World Football: An Open Letter to UEFA President Michel Platini

Dear Mr. Platini,

It's time.

The future is coming, and you simply cannot avoid it any longer.

For the life of me, I can't understand why you resist, but you've made it abundantly clear that you have, that you still do and that you will continue to do so in the future.

Stop it. The future is coming. It's called goal-line technology, and you're about to find yourself on the wrong side of history.

FIFA and IFAB have approved it. The Premier League is scrambling to implement it. This is not some passing fad that you can keep ignoring like a yapping poodle.

As the Associated Press has reported, goal-line technology underwent three years of testing in more than 1,000 matches. What's more, IFAB, the board that recommended goal tech to FIFA, is 126 years old.

In other words, this was a careful, conscientious, painstaking process. Diligent people and venerable organizations obsessed over every detail for years.

To even suggest, as you reportedly have (via The Sun), that introducing goal-line technology would be a "historical mistake" is preposterous.

You were quoted as saying a couple more things in that report that I just can't let slide, such as, "In three years of the Champions League and Europa League we have had no mistakes. Twelve times the ball went over the line and the additional referees saw it and decided."

That's fine, but what about the Marko Devic's "goal" against England? What about Frank Lampard's "goal" against Germany? Shouldn't the objective of a sport's governing body be to get as many calls right as often as possible?

You had a response ready, unfortunately.

"

But why I am against the technology of the video referee is because on the Ukraine goal there was offside at the beginning. If you want technology for the goal—what do we do if it's offside before? It means that the action has to be stopped before. That's why I am against technology. Where do we go?

"

This is folly. That's not what anyone is talking about. We're only talking about goal-line technology, and the missed offside call is beside the point.

Goal-line technology would only deal with balls crossing the goal line. Offside decisions would be unaffected. You can keep your linesmen and their offside calls. No one is after their jobs—yet.

What we're talking about is the ball and the goal line—nothing else. Again, shouldn't a sport's governing body strive to get as many calls right as often as possible?

I'll admit, I understand why you're wary of technology. After years and years of watching dystopian futures and armed robotic revolts at the movies, we've all become a bit too suspicious of our electronic can-openers.

But this is not where you need to draw the line. Instant replay has worked in tennis, and it will work in football. It takes literally a second or two to get the call right every time.

Every time.

If you only look at all the facts, you'll see there's nothing to fear. Technology won't interrupt the flow of the game, and while it might take away a bit of the referee's authority, that's probably not necessarily a bad thing.

In closing, here's a friendly word of advice: Take a look soon. The future is here, and it's time you jumped aboard the train.

After all, the UEFA presidency will come up for reelection before you know it.

Sincerely,

Mike