Latest news with #TonyScholes
New York Times
04-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Row Z: Semi-automated offsides, PSR loopholes and champion influencers
Welcome to Row Z, The Athletic's weekly column that shines a light on the bonkers side of the game. From clubs to managers, players to organisations, every Friday we'll bring you the absurdities, the greed, the contradictions, the preposterousness and the oddities of the game we all love… The Premier League has confirmed that semi-automated offside is being introduced next weekend. Great, just in time for the big end to the season. What could possibly go wrong? Here's the league's chief football officer Tony Scholes in February: 'We are not going to introduce it if we've got any doubts at all with regards to its operation. The system we've adopted, we believe it to be the best system, the most accurate and future-proof system.' Advertisement He sounds pretty confident. Row Z can't foresee any issues whatsoever. Hang on a minute, remind us what the Premier League said in 2019 (via a promotional video with Alan Shearer) when it was about to introduce VAR: 'The Premier League is setting a high bar for VAR involvement. The philosophy is minimum interference, maximum benefit, keeping the pace and passion we all know and love.' Hmmm. Anyway let's be fair — this is a new system and we have to place our faith in these people and the technology they're implementing. In other recent semi-automated offside news: There was an eight-minute delay during Bournemouth v Wolves in the FA Cup last month when the technology was being trialled. Great. Sure, Saudi Arabian sportswashing has infiltrated the world of Newcastle streamers and alleged influencers, but who's to say there isn't some kid in Riyadh vlogging in a similar fashion? 'Hello, sorry, (checks notes) howay everyone. What better way to celebrate Newcastle, the pride of Saudi Arabia, winning the Carabao Cup than by flying to the north east of England where you can enjoy overcast weather and below average temperatures for this time of year? 'If you're (checks notes) reet canny you'll remove all the garments from the top half of your body, sip from a refreshing bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale and pay a visit to popular social club Popworld. That's (checks notes) champion.' Chelsea, you've got to hand it to them. A couple of years after selling two hotels for a combined £76.5million ($100.2m at current rates) to help balance their bulging books, the club have now revealed they made a whopping £128.4m pre-tax profit in 2023-24 despite being busy assembling the world's most expensive (and underachieving) football squad. How? They sold off the women's team! And who did they sell it to? Themselves, of course! Many Premier League clubs can have no complaints over Chelsea's methods given that, just last year, nine of them voted to continue to allow the use of one-off profits from the sales of hotels, training grounds or other tangible assets in their financial fair play submissions. What else are clubs looking to sell so they can stay within the top flight's profitability and sustainability rules (PSR)? Row Z can only speculate: Manchester United: Sir Alex Ferguson. Not content with scrapping his role as a club ambassador, United could look into selling Fergie as a commodity. In return the buying club would receive Ferguson's attendance at every home and away match as well as phonecalls offering encouragement to the team's manager and players. Advertisement 'These are desperate times, we're running out cash,' Sir Jim Ratcliffe will justify as he simultaneously signs off on a project to build the most expensive circus tent ever constructed. Also potentially up for sale at United — one stadium roof. It's got a few holes in it but nothing a bit of Polyfilla won't fix. Oh and their dignity, week after week. Tottenham: Any branding which just has the word 'Tottenham' on it. That's Tottenham Hotspur or Spurs to me and you. Chelsea (again): Every single player they bought last summer. Arsenal: Advance copies of the club's newly-commissioned DVD 'Conspiracy', a docu-drama which will intersperse clips showing where the PGMOL have deliberately wronged Arsenal this season to derail their title bid, with dramatic behind-the-scenes recreations of how the plots were conceived, starring Arsenal fans Benedict Cumberbatch (playing Howard Webb) and Anne Hathaway (Howard Webb's wife). Liverpool: Just a few million Trent Alexander-Arnold No 66 shirts. Wolves forward Matheus Cunha during an interview with The Observer on March 30: 'Now, we're close to achieving our goal (of staying up). But I've made it clear that I need to take the next step. I want to fight for titles, for big things.' Also Cunha, on March 1: Gets needlessly sent off in the 120th minute of an FA Cup fifth-round tie at Bournemouth, starting a fight with Milos Kerkez as the game winds down to penalties. Cunha then can't take a penalty so Matt Doherty has to step up instead and misses, meaning Wolves miss out on a last-eight spot and the chance of a title. And also here's Wolves, the club that pay Cunha's wages, on February 1: 'Wolves top scorer Matheus Cunha has committed his long-term future to the club, signing a new four-and-a-half-year deal at Molineux.' There was another normal night for Jose Mourinho in Turkey this week. After Fenerbahce's loss to Galatasaray in the Turkish Cup, Jose Mourinho appeared to pinch the nose of Okan Buruk, the Galatasaray manager. — The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) April 2, 2025 Anyway, Galatasaray had the last laugh with this, which may not only win the internet this week, but possibly for the whole of 2025. Galatasaray delirtir. — Galatasaray SK (@GalatasaraySK) April 2, 2025
The Independent
01-04-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Premier League to introduce semi-automated offside technology this season
Semi-automated offside technology will be introduced in Premier League matches from April 12, the league has announced. The technology, which was originally intended to be introduced after one of the autumn international breaks in October or November, eventually made its debut in English football in seven of the eight fifth-round FA Cup ties at the start of March. Following additional non-live testing in the Premier League, SAOT will now be used for the first time in the top flight, using virtual offside lines and graphics along with optical player tracking for those watching at home or in a stadium. A Premier League statement said: 'Semi-automated offside technology automates key elements of the offside decision-making process to support the video assistant referee (VAR). 'It provides more efficient placement of the virtual offside line, using optical player tracking, and generates virtual graphics to ensure an enhanced in-stadium and broadcast experience for fans. 'The technology maintains the integrity of the process while enhancing the speed, efficiency, and consistency of offside decision-making.' Using 30 cameras around a stadium, the technology is set to be used in close offside decisions and, like VAR, will help confirm or suggest a change to the on-field decision made by the referee. The Premier League has worked with Professional Game Match Officials Ltd and Genius Sports to develop the technology. Speaking in February, Premier League chief football officer Tony Scholes said the system was 'the most accurate and the most future-proof' available. It will debut at the Etihad Stadium on April 12, when Manchester City host Crystal Palace in the early kick-off, with three more fixtures set to follow at 3pm. The day's action concludes with Arsenal's clash against Brentford at the Emirates in the teatime fixture.
The Independent
01-04-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Premier League to introduce semi-automated offside technology from April 12
Semi-automated offside technology will be introduced in Premier League matches from April 12, the league has announced. The technology, which was originally intended to be introduced after one of the autumn international breaks in October or November, eventually made its debut in English football in seven of the eight fifth-round FA Cup ties at the start of March. Following additional non-live testing in the Premier League, SAOT will now be used for the first time in the top flight, using virtual offside lines and graphics along with optical player tracking for those watching at home or in a stadium. A Premier League statement said: 'Semi-automated offside technology automates key elements of the offside decision-making process to support the video assistant referee (VAR). 'It provides more efficient placement of the virtual offside line, using optical player tracking, and generates virtual graphics to ensure an enhanced in-stadium and broadcast experience for fans. 'The technology maintains the integrity of the process while enhancing the speed, efficiency, and consistency of offside decision-making.' Using 30 cameras around a stadium, the technology is set to be used in close offside decisions and, like VAR, will help confirm or suggest a change to the on-field decision made by the referee. The Premier League has worked with Professional Game Match Officials Ltd and Genius Sports to develop the technology. Speaking in February, Premier League chief football officer Tony Scholes said the system was 'the most accurate and the most future-proof' available. It will debut at the Etihad Stadium on April 12, when Manchester City host Crystal Palace in the early kick-off, with three more fixtures set to follow at 3pm. The day's action concludes with Arsenal's clash against Brentford at the Emirates in the teatime fixture.
New York Times
01-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Premier League confirms semi-automated offside technology to be introduced this season
The Premier League has confirmed that it will be implementing semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) this season. The technology will be brought in for matchday 32 and will be used for the first time at the Etihad Stadium, where Manchester City host Crystal Palace in the early kick-off on Saturday April 12. Advertisement The system was first introduced in England this season for the FA Cup fifth round but only for fixtures held in stadiums of Premier League clubs. It was also used for during the quarter-final stage of the competition, with the only exception being Championship side Preston North End's home match against Aston Villa. A statement on Tuesday read: 'The Premier League will introduce semi-automated offside technology on Saturday 12 April (Match Round 32). This follows non-live testing in the Premier League and live operation in the FA Cup this season. 'Semi-automated offside technology automates key elements of the offside decision-making process to support the video assistant referee (VAR). It provides more efficient placement of the virtual offside line, using optical player tracking, and generates virtual graphics to ensure an enhanced in-stadium and broadcast experience for fans. 'The technology maintains the integrity of the process while enhancing the speed, efficiency, and consistency of offside decision-making. 'The Premier League has worked in collaboration with PGMOL and sports data and technology company Genius Sports to develop the new semi-automated offside technology system.' Semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) was introduced to major competitions in 2022, but did not make its debut in English football until the 2024-25 campaign. SAOT was used at the 2022 men's World Cup in Qatar, the women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand the following year and at Euro 2024. The technology has also been in use in the Champions League since 2022-23, in Serie A since January 2023 and was brought in by La Liga for the start of the current campaign. Premier League clubs unanimously approved the use of SAOT for the 2024-25 season, and while the league initially intended to implement it earlier in the campaign, its introduction was delayed. Advertisement 'We are not going to introduce it if we've got any doubts at all with regards to its operation,' Tony Scholes, the Premier League's chief football officer, said in February. 'The system we've adopted, we believe it to be the best system, the most accurate and future-proof system.' Following its debut in the FA Cup, the Premier League confirmed that it would 'look to implement the system later this season.' There was some controversy during the first weekend of its use, however. Bournemouth's fifth-round FA Cup clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers on March 1 saw an eight-minute stoppage for a VAR intervention for a goal check in the first half, despite SAOT being intended to reduce delays over contentious decisions. The Football Association (FA) had previously warned that marginal offside decisions in crowded goalmouths might prove too tight for the new technology to detect, and this was the case at the Vitality Stadium. VAR instead had to revert to the previous method of drawing lines manually, as Dean Huijsen was adjudged to have been in an offside position when Milos Kerkez's strike made contact with the Spain international. After the incident, Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola said: 'They told us they were going to implement it (SAOT) in the first or the second international breaks this season. Definitely something has not been working well because they've decided to put it almost at the end of the season. 'And today, they checked the handball first and they said quickly that it was not a handball, so they were checking the offside. He told us the semi-automatic offside was not working so they have to do the process manually. It has taken a lengthy, lengthy, lengthy drawing.' Prior to the technology's trial, the FA also said the technology may not help to shorten delays in certain scenarios, specifically when checking multiple offenses. 'The length of certain VAR checks may also remain where decisions need to consider multiple offside checks or other offenses such as fouls or handballs in the attacking possession phase.' By explainer journalist Eduardo Tansley SAOT will automate the job of a replay operator by suggesting a 'kick-point' and automatically creating offside lines on the second furthest back defender and the relevant attacker. The Premier League says this will save an average of around 31 seconds per offside. Advertisement The SAOT decision is then reviewed and approved by the VAR and automatically creates a visual display shown on stadium screens for fans. Up to 30 new cameras will be installed around each Premier League stadium to support the system, and many will capture footage at twice the frame rate of typical broadcast cameras — 100 frames per second. During the two World Cups featuring SAOT, FIFA used 'connected balls' with chips in them, to be precise about the 'kick-point'. But the cameras the Premier League intends to use will track the exact movement of the ball, meaning they do not feel a chip is required. Players are also continuously tracked using 10,000 data points on the bodies of all 22 players, helping automatically determine whether or not the attacker was offside at the 'kick-point' and flagging if any offside player was involved in the build-up to an incident to the VAR and SAOT operator. SAOT is fully automated and can be overseen by one operator; VAR requires several people to do the job of SAOT manually. ()
Arab Times
13-02-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
English soccer to debut semi-automated offside technology in FA Cup
LONDON, Feb 13, (AP): English soccer will use semi-automated offside technology for the first time in the fifth round of the FA Cup at the start of March. The AI-based player tracking technology was supposed to be introduced by the Premier League after one of the international breaks in the early months of the season but was delayed because of issues in the testing process. After progress in recent weeks, Premier League chief executive Tony Scholes said last week, the technology will first be used in the FA Cup, which has reached the last-16 stage. However, it will be employed only in seven of the eight matches over March 1-2, the Football Association said on Thursday. "Semi-automated offside technology will provide more efficient placement of the virtual offside line, based on optical player tracking, and produce virtual graphics to ensure an enhanced in-stadium and broadcast experience for supporters,' the FA said. It added the technology "does not change the accuracy of the decision making but enhances the speed and efficiency of the process.' Premier League officials have said they hope the technology will reduce the time it takes to check for offside by an average of 31 seconds. The FA says the Premier League will look to implement the system later this season after seeing it in operation in the FA Cup.
