Tis-smeee
14/02/2007, 6:32 PM
Platini plans five refs
Michel Platini's election manifesto was full of pious rhetoric but light on detail, yet when the Frenchman won the Uefa presidency last month his victory was hailed as the dawn of a revolution in European football. And today the 51-year-old put forward his first radical change - which is aimed either at reducing the number of refereeing mistakes or slashing the continent's unemployment rate.
Rather than advocate the introduction of video technology to assist with decision-making on the pitch, Platini has suggested increasing the number of officials from three to five, with the two additional men in black being stationed in the penalty areas. "Two more officials would definitely help to clear up misunderstands," said a Uefa spokesperson. "Platini does not want to break up the flow of the game with video technology but he is keen to see a new system."
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Platini has previously been quoted saying: "We have to help referees, who can't see everything and I believe two more assistants on either side of the pitch would do this. It would help judging offside decisions as well as a range of off-the-ball incidents." He has said he is opposed to the use of technology because that would gradually erode the authority of humans, explaining: "I'm against refereeing by video. Where would it stop? If you start with videos, you will finish with videos and there would be no more."
Platini will invite Fifa to discuss the idea at its AGM, which will be held in Manchester on March 3.
http://football.guardian.co.uk/
Michel Platini's election manifesto was full of pious rhetoric but light on detail, yet when the Frenchman won the Uefa presidency last month his victory was hailed as the dawn of a revolution in European football. And today the 51-year-old put forward his first radical change - which is aimed either at reducing the number of refereeing mistakes or slashing the continent's unemployment rate.
Rather than advocate the introduction of video technology to assist with decision-making on the pitch, Platini has suggested increasing the number of officials from three to five, with the two additional men in black being stationed in the penalty areas. "Two more officials would definitely help to clear up misunderstands," said a Uefa spokesperson. "Platini does not want to break up the flow of the game with video technology but he is keen to see a new system."
Article continues
Platini has previously been quoted saying: "We have to help referees, who can't see everything and I believe two more assistants on either side of the pitch would do this. It would help judging offside decisions as well as a range of off-the-ball incidents." He has said he is opposed to the use of technology because that would gradually erode the authority of humans, explaining: "I'm against refereeing by video. Where would it stop? If you start with videos, you will finish with videos and there would be no more."
Platini will invite Fifa to discuss the idea at its AGM, which will be held in Manchester on March 3.
http://football.guardian.co.uk/