Platini's latest brainwave is...

[Gilps]

...six referees. As documented entertainigly here, along with some well deserved mockery of Leeds.

 

Six Referees, and No Mole

 

Paul Doyle and Tom Lutz

Wednesday February 14, 2007

Guardian Unlimited

 

FRENCHMAN IN DESIRE TO SWELL OFFICIALDOM SHOCK

 

Michel Platini awoke this morning, reached for the flint and lit a fire to dry himself. Once again the rain had been relentless, but the Frenchman was damned if he was going to lumber his quaint hovel with one of those newfangled roof contraptions. Besides, he didn't have time: a long squint at the sundial reminded him that now was the moment to reveal his masterplan for ensuring that referees make as many correct decisions as possible. So he fetched his blanket and, over a period of several hours, unveiled the following innovation through smoke signals: six refs for every game.

 

Yes, you read those puffs right: two assistant refs to run the line, one man in the middle as per tradition, one skulking by the dugout and - wait for it - an official to be stationed permanently in each penalty area. "More officials would definitely help to clear up misunderstandings," warbled a Uefa spokeman, who no doubt sits on 197 different committees but has never in his life reached a decision. "Platini doesn't want to break up the flow of the game with video technology but is keen to see a new system," tossed the spinner before confirming that Platini intends asking Fifa to pass his proposal into law.

But what exactly is Platini's beef with technology? Why does he think a rugby-style video ref would "break the flow" of the game? Is having an extra official blundering around the box really less disruptive? What happens when one of them impedes a run, blocks a shot or diverts the ball into the net? Or contradicts the main whistleblower?

 

"I am against refereeing by video," parped Platini recently. "Because where would it stop? If you start with videos, you will finish with videos and there would be no more referees." But surely that logic works both ways? After all, where do you stop with referees? When there are five of them? Ten? One for every player? One for every blade of grass? One for every card Graham Poll brandishes in bemusement?

[Nebraska Red]

and they all have to wear white gloves and those ridiculous kepis worn by French Policemen.

[Tones]

That guy is crazy

[stressederic]

Good to see he's shaking off that 'Muppet' tag.

[Guest]

I'm more worried about his courting of the smaller nations than more refs

 

He's in the job because of them - so if he wants to keep it he'll have to get rid of the 4th place and give it to the minnows.

 

Platini has always been a tosser.

[Guest Kev]

I like the idea of four assistants though, so many offsides are being called wrongly because the assistants are not up with play or are trying to to concentrate on if the ball goes out for a throw-in or not so their attention is on that. Having two assistants on each side of the pitch would get more decisions right that wrong.

[dorgie]

FRENCHMAN IN DESIRE TO SWELL OFFICIALDOM SHOCK

 

Sounds like Ian St John did the headline writing on this one

 

 

..........- wait for it - an official to be stationed permanently in each penalty area.

 

Having them in the penalty area doesn't make sense....having them stationed a couple of metres behind the goal-line to the right or left of the goal could have some merit for penalty decisions and ball over the line decisions.

[John am Rhein]

Multiple referees is a good idea, IMO. The current number all too often fail to keep up with what goes on on the field and it looks increasingly ridiculous the more TV with it's multiple camera angles exposes this.

 

But their first priority should to fix the offside rule - no longer makes any sense since the last change.

[AE]

I'm more worried about his courting of the smaller nations than more refs

 

He's in the job because of them - so if he wants to keep it he'll have to get rid of the 4th place and give it to the minnows.

 

Platini has always been a tosser.

 

And risk England, Spain and italy wanting to take his ball away?

They will end up doing a deal or he could be looking at the first European league (and not one being run by UEFA)

[Extraordinary Swindle]

And risk England, Spain and italy wanting to take his ball away?

They will end up doing a deal or he could be looking at the first European league (and not one being run by UEFA)

Imagine if the G14 and chums from the top European leagues withdrew from UEFA competition. The England contingent in the European Cup could be Bolton, Reading and Portsmouth. Spain represented by Recreativo, Zaragoza and Getafe. Italy represented by Empoli, Catania and Palermo. The European Cup would become the Intertoto Cup overnight.

[Buzz]

I like the idea of four assistants though, so many offsides are being called wrongly because the assistants are not up with play or are trying to to concentrate on if the ball goes out for a throw-in or not so their attention is on that. Having two assistants on each side of the pitch would get more decisions right that wrong.

Defo agree, always thought 4 linesmen would make more sense and also give the ref a chance to roam with play rather than have to run the diagonal to cover the none linesman playing side. Also a better chance of calling if the ball was, or was not, over the line.

[Mondavi]

Defo agree, always thought 4 linesmen would make more sense and also give the ref a chance to roam with play rather than have to run the diagonal to cover the none linesman playing side. Also a better chance of calling if the ball was, or was not, over the line.

 

 

but what happens when the 2 linesmen disagree. It will happen, so what then, toss a coin to see who's decision to go with

 

 

1 linesman each end is plenty, unless you want to cut thepitch into quarters for linesman purposes giving the fat lazy knackers less ground to cover.

 

A ref in each half, vertically or horizontally wouldn't be a bad idea though.

[Lee W]

A ref in each half, vertically or horizontally wouldn't be a bad idea though.

 

LOL - give 'em a big reefer at the start of each half. Could cut down on the bookings....

[AE]

Imagine if the G14 and chums from the top European leagues withdrew from UEFA competition. The England contingent in the European Cup could be Bolton, Reading and Portsmouth. Spain represented by Recreativo, Zaragoza and Getafe. Italy represented by Empoli, Catania and Palermo. The European Cup would become the Intertoto Cup overnight.

 

 

Aye and there would go all the TV and advertising money and Platini would successfully have killed UEFA's cash cow.

I can't see G14 and the big Italian / Spanish clubs backing down because it could always be them that finishes fourth one season and there is **** all money in the UEFA cup.

Plus would the Lativan champions etc really have a chance in the CL??

 

Understand why he wants it, but will be interesting how far he and UEFA are prepared to push it.

If G14 dig their heels in then I can't see UEFA pitching up for a fight (even with FIFA (Blatter!!) support) it could change football forever.

 

We wait and see.

Edited February 15, 2007 by AE

[smithdown]

 

 

A ref in each half, vertically or horizontally wouldn't be a bad idea though.

 

 

 

He wouldn't be able to give many decisions lying down on the deck, you mad-alec.

[Gomez]

Understand why he wants it, but will be interesting how far he and UEFA are prepared to push it.

If G14 dig their heels in then I can't see UEFA pitching up for a fight (even with FIFA (Blatter!!) support) it could change football forever.

 

He wants it for the simple reason he bought the votes of the minor nations by promising it, despite the fact that it is not his decision. All the little countries (the everton's of the international stage if you like) want in on the cash cow that is the CL, at the expense of some of the big clubs. Whether or not they realise that it is only a cash cow because the big clubs are in it and the sponsors won't be willing to cough up as much money if they are just as likely to be sponsoring FK Ventspils v Fram Reykjavik as Liverpool v Barcalona

[Buzz]

but what happens when the 2 linesmen disagree. It will happen, so what then, toss a coin to see who's decision to go with

1 linesman each end is plenty, unless you want to cut thepitch into quarters for linesman purposes giving the fat lazy knackers less ground to cover.

 

A ref in each half, vertically or horizontally wouldn't be a bad idea though.

The linesman nearest the ball/play would have greatest say, up to the referee to have final decision (He could allow play to run and check with linesmen after, as in Amrican football, but dunno if I like that so much). Four linesmen would mean that dodgey offsides, fouls etc where a linesman is usually looking to the far side of the pitch, should be eradicated as the other one was nearer, also the other linesman could watch the offside while the other was watching play nearer to him and each could see if anything happened "Blindside" to eachother.

 

Anyway, refs and linesmen back eachother up to the hilt most of the time anyway so if one "Senior" linesman put a flag up the "newbie" would probably copy automatically anyway.

[StevieC]

Multiple referees is a good idea, IMO. The current number all too often fail to keep up with what goes on on the field and it looks increasingly ridiculous the more TV with it's multiple camera angles exposes this.

 

 

 

 

And maybe then we could get the players to wear padding, and break the match into quarters and stop the play each time an attack breaks down so the teams can switch to thier attack and defence teams...

[John am Rhein]

And maybe then we could get the players to wear padding, and break the match into quarters and stop the play each time an attack breaks down so the teams can switch to thier attack and defence teams...

 

Or maybe not.

[Kite]

Defo agree, always thought 4 linesmen would make more sense and also give the ref a chance to roam with play rather than have to run the diagonal to cover the none linesman playing side. Also a better chance of calling if the ball was, or was not, over the line.

Never really "got" that idea of linesmen only running half the length of the pitch, and even then they still fail to see such sights as the Bolton goal that never was over the line thanks to Roy Carroll's ability to reach several feet into the net and scoop the ball back out again ...

 

While Platini may be a bit barking I don't see the harm in trying to do something that might mean games get officiated better, the four linesmen being certainly one valid option worth trying - traditionalist s**** about trying to keep the game played the way it was two f***ing centuries ago is the real madness here.

[Guest kapers]

Whats so wrong about the redistribution of some of the wealth generated by the champions league? We moan on about the death of football where the same clubs are challenging all the time. So what if Platini takes away 4th place from the top leagues. As is said here often enough we should not be aiming for 4th place and maybe taking it away will give us more incentive to finally challenge for the title. We must remember football is our game. It's not the game of big companies looking to make money. All these cries of the sponsors won't pay so much money. Who cares!!! The less money the big clubs get the better. It means these overpaid buffoons who try to play the game will get less wages. They might have to even perform well to get a good wage.

 

Also can you imagine the boredom of a european super league with sky hyping it all over the place just like they do now with title deciders now in december.