A fifth official?
We all know that four officials just aren't enough to keep an eye on 22 footballers running amok on a football field. FIFA are finally acknowledging the fact and introducing a fifth official in the form of a micro-chipped ball, aptly titled the 'smart-ball'.
Set to be trialled at Japan's World Club Cup next month, the ball features a single microchip that sends a message to the referee's watch should it cross the goal line. If the trial proves successful, FIFA aim to utilise the technology during South Africa's World Cup 2010.
At a Tokyo news conference last week, , FIFA executive Viacheslav Koloskov stated that "FIFA is very much interested in the test results, if everything is perceived well enough, this goal-line technology will be widely used in the World Cup in 2010".
Now all we need is a system that'll electrocute players for simulating fouls, one that'll dampen out abusive chants from the crowd and maybe, just maybe, one that'll help England qualify.
Source: FIFA.com