Goal-line technology likely next season
Goal-line technology is likely to be in use in English football in the coming season after an historic decision by the game's law-makers.
Two systems, Hawk-Eye and GoalRef, were approved by the International FA Board (IFAB) in Zurich. The Premier League will enter into talks with the two manufacturers, and Hawk-Eye say they could supply the 20 clubs with the technology for January. It is also likely to be used in the coming season's FA Cup semi-finals and final.
FA general secretary Alex Horne said the Hawk-Eye system installed at Wembley for a trial last month is still there - and could be switched on, tested and licensed for FA Cup and perhaps England matches at Wembley. Horne told the Press Association: "It is perfectly possible to introduce it halfway through the season."
He added: "We have already got Hawk-Eye at Wembley, it needs to be calibrated and make sure it's working properly and licensed so we are nearly there and we could turn Hawk-Eye on quite quickly.
"The FA Cup would be our decision and we could say for the semi-finals and finals of the FA Cup we could turn it on, I don't think that is a very controversial decision.
"England is harder because we are part of someone else's competition so we would need FIFA to agree that we could use that in that qualification campaign.
"We need to go back and talk to the Premier League, everything I hear is that they want it. We might as well agree which one we want to buy and then nail a deal together."
FIFA president Sepp Blatter admitted he had changed his mind about goal-line technology after Frank Lampard's disallowed goal for England v Germany in the 2010 World Cup, and highlighted again after Ukraine were denied a goal against England in Euro 2012 despite the ball having crossed the line.
Blatter said: "For me as FIFA president it became evident the moment what happened in South Africa in 2010.
"I have to say 'thank you Lampard'. I was completely down in South Africa when I saw that it really shocked me, it took me a day to react. It happened again in Ukraine, and Ukraine can still not believe it now."
