O’Leary In Favour Of Video Evidence

O’Leary has joined in the debate whether football should introduce video evidence, he said:

‘I’d would love to see video evidence, without a doubt. A few weeks ago, because of the way the games have fallen, we were able to watch a few England rugby games on TV and I thought it worked brilliantly for try scoring incidents where you were able to go to a judge.’

Adding:

‘I wouldn’t have it for outside the box incidents, or for offsides but anything that was related to goal-scoring chances – the TV people tell me that it can be called up within seconds. And when so much is at stake, when a ball crosses the line, I was convinced by it when I saw Tottenham’s goal at Manchester United last season. Surely we must start it where a ball crosses the line? The technology is there.’

All makes sense to me, the technology is ready and it only adds to the tension in rugby and cricket. With so much money and so much at stake, why not go for it? That said, when you come to something like the two West Bromwich Albion penalty claims last Sunday, it appears it still remains open to interpretation. Pundits and fans alike appear to have had different opinions on the claims. For what it is worth (which is exactly nothing!) I’d say the Aaron Hughes ‘handball’ was not a penalty but I don’t think I’d have argued much if the Liam Ridgewell one had been given!