tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672552.post-1148389382696295592006-05-23T13:03:00.000Z2006-05-23T21:32:39.806Z<p class="mobile-post">Refs to use new radio technology</p><p class="mobile-post">Referees' chief Keith Hackett has confirmed that Premiership officials<br />will use new radio communication technology during matches next season. </p><p class="mobile-post">The system allows referees to talk to their assistants using a<br />microphone link and will be used by World Cup officials during the<br />summer. </p><p class="mobile-post">Hackett told BBC Sport: "The communication system will be in place in<br />the Premiership next season. </p><p class="mobile-post">"These are aids that will improve the standards of refereeing." </p><p class="mobile-post">Former referee Hackett is now head of the Professional Game Match<br />Officials Board (PGMOB) and he is confident the new system will be<br />beneficial. </p><p class="mobile-post">He added: "The referee has an open mic, his two assistants and fourth<br />official can hear what is being said by him so they can have an insight<br />into the feel of the game. </p><p class="mobile-post">"The referee can ask questions to his assistants with a push-to-talk mic<br />system that can be used to talk to the referee. </p><p class="mobile-post">"It has lots of benefits - the most important being speed of<br />communication. </p><p class="mobile-post">"Graham Poll is one of the people who has been field-testing this both<br />with ourselves and with UEFA. </p><p class="mobile-post">"Graham and his assistants Philip Sharp and Glenn Turner have been very,<br />very praiseworthy about it." </p><p class="mobile-post">Poll and his assistants will use the equipment in Germany next month -<br />before the technology is introduced to Premiership officials for the<br />start of the new season. </p><p class="mobile-post">A Premier League spokesman said: "It will be used in a similar format to<br />that used in the World Cup where the four officials will use the<br />push-to-talk system. </p><p class="mobile-post">"We and Keith Hackett hope that it will improve the communication<br />between officials and it is a positive step for the game." </p><p class="mobile-post">The system has already been tested in the Premiership during the Fulham<br />against Bolton game in November. </p><p class="mobile-post">Poll was the man in the middle then and he has also used the link-up in<br />Champions League matches. </p><p class="mobile-post">Football follows other sports such as both codes of rugby and cricket in<br />adopting the technology.<br /></p>Andy S. Murray (Netarcher)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11606275422477696693noreply@blogger.com