Prime Minister David Cameron has thrown his backing behind appeals to eradicate honest mistakes from football.
The PM watched England’s World Cup exit against Germany from the G20 summit in Toronto and was outraged when play was allowed to continue after Frank Lampard’s ‘goal’.
Television replays instantly showed that the whole ball had clearly crossed the line but referee Jorge Larrionda and assistant Mauricio Espinosa missed the incident allowing play to continue.
Celtic were no strangers to controversial decisions last season suffering from a string of honest mistakes, particularly in the more high profile matches.
The footballing traditionalists claim that these things even themselves out over the course of the season with no evidence to back-up that view.
Whilst most sports, and especially tennis and cricket, have embraced new technolgies to help in decision making the football authorities have so far resisted attempts to help officials make correct decisions.
Yesterday’s decision against England, and Carlos Tevez’s clearly offside opener for Argentina against Mexico, will increase pressure on Fifa to look at new technology with Cameron hoping that football will follow the examples set by cricket and tennis.
The PM said: “I do think that the use of technology in sport can be a bonus.
“I’m a keen follower of cricket and tennis and I think the third umpire has been a great thing and the machines that bleep at Wimbledon are quite handy too.
“Maybe that’s something that football could now have a look at.”
Despite suffereing from that decision the knives are out for Fabio Capello who will face the media at 1.30pm today.
Capello’s error strewn campaign has brought his £6m-a-year salary under intense pressure.
The Italian’s hesitant English has been exposed throughout the World Cup campaign with temperatures bound to be high at this afternoon’s media conference.
Bookies are already taking bets on when Capello will be sacked with Roy Hodgson and Harry Redknapp the clear favourites to take over as England manager.
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I have long advocated that a wee guy ( or wumman)should sit right in at the corner of the net , behind the goalie, and shout tae the referee….
“Aye it wiz in so it wiz “….. OR…
“Naw it wiznae in neighrer it wiznae”…..
when called upon to adjudicate such a decision as we saw last night…… no expensive technology needed.
As for the off-side laws….make every team play in different shades of red white and blue…only use Scottish linesmen….problem solved.