Cech happy with goal-line technology trial after Liverpool trauma

Chelsea fans and Liverpool alike will always remember the ‘goal that never was’ in the Champions League semi-final back in 2005, when a Luis garcia shot clearly didn’t cross the line, but was given, and knocked Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea out.

This incident caused heart-ache for months, and arguments between the then-Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez and Jose Mourinho we’re ongoing.

Rafa said: “After the game, Sheila, who was sitting right in line in the main stand, said to me that the ball had crossed the line. She is a very honest person and that was good enough for me. It was a goal.” This did not go down well…

Now in the present, Rafa is our manager, and goal-line technology is on the horizon.

The FA has been pushing for the technology since Frank Lampard had his goal disallowed in the World Cup against Germany in South Africa, and FIFA have finally accepted to trial the idea.

The World Club Cup in Japan is currently trialling the Hawk-Eye camera system and GoalRef which works through magnetic fields and a ball with a chip. GoalRef will be used in the Chelsea-Monterrey game.

Cech is more than happy with the move, saying: “I’m very happy with the decision that technology goes forward.

“As a player you would rather wait for the right decision than be disappointed by a wrong one, I’m really pleased this is the first time of many times it will be used. I hope everything goes smoothly and we will see the benefits of it.”

Cech also spoke of his participation in Club World Cup. “It means a lot to every player to play in great tournaments. You only get the invitation to play here if you win the Champions League, and that’s not easy to win.

“It took me eight years at Chelsea to get the invitation to play in this tournament. We hope we make the most of it and win. The last two results were very good for us. We will try to carry on with this momentum and that can take us through.

“Monterrey have a slight advantage because they’ve been here a few days. They’re acclimatised. We were already straight into the semi-finals, like Corinthians, so we have to be seen as the favourites. I can live with that fact. It’s not a problem for us. It’s too early to judge if the season is on course but we are in the right way.”

It might not have taken eight years had we had goal-line tech in place for that famous Liverpool game. We we’re robbed, and this reminder of that day will not please any of you other Chelsea fans, but we won the Champions League in the end! And will win many more in time. For now we concentrate on the WCC. Come on you Blues.