Revisiting a longstanding but highly topical debate: Would football benefit from the introduction of a TMO or similar system?

The 2015/16 season certainly provided its fair share of controversial and debatable decisions for referees, some went unnoticed, some were dismissed, some unjustly given and some rightfully given. Many big matches were overshadowed by contentious incidents that played a decisive role in the outcome of match. It begs the questions, should a Television Match Official (TMO) be introduced in modern day football to help officials make accurate and fair decisions?

A TMO for those who aren’t familiar with the term is an individual who uses technological devices to assess situations more closely in a rugby match. They assist the referee to make accurate and consistent decisions in key moments of the match. The use of a TMO is restricted to certain circumstances to ensure the game can still flow while allowing the referee to make critical decisions.

Presently, France is hosting the biggest competition in European international football. The Euro 2016 Finals have already featured numerous dubious moments where referees have been under immense pressure to perform. A prime example is Portuguese defender, Pepe, one of the most controversial players in the game, kicking out at an Icelandic player in their opening game of the tournament. He walked away completely unpunished. The Real Madrid player has earned himself a foul reputation for on and off-the-ball antics, whether its dangerous tackles, pathetic diving or using physical violence against an opponent, it would seem the player gets off lightly in the majority of cases.

It does make you wonder, are referees oblivious to such behaviour or are they sometimes frightened to make crucial decisions that could potentially influence the match? What we do know is, in other sports like rugby, tennis, cricket and golf, video technology analysis is used to analyse incidents more precisely and assist referees in the adjudication of decisions, and it’s safe to say, they work!

However, the motion to implement a TMO in football has come under serious criticism in the past, with many people expressing their disapproval across online forums and website. The general feedback suggested that introducing such a system could cause disruptions and delays in the flow of a match, which will be infuriating for players, managers and fans. It has also been said that the system undermines the ability and role of referees to do their job in a professional environment.

Looking at the matter from a positive perspective, using video analysis to assist referees can have a number of benefits. As mentioned, it will allow referees to make consistently accurate decisions, ultimately improving the fairness and validity of match results. It should naturally enforce better discipline in the sport as players will feel less obliged to misbehave if they know they are being watched at all times. This should also have a domino effect in that clamping down on misconduct will encourage players to act more responsibly and become better role models for the younger generation of inspiring footballers.

Football is no stranger to the introduction of technology to help match officials. Going back to the World Cup in 2010, England’s Frank Lampard had a controversial goal disallowed, which in replays clearly showed the ball fully crossing the line, they went on to lose 4-1 to Germany. This caused outrage among players, managers, pundits, journalists and fans, virtually forcing FIFA to act upon the crucial mistake. Two years later it was announced that goal-line technology would be put in place to assist referees, and it has been a revelation to say the least.

Earlier this year, football’s international lawmakers have confirmed that live trials using video technology will go head by 2017/18. New FIFA president Gianni Infantino has lauded the decision, quite a contrast to the former presidents Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini who were strongly against goal-line technology and video analysis for referees. This is an exciting prospect without doubt but the jury is still out on whether it will have a positive or negative effect on the beautiful game.

Personally I believe that football would benefit greatly from the use of video technology analysis for referees. On average, a referee makes a decision every 12 seconds in a game, this highlights the level of concentration needed throughout a 90-minute match and actually makes me sympathise with refs who are so heavily criticised for making mistakes. The sport is more fast-paced than ever before and the amount of pressure on referees is increasing all the time, therefore it would make perfect sense to relieve some of the weight on their shoulders by using technology to make their job easier. The system will assist them, not undermine them. Video technology for referees has been a proven success in other sports, so there is no reason why it can’t be a success in football.

So what side of the fence do you sit on when it comes to the use of video analysis for referees in football?