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Tuesday Kickoff: Goal-line technology nears EPL approval; Silva fit for PSG; and more

GoalLineTechnologyTestEvent (Getty)

By DAN KARELL

Though not a done deal yet, goal-line technology will likely be used next season on one of the biggest stages in world soccer.

The Premier League clubs will meet on Thursday to discuss, among other things, the use of goal-line technology starting next season. FIFA recently selected a German company to handle the technology at the upcoming Confederations Cup in Brazil.

The FA’s general secretary Alex Horne is confident that the Premier League clubs will approve of the technology, which is set to be installed in Wembley Stadium as well.

“There are occasions [when GLT is needed] and we’ve seen them here at Wembley, we’ve seen them in World Cups,” Horne told BBC Sport, “we’ve seen them 11 or 12 times in the Premier League this season alone.

“So technology that says ‘yes, the ball has crossed the line’ and lets the referee know makes an awful lot of sense to me.”

Hawk-Eye, the technology used in tennis instant-replays, and GoalRef, are the two systems that are likely to be used by the Premier League.

Here are some more stories to start your Tuesday:

THIAGO SILVA IN PSG SQUAD AGAINST BARCELONA

Paris Saint-Germain defender Thiago Silva has been included in the squad for their trip to Barcelona on Wednesday.

The Brazilian missed PSG’s 2-0 win over Rennes on Saturday after picking up a minor injury in the first leg against Barcelona last Tuesday. However, despite not playing at the weekend, PSG manager Carlo Ancelotti has brushed off concerns, saying that the injury wasn’t a big problem.

Silva is the most expensive transfer ever for a defender, costing PSG €42 million ($54,751,200) to bring him to the Parc des Princes from AC Milan last summer. The 28-year-old was superb in the first match against Barcelona, leading France legend Laurent Blanc to call Silva the “perfect defender.”

NEVILLE TO LEAVE EVERTON IN JUNE

Since moving to Everton in 2005, Phil Neville has been one of the constants in David Moyes’ squad, serving as club captain since 2007. Starting next season however, Moyes will have to find someone new to fill that role.

The 36-year-old Neville has announced that he will leave Everton at the end of the season, ending an eight year run at Goodison Park. Neville will be traveling with England U-21’s as an assistant manager at this summer’s UEFA U-21 Championship in Israel, but when he comes back, he’ll be looking for a new club.

The six-time Premier League winner isn’t ready to retire just yet, saying he wants to keep playing top-flight football as long as he can. Since his announcement on Tuesday, many stars in English soccer have wished Neville luck on Twitter, including Teddy Sheringham, Joleon Lescott, and his brother, Gary Neville.

QUICK KICKS

At least eight people were injured in violent actions between Roma’s ultras and Lazio’s ultras before their derby match on Tuesday. (REPORT)

Manchester City’s David Silva is a doubt for Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea after limping off on Monday’s win over Manchester United with a hamstring injury. (REPORT)

Bayern Munich have been fined €15,000 ($19,560) for fans lighting flares and smoke bombs at a number of the team’s away matches. (REPORT)

Honduras will take on Israel in a friendly match on June 2 at Citi Field in New York City. (REPORT)

Swansea City have announced profits of £16 million ($24.5 million) between May and November 2012. (REPORT)

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What do you make of these reports? Do you think it’s about time the Premier League installed goal-line technology? Do you see Thiago Silva starting in Barcelona? Do you believe Phil Neville can still play in the EPL?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Sounds good, as long as it doesn’t produce annoying delays. Please let this be as far as they take this stuff. I think I speak for a lot of soccer fans when I say I appreciate the game of soccer for what it is and how it’s not like the big dumb, litigious, commercial, drawn out with false drama, jock rock USA sports.

    Reply
    • If GLT can overturn one bad call, it’ll prove its value. I just hope the technology isn’t abused. Hopefully we don’t see frivolous reviews.

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    • Lol the billion dollar making sports you mean. Don’t hate on them because that stuff works. Only one soccer league comes close to these sports and it certainly isn’t MLS. We want soccer in this country to mimic Europe while living in a country that hates almost everything European lol. Maybe that’s why soccer is stuck in neutral in this country soccer fans want their cake and eat it to. We want the same relevance yet got against everything Americans know as sports fans.

      Reply
      • yeah really who the hell wants MLS to be like europe. MLS is the future. Soccer globaly is bigger then all north american sports leagues. You really think people in other contries care about NFL. No they dont they never will. Mexico is probably as close as its gonna get and that because theyve been shoving down their thoats for years.

      • I don’t give a f*ck if the rest of the world doesn’t like football. I don’t need approval from the world to watch a sport. Theres a reason the NFL is the most profitable and most highly attended league in the world despite being soley american. An amatuer football team is able to outdraw the mighty barcelona. Are the commercial breaks over the top? Of course. Just like how the constant diving and injury faking is in soccer. It goes hand and hand

  2. Profit for a Premier League team? Good for them and they’ll still be in the league next year….doing it the right way Swansea!

    Reply
    • The general idea of making a paper profit while playing attractive soccer on a budget is interesting, particularly in the leveraged EPL. And Swansea did get a further windfall on their League Cup win (although tiny in comparison to FA Cup), after the close of the period discussed, which was in 2012.

      But the linked article presents more of a mixed bag — and in fact starts on a negative note — because some fans are upset the owners took out a 2 million quid dividend after a previous downswing resulted in the team having to negotiate its debts down to shillings on the pound….cents on the dollar, however. Apparently 78% of the supporter’s trust (part-owners) surveyed wanted to keep the money in-house. Presumably they got outvoted by some of the same people cashing in. But the pro-dividend bunch makes an interesting argument you’d never hear here, that the dividend is above-board where they could have quietly taken a substantial salary off the record. I found the article interesting because you could see the slightly different mentality towards business in the way things were being discussed. I doubt Americans would blink at events but it sounds controversial there, and it’s interesting that we seize on the profit announcement where they focus on the dividend controversy.

      Reply

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