Purists are watching as modern trends threaten to decimate the natural feel of the game and introduce totally new dynamics driven by technology. Football in its purest form had at the centre, the acknowledgement and appreciation of human error. But in a bid to regenerate the game, machines are taking over to varying degrees. In 2004, FIFA was forced abandoned an unpopular project, the golden goal which was introduced in 1993. Under the golden goal, which applied in extra time, a team that scored first was declared the winner. This meant that if a team scored even 10seconds into the 30-minute extra time, the game would be over. It killed excitement and led to a cautious approach as teams dreaded conceding.
To their credit, authorities saw the negative impact of the rule and duly withdrew it in 2004. The golden rule still exists in some sports like hockey where it still presumably serves its purpose With football saddled with several contentious decision, a new baby was born in football in 2017 in the form of VAR. It has proved to be a double-edged sword as football tries to navigate its way through this relatively new initiative.
