More Assistants, Not Technology

With the Premier League making way for the FA Cup this week, there were not many talking points on the refereeing side writes Paul Richards.

As a result, I have decided to write about how I feel about the introduction of technology to aid refereeing decisions.

Everyone will agree that goal line technology has been a much needed introduction but what about all the other decisions that managers, players and pundits argue about week in week out?

I firmly believe UEFA are half way there with the introduction of officials on the goal line. What they need to do now is to give these additional assistants more responsibility. At the moment there is nothing to say why they are there but if you give them the responsibility to advise the referee when asked then I believe issues such as goal kicks, corners and dubious penalty decisions can be correctly awarded. Do not give them power to overrule but definitely give them the power to change the referees mind if he is hesitant.

Introducing a referee in the stands to give the final say will only do two things in my opinion. It only add to the ridiculous amount of time added to a game and there is a fear of confusing football even more.

I say that because I do not think I have seen a football pundits agree on some decisions so you have to ask how are referees supposed to do so with the addition of a television screen and slow motion replays. Sometimes it is just too hard to make a decision even with technology available.

Fans will still not agree, managers will still not agree and players certainly will not agree either.

Look at sports that already have video technology such as cricket and rugby league. It can take minutes to come up with a decision and still people argue about it even after watching the slow motion replays.

The only way I can see technology working full time in football is to allow one challenge on a decision each game but even then there will be issues.

The solution in my mind is to add the extra official on the goal line but also give them more responsibilities.

This subject was covered in depth last season in a two part Beyond The Touchline feature which you can see here – Part 1 and Part 2.

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