Goal-Line Technology Given Green Light, Could Be Used During 2012/13 Premier League Season

Alan Duffy

5th, July 2012

7 Comments

By Alan Duffy

Welcome to the future! The International Football Association Board have approved the introduction of goal-line technology after a vote at FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich.

Two systems, ‘Hawk-Eye’ and the dismally-named ‘GoalRef’ will be introduced for the Club World Cup in December (involving Chelsea), although the Premier League may move even quicker and get it installed at some point during the forthcoming league season.

After the new technology was given the all-clear, FA bigwig Alex Horne, said:

“We welcome today’s decision by IFAB and will engage in discussions with both Hawkeye and GoalRef in the near future with a view to introducing goal-line technology as soon as is practically possible.”

“It may be December until the technology is absolutely finally approved and installed in stadia. Priority is given to the Fifa Club World Cup in Japan.

“The Premier League need to talk to the two (technology providers) and the clubs. My understanding is that clubs are supportive and, in principle, as long as all clubs agree it could be introduced part-way through the season, it could be before the start of 2013-14 season, it could be part way through.

“It might be that it is possible to have it part way through the 2012-13 season. If all 20 clubs agree a switch-on weekend I don’t think anyone is disadvantaged.”

How exciting! To be honest, once it works (and let’s hope it does), I can’t really see any negatives. I bet by the 2014 World Cup we’ll all be asking ourselves why it took so long to introduce in the first place.

And while the footballing authorities are at it, let’s introduce a diving panel which takes retrospective action on cheats . Get that sorted out as well and the game will be a lot better all round.

Posted in International football

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7 Comments

  1. Fnarf says:

    I totally support this development, as does anyone with even half a clue in their pocket. Now, I just wish they would go the full hockey and mount a big red light and buzzer on a pole behind the goal!

  2. usrick says:

    There are two issues that need to be worked out if they haven’t already been:

    1. Who will be receiving the information from the technology and how will it be provided to the referee; and

    2. When/where the restart will be if the referee awards a goal and the technology shows the ball was not completely over the line.

    Neither is a major stumbling block or a reason not to take advantage of the technology and make sure the goal/no goal decisions are correct, but they are matters that need to be addressed.

  3. JoeT says:

    The thing I have with this is, what happens if there is a foul, off the ball incident or an offside in the build up to the goal? Even if they just say its tough I can see them changing their minds at some point.

  4. anti says:

    I think FIFA only approved of this because England got the benefit of this type of wrong decision in last EURO 2012 :-P

  5. Jock says:

    Speaking as a Scot, I fear this technology will work against us. We have had many moral victories down the lie to an allowed non-goal going against us and vice versa. These will take these victories away and when the other team goes and scores 2 more to beat us, I fear there will be accusations that the Scots are just inferior to their victors….!

  6. KingB3113 says:

    Glad it’s approved but I don’t think it’s right to introduce it half-way through a season, knowing Chelsea’s luck, they’ll have a goal incorrectly awarded before the “turn-on” weekend and then get saved by the technology on the “turn-on” weekend. It must be implemented before the start of a season.

    Also, I’m pretty sure that there won’t be an incident that requires the technology for the next few tournaments, now that it’s actually in place.

    @Anti I totally agree with you haha.

  7. Andrew says:

    @ Jock. That’s possibly the stupidest thing I’ve ever read.

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