There’s a myth out there that technology will ruin soccer, what Pelé (and others) once called “the beautiful game.” Let me ask you something: is this Cristiano Ronaldo free kick any less beautiful because he’s wearing the latest Nike boots? Do you have any idea how many hours are spent developing the technology that’s built into things like the Nike Mercurial Vapor Superfly II? Rest assured that Nike pays top-tier engineers a handsome wage to ensure that its boots are state-of-the-art. Should we take away Gonzalo Higauaín’s goal against Germany because he’s wearing Adidas TechFit? Or maybe we should cancel the World Cup altogether because players will be kicking around the Jabulani, a ball that Adidas’ engineers had been working on since the day after World Cup 2006? This fear of technology “ruining” soccer is not only unfounded, but it’s simply ignorant of the fact that technology has always been part of the beautiful game, and it always will be. Arguing that the sport needs to be kept “pure” should result in a direct red card. (See what I did there?)
As some of you may know, FIFA recently decided, at its regular meeting with soccer bigwigs in Zurich, that it won’t implement any form of goal line technology at this year’s World Cup, to be held in South Africa this June. Goal line technology—and there were two competing systems looking to gain FIFA’s seal of approval—would be used to help referees determine a goal’s validity. Not to get too “sporty,” but a goal in FIFA-sanctioned soccer matches is only valid if the entire ball crosses the goal line. Scenarios can arise when the ball only partially crosses the line—chaos ensues. Famous examples include a goal in the 1966 World Cup final between England and West Germany and a goal (pictured here, too) in the 2004-05 Champions League semi-final between Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC. (I’m sure a search for “disputed goals” will turn up many more examples.) In both cases, any form of goal line technology would be able to determine whether or not the ball had fully crossed the goal line, whether or not the goal should stand.
Thanks, Daily Mail!
It’s here that the anti-technology crowd begins to get nervous. “OK, so say Chelsea wanted to challenge that Liverpool goal. What, is the ref going to stop the game, killing its flow and momentum in the process, mosey on over to a video monitor on the sidelines, and spend several minutes reviewing the footage?” Nice Doomsday scenario, but who says it has to be so cumbersome involved? Why can’t there be a fifth official whose sole job is to monitor, say, a Hawk Eye video monitor? Once a goal is challenged, this fifth official can view the play in question, the tell the main referee using the magic of a wireless microphone, “Nope, no goal.”
Where in that chain of events does the integrity of the beautiful game break down, exactly? (And is that any more perverse than a family from Florida “buying” a club like Manchester United FC, only to saddle it with mountains of debt? Is it any more perverse than a team like Real Madrid CF taking advantage of favorable socio-economic connections to essentially buy trophies? Discussions for another day.)
Technology has always been a part of soccer—you can thank British engineering for creating the ships that carried the people who spread the sport around the world—and pretending otherwise won’t make it so. What were the original balls made of, crude leather? Those may have been fine in Pichichi’s day, but will we have to put asterisks next to the names of the top scorers of this year’s World Cup because they kicked the Adidas Jabulani into the back of the net and not a 12-inch diameter rock? Let’s cancel the Group Stage because all 32 teams are using kits developed by either Nike, Adidas, Puma, or whomever, kits that engineers spent years designing? In fact, let’s cancel the television coverage of the tournament—soccer can only be enjoyed, and should only be enjoyed, if you’re actually sitting in the stands!
Goal annulled, wearing fancy Adidas kit
What about that story of Adidas’ founder, at the time the German team’s equipment manager, outfitting Die Mannschaft with cutting-edge boots in the 1954 World Cup final against Hungary?
You ever watch the UEFA Champions League and wonder how they “know” how many kilometers this or that player has run? That’s ProZone, a technology that has been around for a few years. It helps managers analyze their players’ performances. “Look, Rooney, according to the data you’re running around entirely too much out there—you’re a striker not a mid-fielder. Try to hover inside the box more, and spend less time tracking back. Let the mid-field do its job; you do yours.” That conversation, apparently, should never happen, either.
People argue, “Well, it’s a sport played by humans, and should thus be officiated by humans, and not the cold, unforgiving hand of technology.” What? I swear, every single Sunday and Monday you can find articles in The Guardian, The Times, and The Daily Mail arguing that referees are incompetent blunderers and should be hounded out of the game for good. Howard Webb this, Mike Riley that. The Spanish sports paper As has created an entire word, villarato, describing the abhorrent (well, whatever Real Madrid consider it abhorrent, or whenever FC Barcelona benefit) referring in La Liga. How about, instead of putting such enormous pressure on referees, then freaking out beyond all reason when they make a “bad” call, we allow technology to come in and help then? Have you ever driven a car without power steering? How many of you even know how to drive a manual transmission car? Oh, I get it: technology is fine so long as it doesn’t interfere when Saturday comes, right?
Technology is here to help us, here to make gentle the life of the world. So let it help us!
Over here in North America, the general sense is that the purpose of soccer is to provide a gathering place for hooligans so that they can hold their gang-fights somewhere other than the High Street. Other than electric fences, there’s no obvious need for technology there.
(Yes, that’s sarcasm – but unless there’s a riot, soccer matches in Europe get little or no coverage on the US “news” media.)
Luckily, even if there’s a riot in a american played sport, there won’t be any coverage in Europe.
I am a proud American, and I laughed well @José Miguel’s comment! :)
Of course, when did europeans get out of their beer high to listen to news? :P
Here is something I posted on your “FIFA officially rules out using goal line technology at this year’s World Cup. In other news, FIFA is dumb.” article. It relates even more to this article than the last one…
The problem is that If FIFA implements tech into the game then it would be harder for them make match-fixing like they did in 2002 WC and so on. The best way for them to do this is through the reffs. You seriously dont think that fifa Knows that more people will watch a game against France than Ireland? Yes, it could have gone the other way, it might have been a Ireland hand goal but in the end its what the referee wants to count as a “hand ball” of not. In the end its all about money and if the referee has a chance to put France in the world cup because the organization THAT PAYS HIM is gonna profit from it…what do you think will happen? that fact that they don’t even think about putting a 5th official behind or next to the goal-line tells you that they dont want to loose control of this “human error power” if you want to call it that. Eventually technology will be brought into the sport as technology cant be suppressed but not before we see alot more absurd refereeing decisions like wee see now a days where referees cant or wont keep up with the pace of the game.
I agree %100. Even the rules are designed for increasing ‘human error’, offside rule is the prime example.
I have no problem with players and teams using new an innovative techniques to train and execute on game day. I also have no problem with a ball designed to be as round as possible since the ball is supposed to be round to begin with.
Where the line has to be drawn is the rule book. The rules of soccer are explicitly written to be as simple, as easy to understand and as universally applicable. The rules are often revised not just to clarify but to simplify. Adding more officials or necessary sensors or cameras adds complexity to a game that needs none. Soocer can be played by children or developing nations or in the park with some friends and everyone uses the same rules, same basic equipment. FA cup players might wear fancier shoes and have a fancy ball but they are playing the same game.
Soccer is special thanks to those simple rules. You don’t need a pitching machine like in little league baseball and you don’t have to modify the physical contact for kids and women like in hockey. You don’t need thousands of dollars worth of armour like in the other football and you don’t need to have been born in colonial england to understand the rules like in cricket. There are many other sports and I could go on but there is a reason soccer is the most popular sport in the world. Anyone can play and what they play is soccer, not some local variant or dumbed down version.
Technology is not the magical fix you appear to want to make it. It always comes with it’s own quirks and new problems to be solved. I like my simple game just they way it is. Just like an old growth forrest measures should be taken to protect it, not to chop it down because building a road around it would be a bother.
Use all the technology you want to make decisions about who to put on the field and what they should be wearing when they get there. Use new ways to broadcast the game everywhere in the world so everyone can enjoy it. Just leave the Laws of the Game alone.
You pose an argument that is romantic but not accurate. I am sick of this type of romance that allows Italy to continue to be rewarded for diving in world cups and where less prominent sides end up playing with 10 men because a referee has had a rush of blood. I am in favour of the cold hard realities of fair play and level playing fields. It is time that the Man Us and Italys of this world cease to get at least half goal advantages.
The rule book of soccer is no longer simple. It is no longer 1. Do not handle the ball and, 2. Throw or kick the ball in after it goes out of bounds. Why? … because human beings cannot be trusted to play any game in the “spirit” of the game. Saying this another way, humans learn how to bend or shortcut the rules … they cheat. So hence we have a burgeoning rule book and 23rd player. We have red cards, yellow cards, direct penalties, indirect penalties, feigned injuries, stretchers etc etc. This is no longer the pure game you speak off … it is far from the game my under 9s play in the park on Saturday. It is money, professionalism, cynicism and referees that have spoilt the game. If technology can be used to reduce these blights on the game then bring it on.
We could start by having a video ref adjudicate on all cards. We could then have him give input all decisions where the ball goes immediately dead. No impact on the flow of the game, assistance for the referee … surely we have to be better off.
Very good article, I was so lucky.
Great article, you write this very well.
And this is why football will never take off in the US like it does in the rest of the world.
Yes football, what Americans play is HAND EGG.
Please keep technology out of our football, we like it the way it is, we do not try to make your measuring system make sense right?
Metric much?
very nicely said, I can’t stand any of the crap going on now because well simply, it ruins the character of football, why the hell do we have to make every bloody sport so complicated?!? Jesus christ, leave it as it is and yes (it’s called football, not soccer, you do play it using your feet yes?)
I am not being racist, but the US simply doesn’t know what its like the controversy and what not here, ever been to a real match? I’m a die hard Liverpool supporter (not a fan), born and brought up here, and all I can say is that the feeling of being at Anfield singing, YNWA, Fields of Anfield Road, it’s the best feeling in the world, and to have idiotic technology come in and have the game stopped every bloody minute for a little trip would be simply pathetic.
If you can’t deal with the controversy in football, nor can you deal with the physical aspect of the game, then don’t play it.
There was exactly the same uproar in Rugby a few years back when they wanted to introduce the TMO or Television Match Official. The argument was it would kill the game and slow it down. In fact it has done the opposite.
Let’s be honest, in a sport that transfers more money than any industry in the world when it comes to the highest level every goal counts. Things like Henry’s goal for France against Ireland and the Liverpool goal could be removed from the game allowing the best team to win.
I would rather watch a Steven Gerrard 40 yard free kick hit the back of the net than a Roonie chip that hits the crossbar and may or may not have crossed the line.
Football is so popular because of its universitality. Easy to play anywhere, without particularly specialist/expensive equipment.
The technology to detect what has happened exists. But is expensive enough that only the top few leagues would be able to implement it. This would result in the different leagues playing with different rules, which is not desired.
Probably most importantly, it is seen as the thin end of the wedge. Once you start adding technology that interferes with the flow of play, it is easy to justify adding more. This could ultimately end up with the farce that is American Football, where there is only an average of 11 minutes actual play in each match.
There are very simple reasons why we don’t have more technology in football. Next time there is a competition draw for the World Cup, look at the people picking the teams out of the bag to see who plays each other. Then ask yourself if any of those people look like they have purchased anything online, or downloaded an app or even have a facebook account they actually run themselves. Then you will quickly understand why there isn’t more technology involved in football.
Put simply, It is run by dinosaurs who wouldn’t know an MPU from an MP3.
Sir my sentiments exactly, it will never happen with the dinosaurs they have there now, I’m all for it, for the record the game is called football and it should evolve. PS I’m 65 and still kicking.
I think that football is fine just like it is. We don’t need all sorts of tech to take the magic (and sometimes the luck) away from it. The referee isn’t perfect, nor are the players and that’s the way it should be.
I don’t want to see the ref running to his officials during the game and then shows some signs wheter it’s a goal or not like in ice-hockey. That’s simply boring and takes the whole spark of the moment away..
I’d have to disagree with some people here (especially Ish, can’t agree with kopites, just kidding Ish. Anfield does smell though!!) and i’d have to agree with the article, these part time luddites who run football absolutely baffle me, it would take about 5 seconds for a 5th official to decide wether it was over the line and tell the ref wirelessly, it’s such an injustice when your team scores and its not given (like when mendes scored against Man U and it wasn’t given, even though it was a yard over the line). Goal line technology would not only give the scoring team justice but it would help the refs so much, who i can tell you get plenty of abuse.
Its got to the point where theres so much pressure on everyone, especially the refs, players and managers, and a descion like not giving a goal that was can cost a lot of money if the team loses and possibly fails to progress.
Out of all the crazy schemes that fifa have dreamt up with, like putting all of europes best teams into a new league or creating a two tier Premier League, goal line technology is far from the worst, in fact its a good one.
So pull your finger out big wigs and make the chnage.
“What, is the ref going to stop the game, killing its flow and momentum in the process, mosey on over to a video monitor on the sidelines, and spend several minutes reviewing the footage?”
Actually, yes. That’s what happens in rugby.
Ha ha ha I am yet to see i ref “mosey on over to a video monitor on the sidelines” in any rugby much.
It’s called a TMO mate :) and rugby is way more exciting than any sport I watch.
This is just to make the sport fair.
what really “kills the game” or “takes the whole spark of the moment away” is when a referee calls a goal like maradona’s or henry’s legit. THAT my friend, is worst than killing the game. You can see the direct psychological effects it has on the opposing team knowing that such injustice has been allowed. I do not want to take any merit away from maradonas second goal but im not sure it would have been the same if the first goal had been disallowed.
At least get your title straight.. It isn’t Soccer.. It’s Football for crying out loud..
It is the Football word Cup.. not Soccer world cup..
Trust Americans to call something they play with their hands football..
Ridiculous!!!!
ITs called football not soccer.that other thing you call football should be called throwball.
I’m just a high schooler but I love playing football/soccer. My question is I known football came before American Football so why was American Football named such?
The goal line tech would be good because it allows proof that its a true goal, not a ‘chance goal’ that leaves everyone wondering if it was real. Any other new tech should be put up to a debate like we are doing right now.
I hope football doesn’t become tech dependent like American Football or Rugby because I love the sport too much.
-A Random American Kid
becuase NFL/AFL is descended from Rugby Football
1. Shoes and new kit and ball designs don’t interfere with the flow of the game. Goal line technology might. We’re one step from little red flags and replays.
2. Why do some of you people assume it was the dirty stupid Americans coming in and trying to ruin “your” sport?
3. All of you “it’s called football not soccer” people (especially the ones from England) need to do some research on where the term came from. (hint the same place that is ruining the game with billionaire owners, huge transfer fees, and bankrupt clubs )
But then all the other leagues will have to have hawkeye, then the sunday leagues. Then kids in parks. Anyway it’s only football , not as if anyone cares about it.
Let’s face it. Technology invades all sports.
The purists are people who get used to things
they have become accustomed to and can’t
envision how change might be good. Granted
there will always be missteps but that’s part
of the process
The only technogly in soccer that I wouldn’t want to fail would be the cup ouchhhhh
The Padrino
http://www.thepadrino.com
People hate change and it takes time to convince many parties involved that well designed technology can only help any sport.
A good example is the use of the SimulCam technology at the NFL combines
http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/03/02/did-the-nfl-screw-up-taylor-mays-time/
Victor Bergonzoli
Dartfish – CEO
The rule book of soccer is no longer simple. It is no longer 1. Do not handle the ball and, 2. Throw or kick the ball in after it goes out of bounds. Why? … because human beings cannot be trusted to play any game in the “spirit” of the game. Saying this another way, humans learn how to bend or shortcut the rules … they cheat. So hence we have a burgeoning rule book and 23rd player. We have red cards, yellow cards, direct penalties, indirect penalties, feigned injuries, stretchers etc etc. This is no longer the pure game … it is far from the game my under 9s play in the park on Saturday. It is money, professionalism, cynicism and referees that have spoilt the game. If technology can be used to reduce these blights on the game then bring it on.
We could start by having a video ref adjudicate on all cards. We could then have him give input on all decisions where the ball goes immediately dead. No impact on the flow of the game, assistance for the referee, better decisions … surely we have to be better off.
“to make gentle the life of the world”
You don’t go to a football game to have a ” gentle” or relaxing, carefree time! You go to be exhilirated, enfuriated, amazed, to argue, to feel a bit hard done by, to laugh at the opposition fans when they get the bad enda the stick! So gl tech – no thankye.