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Inspired by the increased amount of added time at the World Cup, I keep hearing commentators asking for a "game clock" so fans can judge how long is due to be added on and for what reason etc.
Why doesn't football apply the same principle as rugby? e.g. ref calls for the clock to stop during injuries and delays etc and the game ends when the ball goes dead after the game clock hits 90. You may play 91 minutes or 101 minutes if the ball doesn't go out of play but at least you can definitively see how long is left. The clock is managed by the fourth official, so it's no additional work on them (beyond calling for time to stop / start). I find it bizarre that processes exist in other sports than could be easily adopted but they're going for a totally different approach.
I suppose the same can be said about VAR - why don't they copy what has worked for years instead of this convoluted system they've got now? VAR is almost universally hated but the TMO in rugby has been the best addition they've made in years.
I'm sure many will know how it works in rugby but allow me to explain;
Ref spots a controversial decision and asks the TMO to review for a specific reason e.g. "John, can you check for a high tackle?". The replays get played on the TV broadcast for the fans and in the stadiums for the spectators and referee etc. Crucially, the audio from the TMO to the referee is played on the broadcast, so you can hear the decision and the logic behind it. Often the referee will interact with the TMO or ask for clarification before a decision.
In football, the referee is put under massive pressure to interpret the VAR decision without any kind of dialog. The fans are left infuriated because they won't always fully understand the reasoning behind the decisions and you could argue that hearing an actual human explaining the offence is more personable than a robotic "Penalty" or "no penalty" decision in isolation. That's before running 50 yards to look at a flatscreen on the side of a pitch which is a total nonsense and slows down the process massively.
So... if other sports are doing it better why isn't football adapting and learning?
Why doesn't football apply the same principle as rugby? e.g. ref calls for the clock to stop during injuries and delays etc and the game ends when the ball goes dead after the game clock hits 90. You may play 91 minutes or 101 minutes if the ball doesn't go out of play but at least you can definitively see how long is left. The clock is managed by the fourth official, so it's no additional work on them (beyond calling for time to stop / start). I find it bizarre that processes exist in other sports than could be easily adopted but they're going for a totally different approach.
I suppose the same can be said about VAR - why don't they copy what has worked for years instead of this convoluted system they've got now? VAR is almost universally hated but the TMO in rugby has been the best addition they've made in years.
I'm sure many will know how it works in rugby but allow me to explain;
Ref spots a controversial decision and asks the TMO to review for a specific reason e.g. "John, can you check for a high tackle?". The replays get played on the TV broadcast for the fans and in the stadiums for the spectators and referee etc. Crucially, the audio from the TMO to the referee is played on the broadcast, so you can hear the decision and the logic behind it. Often the referee will interact with the TMO or ask for clarification before a decision.
In football, the referee is put under massive pressure to interpret the VAR decision without any kind of dialog. The fans are left infuriated because they won't always fully understand the reasoning behind the decisions and you could argue that hearing an actual human explaining the offence is more personable than a robotic "Penalty" or "no penalty" decision in isolation. That's before running 50 yards to look at a flatscreen on the side of a pitch which is a total nonsense and slows down the process massively.
So... if other sports are doing it better why isn't football adapting and learning?
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