Gordon Smith wants greater say for fourth officials as IFA Board meets in Zurich

Published on Friday 5 March 2010 22:33

SCOTTISH Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith will today urge Fifa to give the fourth official a greater say in decision-making and to reconsider introducing goal-line technology following Thierry Henry's infamous handball last November.

Both items are on the agenda of the International FA Board's annual meeting as is a Fifa initiative to soften the triple punishment of penalty, red card and suspension when a player blatantly prevents a goalscoring opportunity in the box.

Smith was furious when goal-line technology was put on the backburner in favour of Michel Platini's pet scheme for two extra officials. Manufacturers of both Hawkeye – used successfully in tennis and cricket – and the rival microchipped ball system will both make further presentations this morning but Smith is not over-optimistic.

"The problem is cost and how far down the scale it can be implemented," said Smith. "What really annoyed me at the time was how much money had been spent on developing these techniques and then they were just put on ice instead of being properly judged. We have to see now which system the game needs."

Platini's idea has been used in this season's Europa League group stages but in a recent poll of players, 70 per cent saw no improvement while 90 per cent preferred goal-line technology. Whether football's lawmakers will take any notice is open to question but Cairos, the German-based manufacturers who are developing the microchipped ball in conjunction with Adidas, are getting more and more irritated by all the foot-dragging. "I'll give it a 50-50 chance," said a Cairos spokesman

"At the 2007 Club World (Cup] in Japan where it was an experiment, it was a proven success. In a recent survey in Germany, 16 out of 18 managers were in favour of using our technology. All the referees also backed it. One day they must say yes or no. We have already invested 15m on this."

As far as the fourth official is concerned, The SFA has made a point of putting the item on the agenda as a discussion point. Week after week, managers up and down the country constantly berate the fourth official but Smith says they are shooting the messenger.

"We believe the fourth official should have more input into decision making," said Smith. "At present they can't give any advice even if they see an off-the-ball incident better than the other officials – which they often do. Surely they should be at least allowed to offer an opinion."

The SFA also wants action taken when it comes to injured players being forced to leave the field while receiving treatment, leaving their teammates unfairly disadvantaged. "We think players who are innocent parties should not have to leave the field immediately the trainer comes on," added Smith. "Why should they have to stand on the touchline and be called back on when the guilty party is still on the pitch?"

"I saw two centre-halves on the same team colliding in an SPL game. They both had treatment and had to go off. They were the two main defenders when a corner was given to the opposition. It makes no sense."

Also on today's agenda is a suggestion by Fifa that the triple punishment for offences in the box be reduced. "My big worry about this is that a player might think he can make a cynical foul because he feels he's only going to get a yellow," Smith cautioned.

Other items being discussed today include a crackdown on advertising on corner flags and outlawing feinting when taking a penalty. Any changes will come into effect on 1 July.