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oHigh-Time to allow referees Video-TV back-up- Better let the referees chose what video back-up they need for their own self-respect and authority:
A summary of the incidents encountered during the World Cup 2010 First Round made the fist page of the very serious french daily news paper Le Monde on Tuesday 25 June2010 (four days after my despairing post 4 days earlier, cf. OTHER POSTS below)
Video left no cause for doubt on another two decisive goals in this damned WC 2010: The goal scored by England (vs Germany) and the offside goal scored by Argentina occurred at crucial stages in both matches (double sanctions!)
Quote: Once again the referees saw nothing while the TV banished all cause for doubt. The spectators at the game, the players who saw the TV screen and the rest of the world saw it. Even if the referee saw the TV he is forbidden to use the information!!!!!
Those who still believe that video is not an immense assistance to allow efficient refereeing, justice and fairness not to mention improved soccer risk placing themselves on the unnecessary hoodlum side of (sports) management.
The factual front page article was followed up by what must be the most stupid conclusion I have ever come across hardly worthy of a paper such as Le Monde. The feature signed by Bruno Lesprit is entitled "If the referee had TV" (-video back-up) QUOTE: With "progress" one can fear that one day the Video will kill the football star" - "Lesprit" waining he gets very confused citing and adaption a Buggles song title Video Killed the Radio Star
Total Confusion:
1. Soccer-football is a visual sport perfectly adapted to TV - Video for spectators and coaches alike.
George Best of ManU, going back even further beyond Real Madrid's 7 times European Cup side we have Stanley Mathews...Current highly skilled players who have no need of violence, jersey pulling going for the legs not the ball -true footballers we have (although age is catching up with them) Thierry Henry 33 and Steven Gerrard,30 and the youngsters Lionnel Messi,Inesta to name but a few.
All of these players could but thrive on a cleaned-up game.
Lesprit and the current ruling bodies are also getting their knickers in knots over what should be subject to video back-up. The system KISS keep it simple stupid(s) I The referees must by now know what they need to do their job properly a few obvious but random remarks 1. The Goal line, 2 The penalty area. Decisive goal actions, 3. misconduct - especially violence and jersey pulling. Such rules did not come into rugby football over night but evolved gradually to bring rugby to the attractive spectacular game it is today. In soccer inertia is killing the game, abusing it's star performers and reducing excellent referees to the status of court jesters. Fancy technology such as electronics in the ball and the like can wait till later much later. Get a sensor on the goal line...
Come on you guys and here I am addressing the referees and their continuous learning centres- pretty brutal awakening currently. Time to decide what you need to make the sport you adjudicate a proper sport a game of fair-play where skill reigns over brutality, simulated fouls and misconduct of all sorts. As in many peaceful major change-evolutions a strike is called for. As WC 2010 shows this should be unlimited - why not start now during the WC 2010 final stages? Just Video replay back-up on a few criteria decided by the worlds top referees.
