Portugal coach calls for use of technology

Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz backed calls on Monday for the introduction of technology to aid referees, saying the credibility of the game was at stake.

Queiroz said it was too late to be applied at the ongoing World Cup, but it was something that must be seriously considered post-tournament.

“We are at a World Cup and must limit ourselves to the rules and regulations that are being applied here. We have to accept them and promote football worldwide,” he said ahead of their last 16 clash with Spain here on Tuesday.

“But I do believe that certain technology could be introduced in the future. What is at stake is the credibility of the game.

“There are probably a billion people worldwide who see what happens.

“Perhaps we have to acknowledge that football has to evolve and move forward and technology should be used.”

Queiroz, a former assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, stressed though that the issue should only be dealt with after the tournament to prevent it overshadowing the football.

“I’d like to underscore that now we are at the World Cup and now is not the appropriate time to be changing the rules and regulations, but instead we should be celebrating the game.”

Fans, media, players and coaches around the world on Monday urged football’s world governing body to react to persistent demands for the introduction of technology to adjudicate on controversial refereeing decisions.

Answers have been demanded of FIFA after major refereeing blunders in Sunday’s Germany-England and Argentina-Mexico second-round matches, which were beamed around the world.

But FIFA’s official spokesman Nicolas Maingot said the organisation’s stance remained the same on the use of technology — that it is not in favour.

“We will not open any debate on refereeing decisions at the daily media briefing, this is not the place for this and you will appreciate that I am not competent to do that,” Maingot told reporters.