time for FIFA to introduce the microchip soccer ball ???

[puromorelia]

It has been mentioned by fifa before that a soccer ball with a
microchip inside will be used in the future to determine plays
such as the one that we saw during todays' game, not sure
how this will work or what its going to look like but do you
guys see it as a good idea?

since we have such advanced technology now and we can
make use of it then why not use it to determine such a crutial
play in a very crutial and important game such as today's match
between Liverpool and chelsea.... ;)

[southamerican1984]

i don't agree, the game should stay as always

soccer is characterized for inmediate decisions by the referee, i can't imagine a crutial play, and waiting two minuts to watch what was decided

[AFCA]

tend to agree with my southamerican friend here

[puromorelia]

i don't agree, the game should stay as always

soccer is characterized for inmediate decisions by the referee, i can't imagine a crutial play, and waiting two minuts to watch what was decided

are you sure about that ? crucial plays in a game that would require
instant replay or lookin up on a tv screen dont happen often !
so why not take a few minutes to come up with the right call ?

in my mind it would be fair, as for wasted time, that happens
often when you have maniacs runing on to the field like they did
today or simply when a player gets injured so would it really
slow the game all that much to take quick look at a play and make
the proper call ? i doubt it !

[AFCA]

I don't doubt it.

The loss of time is not what it's about.
Mind you, I wouldn't really be against it.

[BSjanitor]

I don't think it would take anytime to figure out whether it was a goal. There would be a microchip in the ball to track its location and whenever the ball enters the goal completely, the referee gets an immediate signal thru some small electronic device (maybe his watch?). If there was no goal, then he'd wave the game on.

[Ludahai]

I put no because it wouldn't work.

Where in the ball are you going to put the microchip? In the center? That wouldn't work as the ENTIRE ball must cross the line to count as a goal. The only way around that would be to cover the ENTIRE surface of the ball with microchips. That isn't going to happen.

[guignol]

coaches make mistakes, players make mistakes... referees already do their job as well as anyone else involved, why not accept that sport is a human endeavour, not a technological process.

at what level do you put this technology in place? if you go farther down than the top flight in the 4 or 5 major leagues, it becomes an economic hardship.

and would it really be foolproof? what if the chip gets misplaced or dislodged?

[John L]

No - Instant Replay SEEMS like a good idea - But it never is successful - It ruins the game - Its a disaster in American pro football - The quality of the reffing goes down - Then you want a little bit more technology - And then more - And then the lights go out - And there's a power outage - And you're stuck

Coaches make mistakes - Players make TONS of mistakes - And Refs do as well - But at every level, players make more mistakes during the game than do Refs - Unless they're biased (see below)

And the nice thing about soccer is that its the same game everywhere at every level - The game is fairly simple - The rules are simple - The calls are apparent regardless of the language of the players and the Refs - And calls are left up to the judgement of the Ref based upon the flow of the game - And only the pro's and upper level leagues will be able to afford this technology - With the microchip you'd automatically create a difference between soccer played in rich leagues versus everyone else

btw - That WAS a goal - Technology or not, that was a goal yesterday - And microchips won't make up for really flagarantly bad calls (and none-calls) against Liverpool and for Chelsea last night (especially Terry's handball late in the first half) - Especially that atrocious 6 minute Extra time solely to allow the favored Chelsea a chance to tie the game

[BocaFan]

I put no because it wouldn't work.

Where in the ball are you going to put the microchip? In the center? That wouldn't work as the ENTIRE ball must cross the line to count as a goal. The only way around that would be to cover the ENTIRE surface of the ball with microchips. That isn't going to happen.

you'd put it in the center. The chip would have to cross the goal-line by a distance equal to the radius of the ball. So you would NOT need to cover the entire surface of the ball with microchips.

[BSjanitor]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/4300669.stm

[Tigerpunk]

you'd put it in the center. The chip would have to cross the goal-line by a distance equal to the radius of the ball. So you would NOT need to cover the entire surface of the ball with microchips.

I may be new to the game, but aren't soccer balls hollow? :)

[GStuto]

I put no because it wouldn't work.

Where in the ball are you going to put the microchip? In the center? That wouldn't work as the ENTIRE ball must cross the line to count as a goal. The only way around that would be to cover the ENTIRE surface of the ball with microchips. That isn't going to happen.

no, with todays technology one microchip is all it takes to put sensorship all OVER the ball without having to put multiple microchips in.

[IASocFan]

The chip and the technology would have to detect the position of the entire ball. Technologically possible, but I have no idea the cost, reliability, or accuracy of any implementation.

I think it's worth experimentation. It may take 20 years, but we'll probably see it some day. Getting the Liverpool goal, Manu non-goal, and the Spain - Korea over the end line right would be a great stride.

[puromorelia]

The chip and the technology would have to detect the position of the entire ball. Technologically possible, but I have no idea the cost, reliability, or accuracy of any implementation.

I think it's worth experimentation. It may take 20 years, but we'll probably see it some day. Getting the Liverpool goal, Manu non-goal, and the Spain - Korea over the end line right would be a great stride.

Yes its worth experimenting even as you say it may take a long time
to be put into use, all those plays mentioned are definately worth
a challenge and now thinking back to a very controversial play....

imagine if we had instant replay available back when we had the
famous "HANDS OF GOD" goal ! now sure i can live with the human
error BUT ONE THAT BIG ? and during a elimintation game in a
world cup ? i wouldnt be happy if i had to see that in my lifetime
again ! and i rather have technology available to make a proper
call in an instance like that, at least during the WC and even if
it takes a couple minutes then having to just live with such a
human error, that to me is not justified, specially if we have
the necessary equipment to make it right ......

sure the referres do a great job, but even they cant cover or see
the entire field, now we have some very bad referres out there in
the world and as for corrupted referees, well just imagine england
having then the opportunity to challenge that "hands of god goal"
in 86, i mean even the most corrupted referre would have to make
the proper call looking at that evidence wont you think ???

[Teso Dos Bichos]

Let's just use robots and play the game in VR... :rolleyes:

[MartSkin]

I'd rather see two more officials positioned at the endlines. It would be cheaper and easier to implement at all levels.

BTW: Does anyone have a photo or video of the Liverpool goal in question?

[FCBasel1893]

I am against introduction of such technology.

Call me crazy, but even such decisions are part of what makes football so great.

[laudrup]

The refs already have automatized 'beepers' to communicate with each other.

There is always a degree of subjectivity on calling a foul, and yes, that makes football (and other sports) great, but there should be no subjectivity on whether a ball has gone through or not. This is a reliable and instant way of doing it, and it has no apparent drawback to it. If someone can name a drawback that goes beyond the Terminator-2-machines-shall-rule-the-earth argument, I'd be happy to hear it out.

One last thing, this is INSTANT, the game doesn't stop at all. Someone monitors the ball and the game (like that reserve ref that is only good for bitching at coaches), and makes an instant call that is wirelessly transmitted to the ref. The thing is done in seconds, which, I might add, is considerably less than the time the two teams spend arguing with the ref after such calls are made.

Again, on the plus side, it gives Mourinho one less thing to pout about... it is the fist step into rehabilitating him into a happy human being...

[Spurs74]

No - Instant Replay SEEMS like a good idea - But it never is successful - It ruins the game - Its a disaster in American pro football - The quality of the reffing goes down - Then you want a little bit more technology - And then more - And then the lights go out - And there's a power outage - And you're stuck

Coaches make mistakes - Players make TONS of mistakes - And Refs do as well - But at every level, players make more mistakes during the game than do Refs - Unless they're biased (see below)

And the nice thing about soccer is that its the same game everywhere at every level - The game is fairly simple - The rules are simple - The calls are apparent regardless of the language of the players and the Refs - And calls are left up to the judgement of the Ref based upon the flow of the game - And only the pro's and upper level leagues will be able to afford this technology - With the microchip you'd automatically create a difference between soccer played in rich leagues versus everyone else

btw - That WAS a goal - Technology or not, that was a goal yesterday - And microchips won't make up for really flagarantly bad calls (and none-calls) against Liverpool and for Chelsea last night (especially Terry's handball late in the first half) - Especially that atrocious 6 minute Extra time solely to allow the favored Chelsea a chance to tie the game


NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

This is becoming toooooo surreal. The simplest game is being whored to the techno freaks and those who stand to make money with their snouts in the trough.

Let the referee do his job and let the game keep whatever simplicity and purity there is.