GoalRef and HawkEye are technological innovations that are set to fix game-deciding discrepancies on the football pitch, and are readily available if the A-League wants to make it on the world stage and break into the overseas market. Zach Workman-Brown reports.

Technological innovations will soon fix game-deciding discrepancies. Photo: Gordon2208

England’s Frank Lampard was denied an obvious goal in the 2010 World Cup quarter final against Germany, and Liverpool’s Luis Garcia put his team into the Champions League Final in 2005 with a “ghost goal” that never crossed the line.

It was critical blunders alike which forced the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) to research the use of goal line technology within the top grades. football

The systems recently approved by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), are a step forward in terms of advancing the nature of, but are long overdue in comparison to other codes who have been consulting video referees and HawkEye for years now.

The HawkEye system, already used internationally in Cricket and Tennis, which uses six strategically placed high-speed cameras can determine the outcome within a second and send this directly to the referees watch.

GoalRef uses a magnetic chip detection system within the ball and goalposts to return an instant and definitive result, and combined they will ultimately end goal line blunders in the World Game.

Impressive? Yes. Cheap? Hardly.

The revolutionary technologies can value between $250000 to $400000 per stadium, and with 20 teams in the EPL alone, that’s a hefty price tag.

FIFA President, Sepp Blatter ensured the technology is efficient and would ensure “99 percent security”.

It is known the English Premier League are firm believers in this system, releasing in a statement they would make it a reality “as soon as practically possible”, referring to operation half way through the current season or the one that follows.

With this technology readily availably and proven to be effective, it is hard to believe we have not already seen it in action, but the sources of delay lie solely with FIFA.

There is speculation over whether Football Federation Australia (FFA) will lead from the front and implement the goal-line technology first.

The National League of Australia, the A-League, needs something to break into the overseas market, and the introduction of such advanced technology might just be the key.

David Gallop, former CEO of the National Rugby League (NRL), has recently been appointed the position of FFA Chief Executive, and is looking to take over in the coming months.

If Gallop were to immediately make an impact as FFA CEO, first on the agenda would be to secure a financial future through television rights, and second, although a long shot, would be to implement video technology in our national league.

Imagine the press Australian Football would receive if the FFA decided to lead the world in video technology.

Despite all of the good press, video technology still has its doubts in the minds of some pessimistic football fans, and FIFA itself for a long time, putting off the application of such technology for a long time, despite most sporting competitions already including some aspect of a video referee.

The doubts are generally centred on arguments of goal line blunders occurring quite rarely, questioning the need for such expensive technology, and some fans protesting it will ruin the natural flow and spectacle that is football.

Football fans will be expecting a positive outcome, whether it is first implemented in the World Cup, the EPL, or in even in Australia, and being such an efficient and exciting development, GoalRef and HawkEye are technological revolutions which will ensure inconsistencies are removed from the World Game.