On Friday, Dutch referee Serdar Gozubuyuk called for the introduction of video technology to help officials make the correct decisions after he denied Ajax Amsterdam two certain penalties in their home draw against Heerenveen.
The Amsterdam giants felt they should have been awarded a spot kick after Ramon Zomer handled the ball early in the first half, while they also called for a penalty after a foul on Christian Eriksen just inside the area.
"This seems pretty clear. I cannot see the incident properly because I'm looking at (Lasse) Schone's back," Gozubuyuk told Eredivisie Live after reviewing Zomer's handball.
"If it's up to me we would introduce video technology as soon as possible. That will prevent this kind of situation where I have to explain decisions that I could not see properly.
"We are all ready for the introduction of video technology. It's starting to become annoying to be criticised for decisions we have to take in a split second. Everybody else gets the chance to see an incident five or six times before judging."
Meanwhile, in England, the probable FA Cup winners and the teams able to avoid relegation from the Premier League continue to be decided by erroneous and questionable decisions by referees and their assistants.
And, although Hawk-Eye will be introduced for goal-line decisions from next season, there is no desire among the powers-that-be to introduce further transparency into the game.
Keith Hackett, the former head of the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOB), publicised the fact that Hawk-Eye has been ready for implementation for six years but foot dragging by these same powers-that-be prevented numerous travesties of justice from being prevented.
Why?
Harry Redknapp Questioning The Marital Status Of Chris Foy's Parents After Fake Penalty Decision Relegates Asian Club
Chris Foy should have sent off two Manchester City players and given Chelsea a penalty in the FA Cup Semi Final at Wembley last week...
... video technology would have prevented these errors.
Yesterday, Foy gave Bet365/Stoke City a fake penalty for the sort of shirt holding that occurs in multiple at every corner.
Meanwhile, Sunderland survived two penalty appeals against Danny Rose courtesy of Phil Dowd after being helped on their way to victory over Newcastle last week by Howard Webb (who was demoted to the League One game between Colchester and Shrewsbury as punishment)...
... Newcastle were given their own survival fillip when Mike Jones failed to give West Brom a stonewall penalty yesterday deciding that the infringement had happened two metres to the right and hence outside the box.
In a tight relegation struggle, these points for Sunderland, Bet365/Stoke City and Newcastle might prove critical.
With so much money riding on Premier League survival, the sooner that referees are forced to face the amateurish nature of some of their key decision making, the better for the integrity of the game.
Video technology would make the game cleaner as it would be difficult for a crooked official to maintain a patently incorrect decision in the face of repeated video evidence.
Errors are too frequently the result of corruption.
Still, Sir Ferguson will be relieved if Bet365/Stoke City survive.
And, in that Man Utd still await the first penalty or sending off against their interests in the Premier League this season, one must presume that he most certainly would not welcome video technology and the meritocracy that would come in its wake.
Yet another good reason for introducing it then...
© Football is Fixed 2006-2013
