I have a son who works in San Francisco as an Inter-active Designer. With a
background as an electronics engineer, his solutions to customers' problems
always involve the use of modern technology. Having seen some of his
inventions in action I am perhaps prepared to accept more readily than some,
that technology could play a part in football, at least at the highest levels of the
game.
For instance there is an electronic experiment starting next month in the
German Bundesliga. Micro chips are to be inserted into the players shinguards
and into the football. The system, which has the perhaps obvious name of
Smartball, will be able to pinpoint the exact position of the ball and every player
at every moment of the game. This information will be relayed in a split second
via a central computer to an arm band worn by the referee.
The inventors say that before he makes a decision, the referee will know if the ball had crossed the
line for a goal or whether a player was offside. Spotting a ball crossing the goal line between the uprights should be child's
play to an electronic engineer. If the micro chip is in the centre of the ball, all
they have to remember is that the sensors would have to be over four and half
inches behind the line, to ensure that the ball wholly crosses the line as required
by law.
At least it would seem better than the trial ordered by FIFA President,
Sepp Blatter. In that experiment they are trying out four assistant referees to a
game, two to patrol the touch line and two permanently positioned on either goal
line. Those on the touchline will act as assistants do now, covering throw-ins
and offsides, but the goal line assistants would be checking for the ball crossing
the goal line either in the goal or outside it.
With due respect to Mr. Blatter, this
method would seem to be susceptible to the same problems as we already
have: players on the goal line blocking the view of the ball, and human error.
The other benefit claimed for the German micro chip experiment is that the
referee will be able to determine when a player is offside. This may well be the
case but it wouldn't bring an end to controversy, because the offside law is in
two parts, fact and opinion. The fact is that a player is in an offside position if
he is nearer to his opponents goal line than both the ball and the second last
opponent, providing he is in his opponents half. With every player tagged, the
referee will no doubt be able to tell in an instant, whether a player is in an
offside position when the ball is last played by a member of his own side.
It must be remembered however, that it is not an offence to be in an offside
position, and that is where the second part of the law comes in - opinion. The
law says 'the player in an offside position will only be penalised if he is, in the
opinion of the referee, involved in active play, by interfering with play,
interfering with an opponent or gaining an advantage by being in that position'.
Some situations are relatively straight forward but others require much more
consideration. Take for example the situation where a player scores a goal direct
from the edge of the penalty area but a team mate in an offside position is in the
goal area close to the goalkeeper. Was he in the goalkeepers
sightline? Did he
distract him? Was he interfering with play?. It is still the referee who has to
make up his mind. I know micro chips are marvellous but, although my son
might prove me wrong, I don't think they have made one yet capable of having
an opinion.
Dick Sawdon Smith