Wednesday, 25 November 2009
Saturday, 19 September 2009
Video Technology In Football
Alright, here we go, the big one. Should we introduce video technology into football?
This is generally a topic I stay away from , I prefer to leave it to managers to moan and argue about amongst themselves. However, having seen the farce of 5 match officials in the Europa League games this week i've tried to put together my opinions and come to some conclusions on the matter.
I will only except technology that proves catagorically a fact of one type or another, for example goal line technology is fine, the ball either crosses the line or it doesn't, no debate and no need for replays a simple red light on a refs watch will surfice. Much like a digital stopwatch can be used to keep track of the length of the game goal, line technology merely serves the purpose to prove what has happened, there is no need for intuition or debate.
However, even the introduction of this relatively straight forward piece of technology should only be introduced with conditions. This or any techonolgy must only be introduced if it is adopted in every league in every footballing nation. Who would foot the bill? FIFA and any team in the top flight in their respective countries.
Why this loopwhole? Well, the beauty of football is it's accessibility and the general belief that every game is just as important as the next, regardless of league, team, and rank. Some games are more popular, better quality, but all games are equal.
There are many idea's about what new systems could be introduced including, from panels watching television games to captains choosing when to appeal and losing appeals when they have proven unfounded, much like tennis and Hawkeye, but no one has yet put together a compelling arguement for any one idea.
The idea that a panel of 'experts' watching the match and making accurate decisions is laughable.
Referee's have always got decisions it right and wrong and opinions on fouls and key decisions usually depend upon a persons views of the game in general rather on a specific incident.
Did Eduardo dive against Celtic ? or was he jumping over inevitable contact with the goalkeeper? If the keeper did touch him, was Eduardo playing for the Penalty? - is that cheating or cunning? did he go over easily? Is he entitled to go over easily? Did he have the ball undercontrol? Was that tackle as bad the one on Rooney a week later? Are all questions each panel would have to consider and i doubt consistancy will be found through this sort of method.
In addition, the whole idea of shipping the audiences gaze to a television camera somewhere else whilst 'experts' decide the outcome sells the game football slightly short. Football is the number one sport in the world, it doesn't need gimmicky appeal like structures, television replays or anything else like that, to make it more exciting. Save that for cricket or other sports where nothing happens, or nobody really cares unless it's Wimbledon, The World Cup, or any other fad sport.
It is argued that it will give the respect back to referee's, given their decisions will be beyond reproach and ugly scenes of footballers surrounding the referee will be avoided. But i'd say this could be sorted by improving and extending the role of the team captain and his relationship with the match officials.
I'm not against technology in football, but if it isn't universal, if it isn't instantly conclusive, beyond reproach, and doesn't try to take the audiences gaze away from the action, then leave it would be best just to leave the game alone and accept referees do pretty good job and would probably do a better one if they not always being underminded.
Everyone who plays, watches and officiates football is aware this is part of the game. They should get on with it. If pundits and critics are fed up of talking about dodgey decisions - get another job or write about something else.
This is generally a topic I stay away from , I prefer to leave it to managers to moan and argue about amongst themselves. However, having seen the farce of 5 match officials in the Europa League games this week i've tried to put together my opinions and come to some conclusions on the matter.
I will only except technology that proves catagorically a fact of one type or another, for example goal line technology is fine, the ball either crosses the line or it doesn't, no debate and no need for replays a simple red light on a refs watch will surfice. Much like a digital stopwatch can be used to keep track of the length of the game goal, line technology merely serves the purpose to prove what has happened, there is no need for intuition or debate.
However, even the introduction of this relatively straight forward piece of technology should only be introduced with conditions. This or any techonolgy must only be introduced if it is adopted in every league in every footballing nation. Who would foot the bill? FIFA and any team in the top flight in their respective countries.
Why this loopwhole? Well, the beauty of football is it's accessibility and the general belief that every game is just as important as the next, regardless of league, team, and rank. Some games are more popular, better quality, but all games are equal.
There are many idea's about what new systems could be introduced including, from panels watching television games to captains choosing when to appeal and losing appeals when they have proven unfounded, much like tennis and Hawkeye, but no one has yet put together a compelling arguement for any one idea.
The idea that a panel of 'experts' watching the match and making accurate decisions is laughable.
Referee's have always got decisions it right and wrong and opinions on fouls and key decisions usually depend upon a persons views of the game in general rather on a specific incident.
Did Eduardo dive against Celtic ? or was he jumping over inevitable contact with the goalkeeper? If the keeper did touch him, was Eduardo playing for the Penalty? - is that cheating or cunning? did he go over easily? Is he entitled to go over easily? Did he have the ball undercontrol? Was that tackle as bad the one on Rooney a week later? Are all questions each panel would have to consider and i doubt consistancy will be found through this sort of method.
In addition, the whole idea of shipping the audiences gaze to a television camera somewhere else whilst 'experts' decide the outcome sells the game football slightly short. Football is the number one sport in the world, it doesn't need gimmicky appeal like structures, television replays or anything else like that, to make it more exciting. Save that for cricket or other sports where nothing happens, or nobody really cares unless it's Wimbledon, The World Cup, or any other fad sport.
It is argued that it will give the respect back to referee's, given their decisions will be beyond reproach and ugly scenes of footballers surrounding the referee will be avoided. But i'd say this could be sorted by improving and extending the role of the team captain and his relationship with the match officials.
I'm not against technology in football, but if it isn't universal, if it isn't instantly conclusive, beyond reproach, and doesn't try to take the audiences gaze away from the action, then leave it would be best just to leave the game alone and accept referees do pretty good job and would probably do a better one if they not always being underminded.
Everyone who plays, watches and officiates football is aware this is part of the game. They should get on with it. If pundits and critics are fed up of talking about dodgey decisions - get another job or write about something else.
Thursday, 17 September 2009
A Day In The Sun
So there I was listening to the 3rd day of the 5th Test live from the Oval in my living room on Radio 5 Live. When suddenly my phone rings.
'Hello, it's Si (One of my bosses), what are you doing tomorrow?'
'Nothing?' I respond.
'Okay, meet me at The Oval at 7am tomorrow' he says.
'Cool.' I say.
The next day i'm there at 6-30 am my mistake, bloody London transport, always gets you where you want to go.
Anyway, so it was an amazing day I have to admit although at first I was surpremely confident of England beating the Aussies for most of the day it was only until Freddy Flintoff ran out Ponting for 66, whilst the Aussies Captain was building up a solid partnership with Mike Hussey that I actually thought England would wrap up and win the Ashes before the 5th day.
Anyway, it was quite an achievement, both sides were weaker than in 2005 and as the Series wasn't on terestrial TV and I am no longer at Uni I got to watch alot less of it, which is inevitable.
10 Things We've Learnt This Week About The Champions League
My good friend Ibrahim Mustafa wrote one of these about the Premier League last season, so now i'm nicking his idea. Well done Ibs you've created a winning format...
10 things we learnt from this weeks opening games in 09/10 the Champions League.
1) Qualification from the group stages in the Champions League is now a complete formality for English sides. Missing key players (Chelsea - Drogba), having half your team missing (Arsenal - No keeper etc etc), playing poorly away (Man Utd) and completely lacking in proper form (Liverpool - victories against Burnley and Stoke at home don't count as form) means nothing when you're up against the sides that would struggle to stay up in the Premiership. Harsh??? I think not unfortunately.
2) Most of the sides in this years Champions League are won't be in it next season and for good reason. Wolfsburg, Zenit, CSKA Moscow, Athletico Madrid. One season wonders domestically - or have lost players over the summer.
3) Ibrahimovic is a better signing than Eto'o, yes!!! Eto'o looks slower older and more at odds with his teammates than the Slavic Swede.
4) The 3 of the 4 Italian teams will be lucky to get to the quarter finals and are shockingly short of quality and experience. AC Milan need a proper goalkeeper, not a 32 year old ex Messina and Perugia shot stopper who has never played in the Champions League before, or for that matter dealt with a cross. Juventus have a manager with no Champs League experience, Ciro Ferrara, and this showed in their dismal home display against Bordeaux, which ended 1-1. Fiorentina lost 1-0 Lyon. Nuff said...
5) As much as Jose Mourinho wants to hate Barcelona and win the Champions League he will achieve neither at Inter Milan.
6) Paul Scholes scores goals . Still!!!
7) Barcelona are still the most entertaining and best team in Europe. Real Madrid will push them close as their 5-2 win at Zurich suggests. But Messi is an act in himself.
8) Rangers will battle bravely to compete in their group but will ultimately end up throwing away their chances of qualifying by losing at home to Romanians Unirea Urziceni.
9) The inclusion of more teams from lesser footballing nations will improve the competition in the long term, but at the moment provides a uncompetitive 4th seed in each group.
10) After a long time in the dulldrums Bayern Munich will once again be a force to be reckoned with in Europe.
10 things we learnt from this weeks opening games in 09/10 the Champions League.
1) Qualification from the group stages in the Champions League is now a complete formality for English sides. Missing key players (Chelsea - Drogba), having half your team missing (Arsenal - No keeper etc etc), playing poorly away (Man Utd) and completely lacking in proper form (Liverpool - victories against Burnley and Stoke at home don't count as form) means nothing when you're up against the sides that would struggle to stay up in the Premiership. Harsh??? I think not unfortunately.
2) Most of the sides in this years Champions League are won't be in it next season and for good reason. Wolfsburg, Zenit, CSKA Moscow, Athletico Madrid. One season wonders domestically - or have lost players over the summer.
3) Ibrahimovic is a better signing than Eto'o, yes!!! Eto'o looks slower older and more at odds with his teammates than the Slavic Swede.
4) The 3 of the 4 Italian teams will be lucky to get to the quarter finals and are shockingly short of quality and experience. AC Milan need a proper goalkeeper, not a 32 year old ex Messina and Perugia shot stopper who has never played in the Champions League before, or for that matter dealt with a cross. Juventus have a manager with no Champs League experience, Ciro Ferrara, and this showed in their dismal home display against Bordeaux, which ended 1-1. Fiorentina lost 1-0 Lyon. Nuff said...
5) As much as Jose Mourinho wants to hate Barcelona and win the Champions League he will achieve neither at Inter Milan.
6) Paul Scholes scores goals . Still!!!
7) Barcelona are still the most entertaining and best team in Europe. Real Madrid will push them close as their 5-2 win at Zurich suggests. But Messi is an act in himself.
8) Rangers will battle bravely to compete in their group but will ultimately end up throwing away their chances of qualifying by losing at home to Romanians Unirea Urziceni.
9) The inclusion of more teams from lesser footballing nations will improve the competition in the long term, but at the moment provides a uncompetitive 4th seed in each group.
10) After a long time in the dulldrums Bayern Munich will once again be a force to be reckoned with in Europe.
Thursday, 20 August 2009
WESTMINSTER LIVE!!
I was recently given the opportunity to be the face of Westminster Live Studios in the middle of Westminster opposite the Houses of Parliament. I met some great people and very thankful to the team for the opportunity to be a leading figure in the progression of such a dynamic, imaginative and youthful team.
Saturday, 6 June 2009
FINAL CALL FOR THE FA CUP?
Last night a friend of mine brought up the small matter of whether the FA Cup is as important now as it was, let's say 10 years ago. A well documented subject but one none the less I feel needs to be discussed. I think it remains a landmark tournament and a trophy that every team would love to win.
However, it is now a fourth rate competition and if you consider side such as Manchester United can now win the Premier League, Champions League and League Cup all in one season, the FA Cup is no longer there only other chance at success.
In addition, sides like Arsenal, Aston Villa would rather qualify for the Champions League for financial reasons than have one day in the sun in North London. Not to mention sides in the Championship would rather get promoted and already have a huge fixture list, so the better ones don't really need the cash a cup run would bring and sides from the bottom half would rather avoid relegation.
This is not to say teams don't want to win the Cup, just incentives aren't there, the competition needs a cash injection. Sides need think of getting to the latter stages of the competition because it makes financial sense to attempt it rather than for prestige or a small cash injection.
The amounts need to be big enough that sides would rather gamble on the FA Cup rather than an outside chance of getting in the playoffs.
But as a spectacle, having been to a couple of finals now, and having watched Chelsea and Everton fans enjoying themselves so much during there day out last weekend. I know the anyone who says the FA Cup is dead, unimportant or worthless are just bitter they missed out on the showpiece final.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
