SOCCER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19842, 17 May 1927, Page 4

SOCCER

JUDGES OF GOALS WHO SHOULD DECIDE? PROBLEM IN ENGLAND. The control of football is in conservative hands. It is well that it should be so, states John H. Hill in a London exchange. Walking warily, the authorities are saved from making hasty decisions and from the annoying business of repenting at leisure. From time to time, however, the necessity of giving careful consideration to suggested reforms becomes obvious. The game changes, methods alter, and reform is necessary in order to keep abreast of the times. At the present moment there is a steadily growing volume of opinion in favour of a revision of control methods —a demand for the appointment of goal-judges whose job will be to prevent referees from making mistakes in the vital matter of goal-scoring. Probably the day is not far distant when the reform will come about. Over the Line? The duties of these goal-judges will be clearly defined and comparatively simple —hut important. One will be posted at each end of the field, on the goal-line, and thus will be able to decide beyond doubt whether a goal has, or has not, been scored.

The advocates of goal-judges are often assumed to be carping critics of referees. The referees do their best, and on the whole it is a very good best. But they cannot see everything. The other argument is that as we have managed with a referee and two 1 insemen for so long, there is no need for a change now. This argument, however, overlooks the fact that the game has changed. Since the alteration of the offside rule football is faster than ever, making it more difficult for the referee to keep up with the play. Indeed, so far as some exchanges

are concerned, it is impossible for a referee always to be “on the spot. ’ ’ The man with tho whistle may be fast, but the fastest runner cannot keep pace with, a hard-driven ball. A hard shot is sent goalwards from thirty yards. The goalkeeper fumbles the ball —drops it. Is it over the line ? The referee cannot tell. A goal-judge would be able to decide to the satisfaction of everybody. In this matter of satisfying everybody lies one of the big reasons for the appointment of goal-judges. People in the crowd, noticing that on these “inches” problems tne referee is some way down the field, get upset. Many of them are in no better position to judge than the referee, but that doesn’t prevent them from becoming excited and possibly booing the official wholeheartedly. I believe that if goal-judges were always on the spot their decisions would be accepted without question. I could write columns about the importance of doubtful points being settled fairly, and could quote many cases in which teams have lost important matches through wrong decisions. I believe it was a Huddersfield Town player who declared the other day that already this season his side had been concerned in no fewer than twelve doubtful goals. Seeing that League champion ships and relegation problems have often hung on one goal, it is obvious that every possible precaution should be j taken to prevent unfairness.