The refereeing sux, but it has sucked for a long time. FIFA needs to address the matter of referee's mistakes; IMHO the real-time video replay of everything, shown from every possible angle, is putting the referees and linesmen on frequent tight spots - they have to make decisions on a split-second, but any mistake they make is immediately exposed to every person on the planet by ten different cameras, on slow-motion and with highlights. The linesmen cannot compete with slow-motion replays for accuracy. The referee doesn't see every single foul from several different angles.
I think today's standard game broadcast is killing the referees. They NEED to be able to review their decisions through the videotape. We NEED to adapt the game. Plays will have to be stopped, so the assistant referees can confirm the ruling of fouls and offsides. The games will become inevitalby longer, and the constant stops will definitely hurt the flow of the game - not to mention that the team whose play was stoped will frequently lose counterattacks and surprise moves, which may lead to MORE injustice. But that would make the referee's job easier, and less mistakes would happen, as the replays would be the ultimate judge. Diving would become pointless, and generally playacting would end; but a defense that played with an 'offside line' tactic would never suffer counterattacks, because every counterattack would need to be stopped. That doesn't sound so good, does it?
So I don't know. A middle ground might be the best idea. But there's one thing for sure, if things continue just as they are, referees will be treated like dirt more and more, as they cannot compete with the dozens of electronic eyes that constantly monitor the games. Either we hand the refereeing to the cameras or we lighten the referee's burden with some technological backup.
We need to consider what we want for football. The referees are human and they're being demolished for that. What is fair in this case?
VENT MODE OFF
I think today's standard game broadcast is killing the referees. They NEED to be able to review their decisions through the videotape. We NEED to adapt the game. Plays will have to be stopped, so the assistant referees can confirm the ruling of fouls and offsides. The games will become inevitalby longer, and the constant stops will definitely hurt the flow of the game - not to mention that the team whose play was stoped will frequently lose counterattacks and surprise moves, which may lead to MORE injustice. But that would make the referee's job easier, and less mistakes would happen, as the replays would be the ultimate judge. Diving would become pointless, and generally playacting would end; but a defense that played with an 'offside line' tactic would never suffer counterattacks, because every counterattack would need to be stopped. That doesn't sound so good, does it?
So I don't know. A middle ground might be the best idea. But there's one thing for sure, if things continue just as they are, referees will be treated like dirt more and more, as they cannot compete with the dozens of electronic eyes that constantly monitor the games. Either we hand the refereeing to the cameras or we lighten the referee's burden with some technological backup.
We need to consider what we want for football. The referees are human and they're being demolished for that. What is fair in this case?
VENT MODE OFF
