FOUR LINESMEN BEFORE THE APOCALYPSE

“Concerning goal-line technology, the Board concluded that goal-line technology would not be pursued.”

With a stray comma, a repetition, a conditional and a negative the Federation Internationale de Football Association took a step back from the future.

Sooner not later replays of incidents will become a part of the game but the International Football Association Board bottled it for another year and the World Cup in South Africa will be replay free.

The IFAB oversees the rules of the senior code. Once a year this inobtrusive institution meets to discuss amendments to the 17 laws of football.

The history of the Board is a bore but in a nutshell us Brits put it together in 1882 so we could play each other in the Home championship under the same rules. In 1913 the French, in the guise of FIFA, were allowed to join and in 1958 they were given equal rights. Bloody cheek.

Anyways the four home nations, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, have a vote each and FIFA have four votes. It needs six to amend a law.

The rejection of technology was hardly a surprise but its day is coming and it is time to move the goal-line.

Forget cameras on the goal or sensors on the line or an implant in the ball. Forget goal-line technology and embrace the Appeal.

The Appeal is when the captain of each side can challenge the referee’s decision once in a game. The fourth official has a monitor on which he has one minute in which to watch as many replays as can be provided by the broadcaster. If he cannot make up his mind the referee’s original decision stands.

Cards; tackles; disallowed goals; allowed goals; everything is fair game but it one Referral per side per game. The captain, and only the captain, can Appeal and he must do so, verbally, to the referee with 60 seconds of the incident.

The fourth official will watch the replays on a shielded monitor both of which will be supplied by the host broadcaster.

A manager or coach who tries to influence the fourth official or encroaches on the replay technical area will be sent from the field of play.

Like substitutes in the Football League 45 years ago the Appeal or a system like it will chafe the older guard but it is coming and for that they can thank UEFA.

The Union of European Football Associations is conducting a lackadaisical experiment in the Europa League with additional assistant referees stationed next to the goal.

“(They) 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.

They have done nothing but wear tights and watch teams wrestle each other to the ground before corners and free kicks.

The Europa League re-emerged in February and unlike their colleagues who run up and down or all around the goal hangers stand around waiting for something to happen. They needed tights to keep warm.

The Board will meet in May to discuss the Europa League findings. They are unlikely to see the extra eyes experiment as a success.

The view from here has remained unaltered for years. Four assistant referees running the line is the best technology-free solution.

If only the Republic of Ireland had a vote.