges, then the game can be stopped and the action reviewed as the club will have someone viewing the action and the challenges will more correct.
I saw a game last year where west ham were given a goal and won the game 2-1 and the ball didn't cross the line, and a game were the match finished 0-0 and tottenham scored a goal against man utd. It was clearly a goal but the linesman was so far behind play he didn't give it. So many bad decisions are made by the referees and with the amount of money in the game something should be done about it.

Answer 3

Yes. I heard some Cricket commentators a while a go with a good idea -
each teams has, for example, 3 appeals allowed per game, for when they think the referee has made a bad decision. When they appeal the video replay is looked at and the referees decision is either confirmed or reversed accordingly. If the referee was right and the appeal was wrong then the team now have 2 appeals left. But if the referee is wrong and the appeal is right then the team still has 3 appeals.

I think its a bit too complicated but it would probably work better in cricket than football.

Answer 4

The simple answer is yes, we have no choice.

Football is not about sport any more and hasn't been for some time, it's about money, business and millions of pounds cannot be put down to one mans decision.

Take the world cup, the biggest prize in the world for any team, just imagine that Argentina beat Brazil in the final by one goal and it is a terrible decision, the ref ignores the linesmen and allows the goal.
How can that be right? How can after all the world plays a tournament over months, game after game and it is won on a wrong decision?

Teams make millions of pounds, millions and how can YOUR team miss out of that, your country lose because one man got it wrong?
Why should you when the technology is here to make sure it doesn't, video playback is one thing and maybe not right for the game but there is other equipment out there to monitor the ball in relation to this pitch.

Whatever we feel about this, it WILL come.

Answer 5

In a limited capacity only IE 'Cyclops, Hawk-eye or chipped ball for over the line/out of play decisions, defiantly yes. As to stop start calls this is more controversial. One such time that would make perfect sense would be if a penalty has been awarded, the fourth official then views the replay and See's that the striker had dived. The decision could be reversed straight away, with the striker booked. No break in play other than was happening anyway and we end up with a fair call.

Answer 6

the football stadium of today is like the arena of sport of roman times..the gladiators are of course the players....instead of killing each other,they attempt to score goals. the man in the middle is only responsible to the governing body (ie fifa) and we all know of the graham poll **** up during the world cup! however ever since the England team of 66 beat Germany..due to the bad camera angles it is very difficult to say if sir Geoff Hurst's goal was indeed a goal..as an Englishman i would say of course no doubt,however if i was a German i would say no it wasn't..(who cares it was given!) over every world cup since they have tried to decide yes it was no it wasn't..but the man in the middle said yes after conferring with his linesman..so it was his responsibility..every match shown on the box will always create a controversy..was it a dive/goal/foul/handball etc..if these decisions are given it is how the ref and or the linesman see it at the time from where they are..lets not spoil the beautiful game..keep it as it is..it creates discussion if nothing else and keeps all the pundits in cash while they appear on the box!! no please don't use instant replay..however how about introducing a 2ND ref..one for each half of the pitch..that way they would not be so knackered and be able to keep up with play...just a thought..

Answer 7

Without question video playback should always be used if there is any doubt about an incident. In Athletics , horse and greyhound racing photo finish cameras are used to confirm the accurate places of the ' finishers'. I am sure the system is very much appreciated by the public and of course the Bookmakers.
Video playback in Soccer would ensure that CHEATS could not prosper and if caught out the individual player committing the 'scam' can be properly punished without further argument.

Answer 8

Yes without a doubt. There are so many sports using this type of thing successfully so why not in football. At least then the ref will see the ball in the back of Man Uniteds net before the keeper has time to scoop it out and deny it had ever crossed the line.

Answer 9

It would be better to analyse matches after to either fix punishments or to remove red or yellow cards handed out for something that the opposition has feigned and duped the referee in giving in the first place, once the offending player has been punished they won`t try it on again hopefully, we then can have an honest and open game for a change

Answer 10

Yes, there are times when the referee cannot see the action and it would only take a few seconds to check, and award the correct decision. It's being used in cricket why not football ?.