Keeper Cech joins chorus for goalline technology

Petr Cech has called for goalline technology to be introduced as soon as possible following the controversy over Andy Carroll’s disallowed goal at Wembley; and he insists it should have happened a decade ago.

Cech is adamant that Carroll’s late header, which he spectacular clawed out from close range, did not cross the line and referee Phil Dowd was right not to award it. But he also feels technology could have made the whole incident far easier to deal with.

“I’ve been saying it for 10 years. Every time you see a big competition, even when I was a teenager watching on television, and you see a goal which is given that wasn’t a goal you think, ‘I’m sitting in front of my telly, the game is live, in 10 seconds I knew it wasn’t a goal why can’t the official know the same thing’?

“Football is the only sport in the world at the highest level that doesn’t have that help. I don’t understand it. It should have started 10 years ago.

“I understand they say that every league would not have the same opportunity to have the system. But in the end you can’t compare the Premier League with even the Czech League. So if one league wants it, they should have it.

“On this occasion I’m sure it didn’t cross the line, I’m certain I got it in time. But officials need some help and there’s no reason not to give them it.”

Cech’s point was backed up by Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, who also took the opportunity to call on football officials to speed up the process of bringing in goalline technology.

He said: “It’s difficult for the officials to give decisions like that. There’s an argument looking at the computer images that it was over, but Phil Dowd was standing by me and the linesman was 40 yards away and it was impossible to give a yes or no on it.

“The debate over technology has been going on for years and it will continue until it’s brought in. The officials need a bit of help. It’s a final today, there’s 90,000 fans there and you get a decision like that. I’m not 100% sure whether it was in or not but until the technology comes in we’re going to be continuing to have these conversations after games.”