There will be much talk this week that video decision-making should play some part in football. In fact it has already begun. There can be little doubt the results in Sydney and Melbourne would have been different had the penalty decisions been somehow referred. And that on his 100th match with A-league whistle-in-mouth Matthew Breeze changed a game. Again. But as Australia begs it’s governing body to bring in video technology, The Football Sack ask the tough question: “Won’t somebody please think of the children?!”
It’s quite logical to believe that the A-league will likely be among the first countries to trial video tech. Perhaps even the first. At an NRL match today I discussed football with your typical League fan and didn’t discover anything new. Stop the diving, the crowds are rubbish, bring in the video referee. Thankyou man-in-NRL-jersey. Most other major sports have said technology – league, tennis, cricket, rugby. Even AFL has their broadcaster this week trialling a goal-line camera. Logically, football is the next frontier.
Enter ‘Snicko’, the 3rd-umpire-videoref-hawk-eyed-hotspot, an iPhone app that Matthew Breeze can now carry throughout the game. Through the power of Apple, finally correct decisions will be made! With the swish of the finger it even comes with a ‘red card’ and ‘yellow card’ function. Certainly has a “With your powers combined, I am Captain Planet” air to it.
And what of said children? All those Junior Blues members heading along to watch Sydney FC edge their way back into competition, only to see Perez seemingly diving his way into the A-league’s short history books, with “most controversial 20minute debut”? We’re not sure what they think of the technology, but we are sure that they learnt some colourful language on Saturday night. Mainly from their fathers.
It is disappointing that the new Central Coast Mariner will be remembered by so many in this way. The Argentinian friend-of-Messi has a lot of talent, and will surely be wonderful to watch this season. But to the Australian public, Central Coast excluded, Perez will now always be a diver. Another import bringing the game into disrepute.
Let’s just be thankful it won’t get any coverage on prime-time FTA news channels.
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