Football Association general secretary Alex Horne says body wants goalline technology

Personally I don't buy the argument that we're ready for technology to help with offsides, simulation or anything like that - because re-refereeing the game would really interrupt the flow.

Alex Horne
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Football Association general secretary Alex Horne insists the governing body is ready to bring in goalline technology, but it would not want any further video evidence used.

Horne was speaking in Brazil as he attended the Soccerex conference, and he reiterated the FA's desire to bring in goalline technology.

Chelsea will become the first English team to see the system fully operational when they partake in the Club World Cup in December.

"The technology is fast and accurate, it's an aid to the referee and it makes absolute sense to me," Horne told the Times.

"But I would draw the line at that, personally I don't buy the argument that we're ready for technology to help with offsides, simulation or anything like that - because re-refereeing the game would really interrupt the flow.

"The reason it works for tennis and cricket is that there are so many points and natural breaks, and it will work for the big points in football, but there aren't very many of them.

"We've tested it to destruction in laboratories, then in stadia. Having it not work would almost be worse than not having it all. That's why it has taken a while to get here."

Horne hopes that the systems will be installed early in the New Year with Wembley getting it at the same time as the Premier League clubs.

"They're using it in the Club World Cup, the Premier League will be procuring it in January and we'll piggy-back with them to buy something for Wembley," he said.

"The clubs want it, so you need 21 installations in English football. I don't think the Championship is ready for it.

"There are a few questions to answer, in a couple of years' time, you might have five clubs who are in the relegation zone and have the technology, do you turn it on? I would personally. It's not like you've got it in one goal and not the other.

"There's no home advantage there, it's still a level playing field. Given that it's an absolute cut and dried decision, I just think it's really important we get it right."