Technology Saves the Day for United

By Julius Ross

The credit for Manchester United's 4-1 penalty-shootout win over Tottenham Hotspur in the Carling Cup perhaps should not be awarded for the ingenuity of Sir Alex Ferguson or the silky skills of Cristiano Ronaldo - but to a hand held device known world-wide as the iPod.

After 120 minutes of football failed to separate the Mancs from the Londoners, a brief - but defining - break in procedure, prior to the penalty shootout, may have handed United the trophy.

While the teams took time out to stretch sore muscles, replenish glycogen stores and focus on where to place their forthcoming 12-yard kick, United's astute goalkeeping coach Eric Steele handed 'keeper Ben Foster an iPod.

Listening to an iPod may appear to be a strange pre-penalty ritual on first glance, by Foster was in fact quickly absorbing a video compilation of Tottenham's penalty takers, provided by Steele's carefully planned research.

Foster honed in on Jamie O'Hara's technique on the miniature screen - footage of O'Hara taking a spot kick in Spurs' UEFA Cup defeat to PSV Eindoven, to be precise - which showed the midfielder prefers to hit his penalties to the left of the 'keeper.

Similar to Neo's lighting-fast computer-aided training in the original Matrix film, the United goalkeeper uploaded the information with photographic memory and proceeded to step up and save O'Hara's attempt - which as the footage had illustrated, went to the 25-year-old keeper's left.

iPod 1 - Tottenham 0.

Foster's save was Tottenham's first spot kick and it is questionable whether the United 'keeper would have 'guessed' the right way without the help from Apple's ingenious invention.

But, admittedly, Foster's teammates' immaculate penalty conversions were nothing but human brilliance and coolheadedness - and their success could not be attributed to a portable music player - although they were executed with robotic precision.

With Foster's initial penalty save setting the tone in United's favour, the Red Devils sealed the Cup victory when David Bentley shot wide, and Brazilian Anderson slotted home the winner for a 4-1 rout.

It may be "Glory, Glory, Man United" for Sir Alex's men, but Foster's 'heightened performance' as a result of the iPod has caused uproar in some footballing circles, and has divided opinions between techno-enthusiasts and traditionalists.

Former referee Graham Poll is one such purist who believes that the iPod usage by United "had the potential to exploit a loophole in the laws which should be referred to FIFA".

The Football Association replied to Poll that there was no case to answer for Foster's actions as the footage he was examining was not of anything that had occurred during the match taking place, and no further action would be taken.

Using an MP3 device as a 'tactical aid' is not against the written laws of the game, but world governing body FIFA has long resisted the temptation - and incessant demand from some quarters - to introduce technology to the game.

Controversial former President Sepp Blatter was adamant that the introduction of technology of any kind would have a detrimental effect on the game, despite obvious and reoccurring mistakes by referees and linesmen at the highest level.

The course of footballing history has revealed that the introduction of technology to assist referees' decisions - whether it be reviewing offsides, mistimed tackles or goal-line judgements - may be beneficial to resolving these mistakes caused by 'human error'.

But critics are insistent that the introduction of replays, goal-line computer chips and artificial linesmen - any type of technology for that matter - would remove the 'human' factor that makes the game so unpredictable, would cause a division among supporters and would inevitable change the face of football that the world knows and loves.

One thing is for certain though, Apple's iPod has not only revolutionised the way we listen to music, watch videos and even browse the web, it has revolutionised the world's most popular sport - football.