FIFA and the refs - comment thread

[bashutz]

Let me preface this discussion with the fact that I am not a soccer expert and do not follow world soccer closely. I enjoy watching the game and played as a kid in high school.

That said, I have a couple of questions about soccer in general:
1.) How is FIFA so powerful to be able to blindly resist what it seems the world of soccer wants in regards to replays, technology use, etc? How does one become FIFA president? I am assuming he is elected.
2.) Why wouldn't fans of soccer want some kind of replay or technology at least when a game defining goal is in question?

I'm not saying to stop to review every judgement call, buy come on. How many crappy calls that have a huge impact in the final outcome does one have to witness before a change is deemed necessary?

It looks to me that the refs use an ear piece. Why can't they at least conference with their linesmen for a quick consensus on a call? Either that or allow a quick review of a controversial call/play while the ball is out of bounds.

I am interested in hearing comments and perspectives...particularly from people in Europe and SA where soccer is a big part of their sporting culture.

 

[billhill999]

I won't go into my long winded mode here.
In a word, the officiating sucks.

That about sums it up.

 

[jwblue]

I used to ask myself "How can these refs miss such obvious calls?"

It is not that easy. Having an overhead camera view like television viewers do is a lot different than being on the field with players obstructing the veiw of the refs. The refs have maybe one or two seconds to make a decision on a call.

I think all calls should be made from a booth with a television. That is the best way to be able to see the plays. If there is a penalty, the ref on the field can be contacted through the ear piece.

Even offsides could be handled this way. Have a huge light at both ends of the pitch. When there is offsides, the ref in the booth hits a button and the light is activated and play stops.

The ref on the field would also have the ability to make calls.

 

[bashutz]

@InSpades...this is exactly my point.

The ref can't possibly see everything that goes on during the play of game, so why not rely on technology that is available? I like your point about the booth. It would take seconds to relay information to a ref on the field from a booth for importatant plays. I think all these poor judgement calls have tainted this world cup...what a shame. FIFA should be held accountable to make the game better. Not to make it better for US watchers, but for everyone. These athletes have 4 years to try and peak at the right time in order to win a world cup. They to have some putz influence the outcome of a game due to incompetance is just plain wrong.

 

[99steak]

insideinfobet.com

Someone posted this in the blankets forum.

These referees are f#%@ing corrupt. I had a big bet on England to advance. They game style would have been totally different if that Lampard goal was allowed but the referee didnt allow it and Germany dominated the game after. England is good in counter attack, so once they start trailing their game plans gets crushed because their attacking football is not so good for their defense. What is more shocking is that Insideinfobet.com had a pick on Germany to win the game at +195 (2.95) odds. They must have known that this referee was bought off by some Asian Match fixers! Ridiculous. Watch that youtube video at the bottom of the insideinfo page that shows the interview of declan hill.....not fair real fans like me who had bets on england and was cheering for england!!!

 

[99steak]

more on how the referee might have been involved in an a fix for the england/germany match in world cup

 

[rolltide]

That said, I have a couple of questions about soccer in general:
1.) How is FIFA so powerful to be able to blindly resist what it seems the world of soccer wants in regards to replays, technology use, etc? How does one become FIFA president? I am assuming he is elected.
2.) Why wouldn't fans of soccer want some kind of replay or technology at least when a game defining goal is in question?

1) FIFA president's are elected and in Blatter's case he's been part of FIFA for 30+ years but won the election with alleged bribes and voter fraud. He's in his 3rd term with a new election coming next year. As far as "how is FIFA so powerful to..." they are the governing body over world football. Sort of like asking how is Microsoft so powerful or how is the IRS so powerful...

2) goal-line technology is just about the least of my concern. Yes, the England goal was bullshit but you have to go back 45 years to find another such case in a world cup, ironically same two teams. My concern is over how FIFA can still think one man can watch over 22 players by himself on a massive field. Hell, an NHL rink is a quarter of the size and the league finally came to their senses to add another ref yet Blatter and company refuse to do so. Of course the linesmen in FIFA are horrendous...again, because there is just too much field to cover. Compare it to the NHL where you have two linesmen calling offsides for a rink that's 85 feet wide versus having only 1 for each side of a field that is 220 feet wide. I guarantee you more games are won/lost in one week with bad calls on offsides and non-calls for handball than in a decade of blowns calls of whether or not a ball crossed the line.

 

[cocktailsnlongshots+]

don't even get into the offsides rules....i am not even joking around when i say that most..yes, most linesman don't even grasp the concept of offsides..some of them are so out of position to keep up with how quick the game moves and how fast the players are that it becomes a call not unlike the "neighborhood" play at 2nd base in baseball.... i really think they are guessing most of the time

 

[cornerkick]

don't even get into the offsides rules....i am not even joking around when i say that most..yes, most linesman don't even grasp the concept of offsides..some of them are so out of position to keep up with how quick the game moves and how fast the players are that it becomes a call not unlike the "neighborhood" play at 2nd base in baseball.... i really think they are guessing most of the time

I guess being a linesman is the worst job on the pitch. I would assume that their goal is to stay in line with the ball all the time so they can spot offside positions. But it's very difficult to do that since they need to take after a straight line from their position to the other end of the pitch, and if they're a bit far away from the penalty box, nothing helps them, really. Something like this:

 

[rolltide]

I guess being a linesman is the worst job on the pitch. I would assume that their goal is to stay in line with the ball all the time so they can spot offside positions. But it's very difficult to do that since they need to take after a straight line from their position to the other end of the pitch, and if they're a bit far away from the penalty box, nothing helps them, really. Something like this:

View attachment 10655

their goal is to stay in line with last defender and read the ball out of the corner of an eye. obviously a difficult job but it's absolutely silly to only have one for each side of a half field.

 

[PassTheBuck]

Putting in some sort of goal line technology isn't really necessary, because as was already said, the type of England/Germany goal debate rarely occurs. However, if you want to set it up, it might be less costly and more useful than having two more officials standing behind the goal line... what's up with that?

 

[cornerkick]

Putting in some sort of goal line technology isn't really necessary, because as was already said, the type of England/Germany goal debate rarely occurs. However, if you want to set it up, it might be less costly and more useful than having two more officials standing behind the goal line... what's up with that?

In fact they did an experiment with that, in the game Fulham - AS Roma (ended 1-1) in October 2009. Apparently there was an incident in the last minute of the game and Roma received a penalty. The decision was protested against by Fulham players, but after consulting with the linesman behind the post, they just sent off a different player and still gave the penalty