FIFA to test video replay

FIFA president Blatter wants to test use of video replays in matches next year. Coaches could challenge 2 to 4 decisions per game. [via ap]

I like it, kind of like in tennis they have some challenges, without interrupting the game too much.

Yes, *bleep* finally. Pathetic it's taken this long in a sport that's rife with human error.

I wonder if a challenge system will affect refereeing. For example if a ref is 60% sure he just saw an offside, would he still allow it if he thinks "if I'm wrong they'll challenge the call"?

One thing's for sure it won't be perfect, nothing would be. However it would be a huge improvement

Think of all the disgraceful penalty calls and red cards that will be avoided. I hope if a player is found guilty of blatantly diving for a Pen or trying to get somebody sent off, they get punished with a Red card themselves as soon as the replay has been analysed.

It works perfectly in field hockey a similar fast paced sport.So no reason why it wont work here .

BarrileteCosmico wrote:I wonder if a challenge system will affect refereeing. For example if a ref is 60% sure he just saw an offside, would he still allow it if he thinks "if I'm wrong they'll challenge the call"?

Most referees will think they can make decisions boldly based on their instincts becoz even if they are wrong the players have an oppertunity to correct it.So wont be barracked or criticized much like now.

BeautifulGame wrote:It works perfectly in field hockey a similar fast paced sport.So no reason why it wont work here .

Never understood the "it's messing with the flow of the game" argument anyway. When a blatant offside goal is scored or a player is apparently harshly sent off you'll have the entire opposition team harrassing the referee for 3 minutes anyway to argue the decision. Just solve it quickly with a video replay and be done with it. "2 to 4 decisions" ensures that teams can't moan about every single decision, too. Which they wouldn't do anyway, you usually have 1, at most 2 big calls you'd like to contest in a football game.

Fußball wrote:

BeautifulGame wrote:It works perfectly in field hockey a similar fast paced sport.So no reason why it wont work here .

Never understood the "it's messing with the flow of the game" argument anyway. When a blatant offside goal is scored or a player is apparently harshly sent off you'll have the entire opposition team harrassing the referee for 3 minutes anyway to argue the decision. Just solve it quickly with a video replay and be done with it. "2 to 4 decisions" ensures that teams can't moan about every single decision, too. Which they wouldn't do anyway, you usually have 1, at most 2 big calls you'd like to contest in a football game.

Exactly. It becomes just a giant clusterfck of players and opposition against one another and ref. where we could have the technology in place and get it over with just like that.

The flow argument is a terrible one. Only made by people who fear technology

Been clamouring for this idea since forever. Finally.

well, but has anyone thought about what it will do to the flow of the game?

Also, drones will kill us all!

For an offside goal...I can see it.

The "flow" of the game argument is incredibly relevant when it comes to decisions that are pretty damn close to 50/50 and opinions differ from person to person....and no, controversial decisions don't take minutes with players crowding the ref, maybe a minute, minute and a half.

Different decisions may take minutes to resolve, and even then getting the call right isn't certain either.

So if a referee waves play-on in a hand-ball situation or potential foul (such as a shoulder-to-shoulder in the box) and then a manager wishes to challenge will they stop play and check the video? Because that absolutely would effect the flow of the game, and dramatically so at that.

Well if you only get a few calls per game then I can absolutely live with a couple of passages of play being stopped as opposed to today where some massive games are badly affected with divers/missed fouls etc.

They don't need to stop the entire play all the time. The manager can moan to the sideline official who checks the replay and tells the ref via earphones if it's a pen or not. Or you stop the play, if necessary for whatever reasons, only once the ball is out of play. Checking a replay can't take longer than making a substitution (especially those where the player from the leading team walks off in slowmotion) or aligning for a corner kick or set piece where the goalkeeper is adjusting his wall for an entire minute. I've never heard that substitions or set pieces destroy the flow of the game. You'd have to get used to delayed penalty / card decisions at worst. A contingent of 3 replay checks in a 90 minute game can not destroy the flow of the game in the grand scheme of things.

but who is going to decide, after checking the replay?

because not every decision is clearcut even in a video replay..
will there be a panel and it will be a majority decision? lol
it's not as easy as it seems for fouls.
will the sideline official's judgement overrule the referee?
Or will the referee have to jog to a screen on the sidelines?

Can see it working for offside though, however how do you compensate if a chance was wrongly called off for offside?

I actually think, why the hell not just leave it as it is.
It is actually working right now why mess with it.
Yes there are wrong calls and complaints etc, but that's just part of the game.

RedOranje wrote:So if a referee waves play-on in a hand-ball situation or potential foul (such as a shoulder-to-shoulder in the box) and then a manager wishes to challenge will they stop play and check the video? Because that absolutely would effect the flow of the game, and dramatically so at that.

They could probably have the 4th ref do that and inform the ref is the wrong call was made.

It would be a single assistant referee who decides. If it's a tough decision he'd still have to make up his mind quickly. Meaning that you'd still get a very small amount of wrong decisions (there are indeed situations where you can't really decide even after 1000 slowmo replays) yet 9 out of 10 wrong calls could be overruled, particularly offside goals. No system is perfect. By taking the most extreme theoretical counter examples you can basically argue against anything. Ultimately there should be at least a test period to see if it works properly in practise or not. Confident it will.

Yeah agreed completely

There's always going to be a flaw to pick out, an unlikely 'what if' or two, however this system if it works properly would massively reduce human error so it's an improvement. And we can worry about any minor imperfections when the system is actually in place.

Whereas now there's a huge risk of human error affecting the game at any moment.

Seen Terminator.

Sorry, not for me.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:

RedOranje wrote:So if a referee waves play-on in a hand-ball situation or potential foul (such as a shoulder-to-shoulder in the box) and then a manager wishes to challenge will they stop play and check the video? Because that absolutely would effect the flow of the game, and dramatically so at that.

They could probably have the 4th ref do that and inform the ref is the wrong call was made.

So then all play after the play-on call is waved away regardless of what happens post-incident? I can only see such practices causing MORE controversy and issues, not less.

Seems to me this is all likely to cause MORE major issues rather than fewer by trying to fix a symptom rather than the underlying problem of incredibly vague regulations and nonsensical explanations that lead to broad and conflicting interpretations. Technology is great and offers some real benefits (goal-line tech being a key example) but it's not ALWAYS the answer. I fear many people are getting too caught up in the novelty and idea of change, and aren't considering the full potential (likely as I see it) ramifications.

Welp time to record all the games so i can fast forward the constant ads they'll play while we wait...

I'm with Red on this and think that it would bring more issues into the game, certain decisions vary based on the ability of a ref to interrupt the rule, even with the use of a replay it could still lead to contentious calls being made. We have Video Refs in the NRL(Rugby league) and FFS they are currently the worst thing in the game right now, their lack of ability to interrupt the rules is mind boggling, to be fair thought Football proably has easier calls to make than NRL though.

I do think we need to address the offside issues though, if we could manage to create a system that gives instant decisions to the Ref like with goal line technology that would be amazing, don't know how they would do it but.

There are far, far more instances where a replay or two can give you a very good idea on what happened

It's not that common a situation where replays do nothing actually happens. And without video replays currently BOTH the hard and easy decisions are being called wrongly anyway.

I'd love a video system to reduce human error (Which is absolutely would) and allow reffs to take action on anybody who's trying to con them.

RedOranje wrote:

BarrileteCosmico wrote:

RedOranje wrote:So if a referee waves play-on in a hand-ball situation or potential foul (such as a shoulder-to-shoulder in the box) and then a manager wishes to challenge will they stop play and check the video? Because that absolutely would effect the flow of the game, and dramatically so at that.

They could probably have the 4th ref do that and inform the ref is the wrong call was made.

So then all play after the play-on call is waved away regardless of what happens post-incident? I can only see such practices causing MORE controversy and issues, not less.

Seems to me this is all likely to cause MORE major issues rather than fewer by trying to fix a symptom rather than the underlying problem of incredibly vague regulations and nonsensical explanations that lead to broad and conflicting interpretations. Technology is great and offers some real benefits (goal-line tech being a key example) but it's not ALWAYS the answer. I fear many people are getting too caught up in the novelty and idea of change, and aren't considering the full potential (likely as I see it) ramifications.

The key is no of challenges allowed.If its restricted to one unsuccessful challenge per team then teams wont waste it 50-50 shoulder barges and mainly on game changing decisions.

As for inconclusive replays they should stick with on field referee in that case.Video referee should only overrule if its clear cut decision