Referalls

[Stu]

I'd like to see a referee as pundit to get their take on refereeing decisions.

The Select Group of RA refs are far too opaque an organisation for that happen -  with a referee that was currently still in the game anyway.

[UK Redsox]

part of the fun/debate is having the decisions.  it should never lose that. Sky has took so much from the game - don't let them make the rules

I agree with that, there's a point at which the unpredictability becomes part of the attraction.

Surely getting decisions right is more important than the fun/debate incorrect decision generate

[Villa in Denmark]

Give him Google glasses that can instantly replay the incident for him. that aren't red/blue/sky blue - delete according to opposition.

Fixed B-)

[Lastfootstamper]

I watch a lot more rugby these days than I used to because it is free in BT Sport. That is a great game creaking under the overload of video replays and a law book the size and complexity of War and Peace.  Last week Brown of Quins scored a great, brave try that put his side back in terms in a game they lost. The French referee gave the try then bottled it and called for a video replay. It revealed after several minutes a tiny knock on of an inch or two off the forearm of a Quins player on the ground. The referee changed the call and spent much if the rest of the game apologising to the Quins players. It turned the game, it spoiled the game. It is just what we don't want in football.
I can wait for the whole game to be robotized.

Excellent example, Brian. And that's in a game where, thanks to their epic rulebook, decisions to be made are almost all of a black-or-white technical nature. Heaven help the Association code with its in-built interpretable shades of grey should it start down that route. They'll have to put 606 back an hour!

[Meanwood Villa]

My own take on this is that video replays aren't always conclusive and may cause even more controversy. Take yesterday, I was watching Final Score and Keown was certain it was a red and had talked Jenas into it. By MOTD the view was "never a red". Likewise some pens, you can watch them a dozen times and still not be sure. I think there are too many grey areas for video refs to add value.

[Meanwood Villa]

part of the fun/debate is having the decisions.  it should never lose that. Sky has took so much from the game - don't let them make the rules

I agree with that, there's a point at which the unpredictability becomes part of the attraction.

Surely getting decisions right is more important than the fun/debate incorrect decision generate

Agreed. All this "part of the fun" stuff is bollocks. It's no fun losing to an offside goal or dodgy pen. Having said which I don't think video refs would work for reasons stated above.

[LeeB]

I'd like to see a referee as pundit to get their take on refereeing decisions.

I wouldn't as it would almost certainly be the publicity whore that is Graham Poll.

[eric woolban woolban]

The world cup final goal was debated for years. GYM has stopped all that.
The unpredictability of decisions makes the game, chat with friends family later on.
Next week we could get a decision in our favour and we wouldn't complain.

[paul_e]

I watch a lot more rugby these days than I used to because it is free in BT Sport. That is a great game creaking under the overload of video replays and a law book the size and complexity of War and Peace.  Last week Brown of Quins scored a great, brave try that put his side back in terms in a game they lost. The French referee gave the try then bottled it and called for a video replay. It revealed after several minutes a tiny knock on of an inch or two off the forearm of a Quins player on the ground. The referee changed the call and spent much if the rest of the game apologising to the Quins players. It turned the game, it spoiled the game. It is just what we don't want in football.
I can wait for the whole game to be robotized.

Excellent example, Brian. And that's in a game where, thanks to their epic rulebook, decisions to be made are almost all of a black-or-white technical nature. Heaven help the Association code with its in-built interpretable shades of grey should it start down that route. They'll have to put 606 back an hour!

Rugby has a lot more that's open to interpretation than football does.  Almost everything in rugby could be amended with a this is the law but we'll let you skirt with it so long as you don't take the piss.  Richie McCaw has made a career of dancing up on down in the grey area that you're trying to suggest doesn't exist.

From Brian's example it was harsh, I agree but it's very rare that you see one like that unless the ref is suspicious already.  However where video refereeing has helped massively is in highlighting some of the more obscene occurrences and led to, as Austin Healey said yesterday about Dylan Hartley, a situation where you ust can't get away with doing nasty shit off the ball any more.

On top of that one of the key points of contention in rugby now is about wrapping the arms in the tackle vs straight arm tackles or shoulder charges.  The reason it's a big thing is because people like Courtney Lawes hit the tackle so hard that they bounce off the man which historically would be a sure sign you hadn't wrapped the arm. However thanks to TV replays the refs can see that his action is perfectly legal and he's been saved from a lot of yellow cards because the ref has decided to have it checked rather than just reacting.  That's the sort of common sense refereeing that I'd like to see in Football incorrect red cards or no action for off the ball incidents that should be reds is something that can be easily remedied without slowing the game down and therefore should be looked into, the key requirement in football is that last one, other sports have natural breaks where you can use referrals, etc football doesn't have those and they shouldn't be introduced by the tech but where we get them anyway using the tech to get decisions right should be a target.

[Toronto Villa]

I'd like to see a referee as pundit to get their take on refereeing decisions.

I wouldn't as it would almost certainly be the publicity whore that is Graham Poll.

They actually have it in the NFL where ex referees give an instant view on a decision in a game and simply interpret a ruling. It doesn't come over as controversial, but then again they picked educated individuals where ego doesn't come into it. You'd have to pick the right person not knobs like Poll looking to sell their next book.

[Gregorys Boy]

As long as the powers that b chose to over turn any crazy calls such as yesterday then I don't want to see more technology involved in the game.   You have to allow the officials to do their jobs. For the most part I think they actually do that up to a good standard in this country.

[brian green]

I wish we had a few like the Italian referee who red carded Vidic for applauding him. (sarcastically)

[PeterWithesShin]

I wish we had a few like the Italian referee who red carded Vidic for applauding hi.

Hello.

[brian green]

Hello.

[adrenachrome]

Hi there.