Question Number: 24424

Law 11 - Offside 12/15/2010

Bill Sayre of Greenville, SC USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 24410

Just a question about using chips for offside calls: wouldn't you have to install a chip in every player's head as well? :-)

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Yes, I ignored that little tidbit.

Previous ideas like this had the jersey wired for positioning - thereby ignoring the feet and head.

But the measurement is really the least of the worries here. Somehow you have to coordinate position and last touch of the ball, and then factor in involvement in play - pretty hard to do by sensors.

It's a moot point anyway. IFAB might - maybe, on a good day, if they're feeling just right, had a perfect breakfast - might look at goalline technology again. I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for them to even open the letter suggesting offside technology.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

good point

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Bill
The game has moved on IMO for a long time. The more simple way is to do away with offside. I personally see little merit to it in the modern game and for me it is now used for lazy defending, compressing play, helps double up defending etc
FIFA want to make the game more exciting. Watching players being coached to rush out to put opponents in offside positions with the attack duly obliging with the through pass does little for the game.
With double up defending it might help if the defenders had to mark all the attackers rather than being 'assisted' to ignore certain players rather than the ball carrier always facing two/three defenders.
It won't happen though with perhaps at best more tinkering.