Say what you want about Americans and ‘soccer’, but the US influence on the beautiful game is growing.
Yes their commentators say ‘goal shot’ and ‘deefence’, they might not have known who the hell Steven Gerrard was when he moved to LA Galaxy and even their football violence is a little weird.
But you only have to look at how they market the game, the success of both the men’s and women’s teams at their respective World Cups and the increasing number of stars going to play there to know this is a football nation on the up.
However, their greatest impact on the game so far could be something that has been an ever-present in other US sports for a while – video replay technology.
It’s already used in most major sporting leagues – including the NBA, MLB, NFL and NHL.
But now there is increasing rancour against what coaches and players feel are wrong decisions by referees in key football games – something we’re all too familiar with.
Sporting Kansas City boss Peter Vermes, who was fined after slating a referee for allowing a goal in a game against Colorado Rapids (which they went on to lose), thinks referees should get the same view of a match that fans get at home, replays and all.
He told The Guardian: “If you have the access to it, why would not use it?
“If there’s any time you can be certain about something, why would you not want to have all the information you possibly could?
“It’s kind of like the debate about goal-line technology. It’s like, really? We really need to have a discussion about that? It’s crazy.”
https://youtu.be/UINvtXm2g4M?t=1m43s
While fans are critical of something they believe could slow down the fluidity of the game, MLS executives disagree.
Trials of the technology have quietly been running for two seasons with Real Salt Lake, the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Philadelphia Union focussing on red cards, goals and penalties.
The argument is that in each of these instances there’s an average of one minute between the moment play stops and starts again at the referee’s whistle – giving ample time for the refs to be given information from replays before play resumes.
The trial results show video replay can work, according to MLS Head of Competition Jeff Agoos.
“When you think about it, the officials are the ones in the stadiums that have the least amount of information of anyone there,” he told the newspaper.
“The fans can literally click on their iPhone and within 30 seconds get a replay of the event.
“The officials don’t have that technology, and that makes no sense. They should have the ability to get more information to make a decision.”
MLS commissioner Don Garber supports the idea and is ready to take it to US Soccer and Fifa, which ultimately makes the rules governing referees.
