I'm starting this thread mostly based on ignorance and because I'd like to become more educated on how much control FIFA has over MLS. It seems like recently the referees, poor calls, missed calls, etc. have been more prevalent for whatever reason, and I see it as possibly prohibiting the growth of the sport in the US. Obviously the game on Saturday got the brain juices flowing. Are MLS referees FIFA referees? Does MLS have to abide by all of FIFA's rules, or do they have freedom to do things their own way? I would consider myself a soccer "purist" to the degree that I don't want to see the game itself modified as far as the rules go. I know that alot of mainstream American sports fans say things like "get rid of offsides" or "make the goal bigger". MLS years ago did those retarded shootouts where the guy started from a ways out and dribbled and tried to beat the keeper. I'm definitely completely against this or modifying the basics of the beautiful game. However, I am all for utilizing technology in soccer to get the calls right. Goal line technology, some sort of instant replay system, retroactive red/yellow cards being given and taken away, etc. For example, I think that both the NFL and College Football have improved dramatically since they instituted different means of technology so that the majority of those game changing calls or non-calls can be made correctly. As to this point of utilizing technology, etc., I guess I'd just like to know you RSL fans' opinions on whether it should be used at all, and how it should be used. Sorry for the long winded opening to a new thread. I hope I started it in the right place. If not, mods please move it. Thanks in advance for enlightening me.
How many fans would soccer world-wide lose because their isn't enough diving? How many fans would soccer lose because their isn't enough fake injuries, players rolling around looking like they got shot in the face? How many fans would soccer lose because the game no longer stops for these fake injuries? My guess to all of these would be approximately ZERO. I would guess that 10 MLS teams could get 500 more fans a game if all that cheating was cut out. 500 fans, times 10 teams, times 17 home games, times $20 a ticket, thats 1.7 million dollars a season, I think that would be enough to cover additional costs to cut that crap out. Outside of US and Canada, diving, faking injuries, might just be "part of the game" but MLS doesn't have the support it needs to be able to ignore the fans that come to one game to give soccer a chance and never come back because a player isn't good enough to compete fairly and has to take a dive, and a ref who wants said players autographed game jersey pretends he thinks its a foul and calls it, thus changing the game telling fans never to come back.
The opportunity exists for MLS to lead FIFA to the water here. Technology is more prevalent here in the US than in most areas of the world. You're not going to see goal line technology on a dirt pitch in Accra. MLS is already filming most games for MLS DirectKick. It's not beyond reason to think that both goal line technology and red-card/PK video review would be doable. I agree with those purists who think that the game's flow needs to be maintained, but it shouldn't be too insane to set up 4-6 cameras on the corners and midfield and have a view of everything.
I agree to an extent. It only took 5 seconds to realize Davies is a dirty cheat. The only problem replay would have is I imagine the ref would blow his whistle at every questionable contact in the box and have it reviewed.
First of all MLS doesn't have referees. The USSF handles all refereeing for FIFA-sanctioned games in the U.S. For international games and national leagues that's handled at a National Level by the USSF, for rec-leagues and such each state has their own USSF-affiliated referee program. So the refs you see in MLS games are not hired, assigned, or paid by MLS, they're handled by the USSF. So that's the first issue. MLS can ask that the refs do certain things or focus on certain types of fouls, but ultimately its up to the USSF to decide how things will be done. FIFA takes a dim view of leagues circumventing this by hiring their own refs. Leagues are allowed a little latitude in some rules and some discipline. For example for many years MLS had a 4th GK-only sub that wasn't part of the standard FIFA rules of play, but FIFA let them get a way with it. I don't know if it was abuse from the likes of Bob Bradley or FIFA telling MLS to knock it off that got it changed. FIFA also allows leagues to add penalties for in-game actions seen by the refs, or punish players for fouls not seen by the refs, but they do not want leagues over-turning a refs decision on anything other than mistaken identity (carding the wrong player by mistake). So if a ref sees a foul and doesn't card it, or sees the play and decides its not a foul FIFA does not want the leagues going in and turning that foul into a red card after the fact by suspending the player. MLS has done this on rare occasions, and they seem to be doing it more this year, but according to MLS it only happens when there's unanimous agreement from the Disciplinary Committee. So, as you can see, when it comes to officiating MLS has its hands tied in many ways. Its really up to the USSF to improve, not MLS.
so, is it MLS that decides post match suspension, though? This seems to be incredibly stupid given that the refs are from USSF. Or is it USSF that advises MLS to hand out post match suspensions/fines?
Its the MLS Disciplinary Committee that does any post-match punishment. But FIFA does tie their hands on how much and which fouls can be punished.
Layers on layers. The IFAB (the people who write the rules) have said that a red card must result in suspension for the next match in the league/competition where the card was issued. The leagues/competitions can do more than that. MLS is the league so MLS decides. The USSF does the same for its competitions, like the Open Cup. CONCACAF does it for its competitions, such as the Gold Cup and CCL. And FIFA for the competitions it runs.
There isn't unlimited review in NFL. The coaches can call for a review once per half and if it isn't upheld they lose a time out. In MLS there are no time outs to be used, but what if a team lost a substitution if it wasn't upheld? ARs could call for a review anytime. It woudlnt' be that hard for a situation like the Davies Dive.
with how long it took to actually take the Davies pk, the ref could have viewed video evidence, booked Davies for the dive, and given RSL the proper set piece. We bitch about slowing the game down, but every time a penalty is called it takes at least 1-2 minutes for it to actually happen, usually more. Sadly, its going to take a World Cup won via bad call for FIFA to consider this. Key word consider...
I wouldn't say consider as much as pretend to consider it until another bribery scandal becomes the most recent controversy
Just like they are pretending to do an investigation of the bribery for the world cup bid. The resignation of Warner is to take the heat off of the entire organization. It looks like change when it is really nothing but one man sacrificed.
well the one guy they are sacrificing might have the biggest ego, ever... and it doesnt sound like he wants to go down without a fight. This may be the best/worst thing FIFA ever did Hopefully
I've had the same hope 15. Warner could flip. But knowing FIFA one has to suspect that he's getting hush money on the side as well. Blazer's penchant for documentation is interesting. One has to wonder what he has hidden in a safe, or, for that matter, his voluminous beard.
I started a thread about 2 years ago called "official reviews" funny most people then were strongly against reviews of bad calls but it looks from this thread perhaps that has changed a little bit.
If there was one league in the world that could force FIFA's hand, it's the EPL. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/s...-be-introduced-for-the-2012-13-season?cc=5901 Lets hope this plays out the good way instead of the likely way