with Joel Crosskill

As FIFA continue their testing of goal line technology, critics have cried foul at the possibility of bringing the 130-year-old sport of the people into the technological age.

The issue itself centres on those controversial cases when the unblinking eye of the cameras, and therefore the viewers, catch lightning strike, yet hear no thunder - when the ball crosses the line to the naked eye, yet the whistle for a goal is not blown, not given.

More often than not the referee is blamed, questioned about the whereabouts of his guide dog and later whisked away by an armoured car. But, in an environment where one decision could make or break the fight for promotion or against relegation, with millions of pounds, players and managerial futures at stake, why not use technology to address a fundamental flaw in the game and alleviate the insane amount of pressure on referees?

Does technology cross the line?

Sheer magnetism has always been a part of football, but the use of magnetic fields to instantaneously alert the referee to a micro-chip ball's passage over the goal line may represent the most significant innovation in football history.

Adidas senior development engineer, Hans-Peter Nuernberg, had this to say, "The purpose of the adidas intelligent ball and goal line technology is to provide greater transparency during a match and to assist the referee in making quick decisions that can impact the outcome and quality of the game."

Since 2003, Adidas and Cairos, in cooperation with FIFA, have developed the goal line technology. It was first publicly tested in 2005 during the U-17 FIFA World Cup in Peru, but to mixed reviews.

While its sensory capabilities proved accurate, some players like AC Milan's Clarence Seedorf said, "It took getting used to" and that "i the ball's trajectory".

Though the jury might still be out on the current version, it does seem like FIFA is seriously considering its merits.

Opponents of the proposed technology argue that its use will sterilize the game and remove the talking points and moments of human frailty these incidents generate. But even traditionalist sports like cricket and tennis have adopted it with great success. And if its controversy you're after, don't worry - penalties, offsides, two-footed tackles, sackings and red cards remain.

So why in a result-oriented world does football flounder on entering technology's matrix?

To err is human, but to really foul up you need a computer.

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Contact Joel at: jcrosskill@sportsmax.tv