Visit Michael Sautter's column >>

MICHAEL SAUTTERHome Page

"When words are both true and kind, they can change our world." ~ Buddha
Add To Watchlist
Articles Posted: 645; Links Seeded: 5556
Member Since: 3/2006Last Seen: 11/07/2009

MLS should show the world how it works

News Type: Opinion — Seeded on Wed Nov 29, 2006 10:05 AM EST
advertisement

One of these days there will be video replay in soccer.

It's already available to all of us in our homes, making it a question of when, not if, video will come onto the playing field.

Everyone involved in soccer needs to find out exactly what replay might be able to accomplish. Even more important, a full-fledged test of a system would also help to determine exactly how disruptive to the game's flow it might be. Until we try it, no one really knows.

Therefore, wouldn't it be nice to see Major League Soccer take a leading role and offer itself to FIFA and the International Board as guinea pigs to sort out the good and bad about introducing modern technology into the grand old game?

North America, after all, is a perfect place to try to things out. Our fans are used to replay in football, hockey and basketball. Our spectators are also used to games stopping and starting.

Published to:

What's this?
Who's leading the conversation?
This visualization below allows you to see the impact that each user has on the current conversation. The top row contains the group of users who have had the most impact, the 2nd row the group of users who have had the 2nd most impact (et cetera). Users with similar impact are grouped together, and the average score of the group is shown to the left of the group. The author of the article is also shown on the left, in their corresponding group. Each user's score is based on the number of comments the user has made plus the number of votes their comments have received. The scores are calculated relative one another, so while their absolute value is not particularly important, their relative difference does indicate a larger difference in impact on the conversation.
1.5
1.5
1.1
{"commentId":402789,"authorDomain":"michaelsautter"}
Michael Sautter

Well, I'm an American and I'm not sure I support the ideas proposed here. I'm skeptical of stopping play in soccer to review video, it will ruin the flow and rhythm of the game.

I like the idea of having the fourth official note questionable card calls and non-card calls and then reviewing the video of them after the game with all of the officials but I wonder how the video review of penalties would work? How long do you stop play? Are penalties carded by the on-field official the only ones to be reviewed or is it to be every time two opposing players touch each other in the area to be review?

And review every goal and dis-allowed goal? Really? So after every goal we must stop and wait for a review official to declare it legitimate? When is play stopped for video review of a questionable goal? Often a goalkeeper appears to save a goal and then play continues, when does the official stop play for video review and how is play then re-started if there was no goal?

It's easy to just say MLS should be a test market for video review in soccer but things have to be better thought out before it is implemented.

{"commentId":402789,"threadId":"57824","contentId":"461758","authorDomain":"michaelsautter"}
  • 1 vote
Reply#1 - Wed Nov 29, 2006 10:54 AM EST
{"commentId":403049,"authorDomain":"spudsstuff"}
Spuds Stuff

I'm with you Mydree. I think the flow of the game could easily be ruined. This sort of technology should only be used in limited amounts. I could definitely see the benefits of having goal line technology when there is a dispute about if the ball actually crossed the line. Other than that is there much need for video replays? Are they proposing video replays everytime a player takes a dive.....I hope not or the game will take all day.

{"commentId":403049,"threadId":"57824","contentId":"461758","authorDomain":"spudsstuff"}
  • 1 vote
Reply#2 - Wed Nov 29, 2006 1:05 PM EST
{"commentId":403073,"authorDomain":"abercrombie"}
Jamon*Abercrombie

soccer? americans don't give a crap about Major League Soccer. It's barely on the radar, and for it to be the top level of it's sport and barely beat out Arena Football ratings is pretty sad.

not to mention that the US was ranked 5th going in the World Cup and has now fallen to 31 ... I don't think America is where soccer officials will get a quality test.

{"commentId":403073,"threadId":"57824","contentId":"461758","authorDomain":"abercrombie"}
    Reply#3 - Wed Nov 29, 2006 1:16 PM EST
    {"commentId":403204,"authorDomain":"abacus"}
    abacus

    no video replay. what? are the coaches going to throw a "challenge flag" on the field or something? Keep the game pure, yes mistakes happpen but it's part of the beauty of the game. it's worked fine this way since the 1860s, technology doesn't have a place in every nook ande cranny.

    {"commentId":403204,"threadId":"57824","contentId":"461758","authorDomain":"abacus"}
    • 1 vote
    Reply#4 - Wed Nov 29, 2006 2:25 PM EST
    {"commentId":403320,"authorDomain":"royalblue"}
    Brian Schmidt

    I am a soccer referee in Florida, and if I remember correctly FIFA already discussed this very topic. They decided that they wanted the sport to have a human element. As a referee, I could imagine referee's feeling undermined by a video replay system. I personally don't think video replay has a place in soccer.

    {"commentId":403320,"threadId":"57824","contentId":"461758","authorDomain":"royalblue"}
    • 1 vote
    Reply#5 - Wed Nov 29, 2006 3:25 PM EST
    {"commentId":403738,"authorDomain":"ukbill"}
    ukbill

    Video Replays will kill the game at all levels, not to mention most leagues in Europe have 3 or 4 divisions that won't be able to afford the system which is certainly not going to be purchased by Fifa.

    Referee's decisions can go either way and during the course of a season, each team will have had bad decisions give against them and for them, it's karma, it always comes around.

    {"commentId":403738,"threadId":"57824","contentId":"461758","authorDomain":"ukbill"}
    • 1 vote
    Reply#6 - Wed Nov 29, 2006 8:05 PM EST
    {"canLink":false,"threadId":"57824","isPrivate":false}
    Leave a Comment:
    You're in Easy Mode. If you prefer, you can use XHTML Mode instead.
    Newsvine Privacy Statement
    As a new user, you may notice a few temporary content restrictions. Click here for more info.
    {"threadId":"57824","contentId":"461758"}
    Start TrackingStart Tracking
    Stop TrackingStop Tracking
    Back To Top | Front Page