Time for Soccer to Modernize

The game of soccer should shed its Luddite tendencies and embrace technology. I just watched a soccer game where a team scored a clear goal and it was refused. Now, aside from the fact that it is already difficult to score a goal in soccer, this was an unfortunate situation in particular.

The team who benefited from the call are in a battle for first place with another team who had won earlier. Is this fair?

Why not have a system of replay to determine if it was a goal? Why not use replay to judge if a penalty is deserved within the 18 metre box? Was it a hand ball? Offside? Did a player dive? Did he call someone a terrorist whore who wears construction boots? Let technology help out.

I'm not saying to do this with every play. A fair and reasonable way can be achieved so that only crucial moments that determine an outcome will come under review.

One tournament that still sticks out is the 2002 World Cup. It showcased a poor display of officiating where FIFA clearly needed the help. Too many games were and are lost based on human error. Far from advocating the removal of the referee, I'm merely suggesting the ref gets some help. That came out wrong. Though after some intense games maybe a couch is something they can use.

Another aspect of the game that needs refining is time-keeping. There should be a clock for all to see. Time should not be in the hands of one dictator on the field.

Thankfully, FIFA is planning to implement some measures to help reduce the amount of human errors. Though I advocate replay I realize it would interrupt the flow of the game as soccer is a continuous game without official stoppages or time-outs.

One of FIFA's ideas is to place a microchip in the ball to determine if a ball crosses a line. To its credit, soccer realizes that this is beneficial for the integrity of the game. Pragmatically, perhaps some form of replay, on a trial basis, whereby a coach can challenge a call should be considered. If he is wrong you can charge him with a free kick to the opposing team, lose a sub whatever. Similar to how a coach is charged a time-out in the NFL. Soccer can only gain by exploring these options.

A common sensed approach can help improve the game and make it more enticing to North Americans. The fact is that soccer is perceived to be a boring sport where players complain at the slightest foul and fall way too easily (apparently it's called being smart and outwitting the ref) all over the place. Above all, North Americans do not like the lack of recourse in terms of technology teams may have.

The howls from traditionalists should be muzzled. Remember how baseball purists complained about the wild-card? I don't think anyone would ever deny that this was a success. Soccer, if we recall, embraced the controversial concept of shoot-outs in the 1970s and it is considered high drama (not to mention a disgrace) for fans the world over.

We can find a way to improve soccer without jeopardizing its traditions and respecting its history and heritage. The beautiful game deserves it. It may never be able to conquer North America but it can go a long way in improving its standing in many parts of this continent.