It’s beginning to feel like football has lost its way as a sport overseen by human beings for claims have now arisen that the linesman could be on their way out of the game.
For according to a report at https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/fifas-var-chiefs-exploring-possibility-19000973 FIFA are probing the possibility of binning them and replacing them with robots.
And the report adds that a specific department has now been created to explore just how influential technology could be on football.
Should it be found that such a move could benefit the game then you can count on the man with the flag being assigned to the dustbin of history.
An Mirror insider is claimed to have said: “FIFA already have a department set up researching into these exact areas.
“Will they replace referee assistants completely with cameras and computers ruling offsides and throw-ins? It could happen one day.”
ClaretandHugh says: This will enrage the anti VAR lobby and probably rightly so. It confirms of course that the game which has simply become an enormous business and is slowly losing touch with its roots. And with the early stages of VAR still dogged with issues this can only exacerbate the feelings of fans up and down the country who are opposed to the new technology ‘invasion.’. Thus far it has become apparent that the supporters in the stadium often have no clue what’s going on when reviews are held. It might be a good idea to get that sorted out before moving onto issues that will truly change the face of the game further forever. It’s difficult to see how but is the day coming when referees themselves will be thrown out of the window with technology taking over completely. It might be a little more acceptable if technology was proven 100 per cent correct in all cases but we are still a little way from that. For me, the disappearance of tradition from the game is sad and removes the humanity which has been at its heart since the start. Not for me. Sometimes less is best.
Where will it end, only robot supporters who never make racist comments allowed into games & piped music for all the team songs??
I’m not a fan of VAR, especially in the way it used for decision making.
For me, it should be used similarly to rugby. The referee on making their decision, and there’s suddenly some doubt, he/she should then ask the VAR “Is there any reason I cannot award a penalty / goal?” In the rugby the referee usually states what he has seen and asks the question. The TMO then confirms whether or not the referee has made the correct decision or not.
After that, VAR shouldn’t be used at all, maybe apart for a case of mistaken identity.
As for robots for assistant referees… an absolute NO! It’s a game for humans and there will be human error, which is part of the game.
Football is a simple game supported, played and adjudicated by humans. Does technology have a part to play?
Goal line technology – Yes, a positive addition. VAR? The jury is still out on this one. There needs to be a lot of work done on it. Cameras instead of assistant referees? NO NO NO. If all decisions are technology based and incontrovertible, then the essence of the game is lost. What do we opine about? What do we discuss? What do we become angry / passionate about? Will we continue to pay good money and go to watch games?
It’s called the beautiful game for a reason. Stop trying to sanitise it.
Losing touch with the young. Nothing that can’t be replicated on a park pitch should be brought into the game. The game of football should belated in the same way in all situations.
I hate VAR but I like the idea of ‘robot linesman’, surely it would be more matter of fact like goal line technology which is immediate. I’m guessing these things would be able to tell offside immediately and buzz the refs like when the ball goes over the line which would eliminate the long drawn out waiting for somebody to check the replays.
I’m just guessing, I don’t know if that’s how it would work, but if something like that could be implemented, I would think it preferable to linesman/VAR combo
A further point. If that is how it works, I’d imagine we’d have to rewrite the offside law and go back to offside is offside as I can’t understand how the robot would be able to tell whether somebody is interfering with play, first phase/second phase etc.