Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Platini claims goal-line technology will lead to "PlayStation football"


Michel Platini is an idiot. Plain and simple. His remarks regarding the use of goal-line are completely irrational inasmuch as they are rooted in a prehistoric mentality that football has been, and always should be decided by human error. Platini told the Scottish FA's website on a visit to Glasgow that should FIFA initiate the use of video replay, "then we will have PlayStation football."

Platini believes that two extra officials on the end line are more than enough to assist the referees. He continued:

"The referee has to be helped by the clubs, the fans, by players, by the media and also by the authorities – everyone has a responsibility. It is why we have added two assistants for Champions League games this season. It is a logical step with so many cameras that can pick up incidents: the more eyes there are to assist the referee, the better the chance of spotting those incidents."

Did anyone else not catch the bullshit here? The "logical step" with such advanced and extensive video capabilities is to add another referee?! If it is the duty of everyone to help the referees, shouldn't we allow video evidence to prevent their screw-ups, which sometimes lead to death threats and violent reprisals by fans?!

Apparently not. Platini wants to save these officials by simply adding more, so that when they miss calls, which they inevitably will, we can still say we did everything possible to help them. Got it.



Now forgive me for my ignorance, but that extra referee on the end-line is an extra pair of eyes? If you've watched Champions League and Europa League matches then you will know that the extra officials do absolutely nothing. They don't even have flags on their sticks!! (In the case of the official pictured below, he doesn't even have a stick...) Clear cut fouls or dives in the box go completely by the wayside with these extra officials. They stand there like statues. And if their role is simply to see if the ball has crossed the end-line, then what exactly is the point of their existence on the field? What are they doing that video replay can't?


At least Playstation gets the calls right.

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