Almost every major sport around the world uses video replay as a backup to their referee’s decision. All accept football.
Outside of the goal line technology introduced at the beginning of the 2013-14 Premier League season, FIFA and the Premier League have no form of instant replay to correct erroneous calls by the referee.
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Don’t get me wrong, I do not support constant reviewing and checking of the replay to confirm every call by the referee. However, in football, there is no system in place to overturn a wrongful decision against a player and that needs to be corrected.
While reviews and appeals following a match can reduce or incur a suspension, there is nothing that takes place during a match to correct an erroneous call.
Currently, all the pressure is on the referee to make the correct call. Most of the time, a referee at this level will make the correct call. However, it is that missed penalty or red card that could cost a club the Premier League title.
With the intensity and speed of the game quickening, is has become impossible to be correct all the time. It’s the joy of human error. However, that can be fixed with a little help from the twentieth century.
Sports all around the world use video replay to review–and if need be correct–the referee’s original decision. Why is the world of football so resistant to this added measure?
Whether it be the missed calls during last weekend’s match between Liverpool and Southampton or the “Campaign” against Chelsea this season, it is time for the Premier League to lead the way, and institute some form of video replay.
How would it work?
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Like most forms of replay around the world, the call to challenge a referee’s decision would either have to come from the side’s manager, or from a fellow referee in a video replay booth.
To avoid too much time being spent on replays, the manager would only be allowed to challenge a referee’s decision once or twice a match. The challenge could only be used in penalty decisions and red card situations.
Such decisions that normally would change the course of a match, would now have the chance to be checked over, making sure the right call is made.
How long would it take?
In a perfect world, such moments at these would be reviewed and decided upon in less than two minutes. However, the time between the initial challenge to the reveal of the verdict could take anywhere from two to three minutes.
Limiting the amount of challenges per match will reduce the amount of time spent on replays, allowing the match to continue along with not much time added to the length of the match.
Can it happen?
If a majority of the top English clubs join together behind this idea, I believe there would be no issue in this becoming the norm across the world. However, with FIFA continuing to live in the dark ages, it will take a major league’s backing to get the ball rolling.
The English Premier League is that league. With the revenue’s rising thanks to a new British TV deal, the time is now for new investments to help improve the game.
Many will oppose this idea, that I understand, but I do believe that adding some form of video replay into the game would do it well. Giving the referees the backing of a replay system will allow them to call the game for freely.
A replay system will be just that, a backup plan. It will allow a more freely called match, with the referee knowing that should they make the wrong call, there is a system in place to overturn the decision.
Whether this is the answer to this growing issue is yet to be seen. However, if it is not, a system to balance and help the referee’s in their decisions need to be found. Something that will allow the game to be played, but give the referee’s a backup should they make the wrong call.