Local official set for historic role

Montgomeryshire-based Phil Pritchard could be tasked with announcing the controversial world-wide implementation of goal-line technology if it is voted through next month.

 

The eyes of the sporting world will be on the President of the Football Association of Wales when he chairs the 125^th anniversary meeting of the International Football Association Board being held at Celtic Manor on March 5.

 

And top of the agenda is the issue of goal-line technology to end the controversy that marred last summer’s World Cup in South Africa. The meeting will also decide whether the controversial ‘snoods’ should be banned.

 

“It is a tremendous honour,” said Pritchard. “The meeting will welcome the most high profile officials from the world of football and the decisions to be made will be crucial to the future of the game.”

 

Any decisions will be revealed by Pritchard and his FIFA boss Sepp Blatter, who has himself stoked up the goal line debate with comments during his Presidency. But now it is set to come to a head and could be a unique rule introduced for the higher echelons of football only.

 

“There will be a cost implication to be considered and obviously it is not something that could be brought in across football. It will be an interesting debate,” said Pritchard.

 

The International Football Association Board is tasked with controlling the laws of the game and it is the only governing body with the power to change or create new laws.

 

Snoods (right on Tevez) have sneaked into the British game this season following years of use in northern Italy. They are the ridiculous looking woolly items that players – normally foreign - wear around their necks.