Poll saddened by technology decision

Graham Poll
12 April 2012

Former top referee Graham Poll accused football's rulers of "arrogance" after they threw out any prospect of goal-line technology.

A majority of the International Football Association Board voted against the idea in Zurich on Saturday, although the FAs of England and Scotland backed the plan.

Asked the reason for football's reticence on Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme, Poll said: "It's probably because of the level of arrogance. They feel that we have the best game, it's our game, the number one game and it's the same as experimenting with things like sin bins - 'Oh no, that's a rugby idea we wouldn't do that.'"

He added: "It's like having a look at a different method of offsides - 'Oh we won't do that, hockey have done that, we have to be different, we're football.'

"It's hugely disappointing.

"And to hear one of the reasons as 'Well it's what people like to talk about in pubs, think back to 1966. Was the ball over the line or not?' The world has moved on massively since then.

"In 1966 we didn't have the possibility of seeing immediately whether the ball was a goal or wasn't a goal.

"It's changed completely and it's really affecting the confidence and respect that match officials now have."

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