Goal-line technology for 2012/13?

[farfrompuken]

Rather than a buzzer on the referee I feel the best way to inform the ref involves an array of flashing lights, a fog horn and some dub step directly attached to each goal.

[toonpete1892]

I know people who actually work at Hawk-Eye and the system they've produced works nicely but it still requires a person/people to accurately set up and test the system each matchday, press a button to run a program every time there is an incident and then press a button to send the results to the referee. Combined with the huge price they'd no doubt be asking (similar technologies have emerged in recent years and Hawk-Eye could soon be pushed out of both cricket and tennis so they've got to watch their backs), this is probably a relative weak option.

 

The chip in ball technology seems the most viable to me personally but again this has problems. It works well in a fairly empty stadium but once you get thousands of people carrying items that interfere with the communication systems, the accuracy and reliabity drops. However, I'm not sure why it needs to be this complicated as the majority of these systems use devices in the posts that could easily have a flashing light near the goal. Obviously output is a concern for FIFA and what works best for the officials and supporters. Very few changes need to be made to the balls themselves as the 'chip' can be built into the inner layers of the ball material - electronic webbing could also be used.

 

Radar type cameras that monitor the balls movements are very discreet and are actually used at the moment to record movements of players etc. Again it needs extensive setting up but the major problem would be the several cameras being blocked by players, similar to the officials eye line being blocked. Other problems include when the ball compresses down and reforms shape due a compact and cameras picking up second balls or alien items.

 

Although I have a good understanding of the current systems, I'm no expert. However, every system will have their flaws and these need to be reduced or erased completely. Most of the systems work in theory but may not in a 50k packed stadium. For me, the 'chip' or electronic mesh in the ball in theory works the best and I guess a system extremely similar will be used - the performance of the ball can not be influenced simply to include the technology.

 

Will the FA pick up the bill for the league two teams who will need to start using the technology ?

 

Thats part of the reason behind the delay in the tehnolgies introduction. Although its very annoying when the decision goes against you, the number of times that it is needed is extremely low (compared to bad challenges, offsides etc). Annoyingly the companies with the technology know that if they are the chosen company, they are dominant and can pretty much charge whatever they want. This is not viable in many leagues, let alone those outside of the top league in each country. Unlike Tennis and Cricket, where the reviews are made on tv and therefore advertising can be added, an instant result would not give the company any visual advertising. In comparison to the use of technology, the two extra officials used in the UEFA cup can be copied right down to school football. Just a shame it didn't work.

[Disco]

Always been against video technology really... just think football should be a human game and incorrect decisions are part and parcel of it.

 

I would rather we spent more time educating players and managers to respect refereeing decisions.

 

(I don't expect anyone to agree with this BTW!)

 

I do. Completely agree.

 

I'm more in this camp than the technology camp actually. Bad decisions are part and parcel of the game and are a large part of what makes it so talked about.

[cubaricho]

With the amount of money being in the game these days, "human error" will be marked out as quickly as possible.

[Aphrodite]

They trialled the chip in ball system at the U17 World Cup a few years back and it didn't work particularly well. I remember one time it flashed up as a goal when the ball went out for a goal kick.