Additional Referees in Europa League

[beef-supreme]

I am quite stunned by this development actually - basically UEFA has said that in the Europa League group stages there will be two additional assistant referees, who will stand behind the goal line and actually move onto the pitch when play moves up the field.
I personally find it so bizarre to imagine not just the one referee on the pitch but two others as well... I would never have thought that they would come up with this to attempt to control football matches better..

Would you say that this is a good idea? Or is it the wrong way to address problems such as referee inaccuracies and cheating/diving? Will you be able to accept the sight of 3 referees on one pitch?
Here's the article to read, from uefa.com:

Further details have been revealed about the experiment with two additional assistant referees to take place in this season's UEFA Europa League group stage.

144 matches
The draw for the UEFA Europa League group stage was held in Monaco on Friday, and all 144 group games will be officiated by six match officials. In an experiment which has been endorsed by football's lawmakers, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the customary four-man team of referee, two assistant referees and fourth official will be supplemented with two additional assistant referees who will take up positions alongside each goal.

IFAB's consent
At its 123rd annual general meeting in Newcastle, Northern Ireland, on 28 February, the IFAB, composed of representatives from the four British football associations and FIFA, gave its consent for the experiment initiated in selected UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualifying tournaments in 2008 to continue at professional level. The choice of the new UEFA Europa League as the competition for this next phase was confirmed in May.

Two extra pairs of eyes
"In essence," a joint statement by world football body FIFA and UEFA said on Friday, "the additional assistant referees will provide two extra pairs of eyes to monitor the game and ensure that the Laws of the Game are upheld, informing the referee of incidents of any kind that he may otherwise have missed, particularly in key areas of the field like the penalty area and its surroundings. The referee will remain in sole charge of the match and the only match official with decision-making powers."

Radio communication system
"The additional assistant referees will be positioned on the opposite side of the goal from the assistant referee – to the left when viewed from the centre circle. Using a radio communication system to relay their recommendations to the referee but without flags, additional assistant referees will generally remain behind the goalline but may enter the penalty area when play moves towards the other end of the pitch so as to keep up with the action.

Same nationality
"Given the potentially crucial importance of their interventions on the course of a game," the statement continued, "referees from FIFA's current international list or the highest category at national level (who were aged under 45 on 1 January 2009) will fill the additional assistant referee role. In keeping with existing policy, they will share the same nationality as the four other members of the UEFA Europa League refereeing team to which they are appointed."

Nyon briefing
A briefing for referees and referee observers was held at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, this week under the auspices of the guardians of the Laws of the Game, the IFAB. The 48 referees and 48 observers appointed for the 2009/10 UEFA Europa League group stage were given extensive instructions and guidelines by refereeing instructors in preparation for the launch of the experiment when group matches kick off on 17 September.

Expert monitors
"Technical experts appointed by the IFAB will monitor developments throughout in order to assess the impact the two additional assistant referees have on the game and to determine whether they enhance the officials' control of the match," the statement concluded. "The conclusions will later be presented to the IFAB for consideration."

And here's a picture to help you grasp the reality of it:

 

[antonnn]

What a load of crap. All they need is the 4th official with a fucking TV screen. They are worry about the game being too stop start if they introduce video technology, but there is an easy solution to that, an appeals system.

Say your team scores a goal and it's ruled offside... The captain should be allowed to make an appeal if his players are confident that the goal should have stood. They should also set a limit of 2-3 appeals per game(or like in cricket, if 2 appeals turn out incorrect, the team cannot make any more), so that way the players can't appeal too much, which would ruin the flow of the game. And finally, appeals should only be allowed for major talking points, such as suspected dives in the box that has won a penalty, goals ruled out for fouls or offsides, and red cards that could be judged as incorrect, cause at the end of the day when each of these events happen in a football match play is temporarily stopped due to player protests or a player getting ready to take a penalty/player walking off the pitch due to a red, so the flow wouldn't really be ruined if they referred to the 4th official.

 

[yusuf]

lol, that would look super wierd.

 

[beautifulgame]

Ant that would ruin the flow of the game. The professional game is dying quickly and this would put a bullet in it's head. Why not a sensor in the ball and sensors inside the goal for the goal or no goal issue. The ref has place on his watch that lets him know if the whole ball has crossed the whole line at any point. Adidas has been developing this technology for a while now, and it doesn't sound as if it will interrupt the game or change the game.

 

[antonnn]

How would it ruin the flow of the game?? Like I said, when there are controversial moments the game stops anyway due to player complaints... Asking a referee to take a look at a screen for 10 or 20 seconds for a maximum of 4-6 times in a game(while the players are having a bitch, which wastes up to 20-30 seconds anyway) isn't going to ruin anything. There isn't even 6 controversial moments in a game on average, so it wouldn't ruin anything IMO.

 

[Metaphysical]

they won't introduce technology or any kind of appeals system.

I know they have it in cricket, or rugby, or nfl, but compared to football they are all a steaming pile of shit.

football is the game that can be played, in its fundamentals, at ANY level in the world.

THAT is what makes football the best sport in the world.

these two assistants is a good idea. it will require some co-ordination though, as they'll have to be on the blind side (i.e. where the ref and linesman aren't).

 

[FCBNOF]

As been stated before, all they need is another officail with a screen and he gets to make all the right decisions.

 

[antonnn]

50 bucks the referee's will be in the wrong spot to view if a goal crosses the line or not.

 

[sammy]

50 bucks the referee's will be in the wrong spot to view if a goal crosses the line or not.

No matter what, they tend to make mistakes.

 

[antonnn]

And watch, there will be ONE incident in all of those games where those ref's will truly be needed, and they'll fuck it up. Video technology ftw.

 

[maz]

How would it ruin the flow of the game?? Like I said, when there are controversial moments the game stops anyway due to player complaints... Asking a referee to take a look at a screen for 10 or 20 seconds for a maximum of 4-6 times in a game(while the players are having a bitch, which wastes up to 20-30 seconds anyway) isn't going to ruin anything. There isn't even 6 controversial moments in a game on average, so it wouldn't ruin anything IMO.

But not every controversial moment coincides with a stoppage in the game. What about when a foul isn't given? What about when an offside isn't given? These are things which require the team that is about to appealing having to ask the game to be stopped while everyone watches a screen. It's not like rugby, tennis or cricket whereby there are natural stoppages every 30 seconds or so. Goal line technology is the only one i agree with since it is not debatable. Either a ball goes over the line or it doesn't.

 

[antonnn]

When an offside isn't given and the team score a goal, during celebrations they can check the screen to see if it should be ruled out, simple. Same goes for a foul, if it's a major foul that isn't given and leads to a goal then check it. Unless when a decision is not given involved a goal, they shouldn't really bother, unless it's a red card, which usually leads to an uproar anyway.

Video technology ftw!

Like I said, give each team 2 appeals max, so they will have to use it wisely, and a stoppage to check the screen will happen a maximum of 4 times a game, it's not going to ruin shit. As long as you set limits most things will work out.

 

[Beast]

I think it's an awesome idea.. cheating and diving will decrease dramatically and the ball crossing the line or not could be settled .. i like it lets see how they apply it

 

[antonnn]

What's another bet that strikers will end up accidentally KO'ing one of the refs when they are running to fast and can't stop. Hope it happens.

 

[Metaphysical]

When an offside isn't given and the team score a goal, during celebrations they can check the screen to see if it should be ruled out, simple. Same goes for a foul, if it's a major foul that isn't given and leads to a goal then check it. Unless when a decision is not given involved a goal, they shouldn't really bother, unless it's a red card, which usually leads to an uproar anyway.

Video technology ftw!

Like I said, give each team 2 appeals max, so they will have to use it wisely, and a stoppage to check the screen will happen a maximum of 4 times a game, it's not going to ruin shit. As long as you set limits most things will work out.

appeals, honestly!

do you even WATCH football?