Three refs

[New York Red]

What is wrong with having more than one ref? A referee confers with the linesman without any problem. Having two or three sets of eyes on play will only mean that more infringements will get picked up and there will be less controversy like there was this week.

[AmassiveSlot]

what if they dont agree? will it turn into a Xfactor final style vote?

[New York Red]

They confer.

 

One will have seen it the clearest.

[Zoob]

in theory a good idea - there are mistakes at pretty much every single match, some are match changing, some aren't, but if there were more refs, there would in theory at least be less mistakes.

 

But.... 3 refs on the pitch - more likely to get in the way of players - perhaps more likely to make mistakes cos there are more of them?

 

Do they each have whistles? what happens if one stops play but the other 2 didn't think it was a foul?

Battle of the egos means it's not always easy to say who saw it clearest.

 

Think using a bit of technology would be better - wouldn't take too much time out of the game (since there's often arguing etc during which time something could be reviewed. using technology to look at replays isn't perfect - mistakes can be made there too, but for ball crossing line, whether defender touched ball, borderline off-sides etc... could lead to less game changing errors.

[growler]

with the money in the game, surely 6 linesmen is better. 3 on each side, 1 on the goal line, plus one in each half.

 

Also, surely the ref's should be miked up to each other and the 4th assistant too?

 

I would rather see that, then video replays.

 

Saying that though, if they simplified the offside rule so it could be understood, then it could programmed in and usingthe pro-zone technology could give clearer offside decisions.

[John am Rhein]

What is wrong with having more than one ref? A referee confers with the linesman without any problem. Having two or three sets of eyes on play will only mean that more infringements will get picked up and there will be less controversy like there was this week.

 

I agree completely. And no need to stop at 3. 5 might well be the best number.

[surf]

It's bad enough the mancs have 12 vs 11 week in week out. If it's 14 vs 11 they'd never lose.

[John am Rhein]

We could put one of our refs up against one of theirs. Ours would naturally triumph.

[Kindred]

with the money in the game, surely 6 linesmen is better. 3 on each side, 1 on the goal line, plus one in each half.

 

Also, surely the ref's should be miked up to each other and the 4th assistant too?

 

Whilst i tend to favour technology, thats the one for me. One ref ultimately making the decisions but more eyes on the game from different view points from which to confer, particularly on the goal line.

[Walrus]

We could put one of our refs up against one of theirs. Ours would naturally triumph.

Maybe that was the role Rafa had in mind for Sami Hyypiä when he offered him a new contract?

[Logic]

Does anyone know if there has ever been a real attempt made at designing a system to help with determining if a player is offside or not?

 

Should be quite simple.....

[John am Rhein]

Does anyone know if there has ever been a real attempt made at designing a system to help with determining if a player is offside or not?

 

Should be quite simple.....

 

Doesn't sound remotely simple: got to determine the position of players at the moment the ball is played, specifically excluding occasions when the ball is played but not played vaguely towards the player in the allegedly offside position.

[Rory Fitzgerald]

TMO

[Logic]

Doesn't sound remotely simple: got to determine the position of players at the moment the ball is played, specifically excluding occasions when the ball is played but not played vaguely towards the player in the allegedly offside position.

You could give the offside signal when the ball comes a certain radius from the player in the offside position.

Edited May 10, 2009 by Logic

[rikf]

I dont think it would be to hard, you put a radio transceiver on each player. you then have three or more receivers on the field so you can triangulate the players exact position. The referee and linesman then wear some kind of buzzer that vibrates when it receives the appropriate signal. The the linesman and ref just have to look out for when the ball is played, if they vibrating when it is played then offside!

[Tommy Cockles]

We could also have 4 quarters.

[John am Rhein]

You could give the offside signal when the ball comes a certain radius from the player in the offside position.

 

would need a change in the rule but it might work...

[John am Rhein]

We could also have 4 quarters.

 

or even 5

[Tommy Cockles]

And a large bar-billiards style mushroom skittle in the centre circle, whcih if knocked over, leads to loss of the game irrespective of scoreline.

 

This could help end the dominance of the Big Four/English clubs in Europe/Premiership*

 

* Delete as appropriate.

[AmassiveSlot]

like the sound of extra lines men though! so long as they are all liverpool fans!...infact just employ the kop!

[Andy @ Allerton]

The problem with any rule changes is that they have to be implemented at all levels in the game to ensure the same thing is followed everywhere.

 

That's OK for megabucks clubs - but harder for smaller outfits on a Sunday morning.

[ManxRed]

Feck me, Man U field 11 players plus one ref now (12), why give them an extra two men?

 

Down that path lies madness.

[Kvarme Ate My Food]

The problem with any rule changes is that they have to be implemented at all levels in the game to ensure the same thing is followed everywhere.

 

why?

[Andy @ Allerton]

why?

 

 

Dunno really - I'm sure I've seen something/someone somewhere saying that the rules of English football apply from the top to the bottom - so any rules changes that incur extra cost at a lower level have to be thought about is it might obviously have a big impact on smaller clubs..

[DanielS]

why?

 

There isn't much to like about the direction modern football is moving in and has moved in over the last 10 years, but staying away from the fundamental changes that took the elite versions of Cricket and Rugby into a different set of laws from the rest of their sport is one of the few things the footballing authorities have got right.

Call me old fashioned if you like, but it is still an appealing idea that a park football match played in front of twenty people and a dog is the same game as the version played in an 80K seater stadium for 3.5 billion television viewers.