Platini: "More officials"

Football's governing bodies have been under pressure to bring in the kind of technology that Rugby and Cricket widely use in order to ascertain whether controversial goal-line decisions should stand or be disallowed.

And while Platini is cautious about the use of electronic tagging or video replays he thinks extra officiating is the answer.

"My idea is to increase the number of officials," he told France Football. "Refereeing with three people is old-fashioned. Three can't see everything."

"I propose two more officials, who would be over 45 and would not have to run because they would stay next to the goals," he continued.

"We have to show the world that we're against unfairness and want to move towards fewer errors."

It is understood that the extra assistants would have the function of ensuring balls that crossed the line would be given as goals, and vice-versa when the whole of the ball has not crossed the whole of the line. These situations have caused controversy in recent seasons. It is not known whether they would aid the referee on other goalmouth incidents such as fouls, handballs or offsides.

Platini feels that introducing video replays and other forms of technology would take the romance out of the game, blaming media corporations for the controversy.

"There is a risk with electronic systems of dehumanising football," he argued. "If television channels want to be the bosses of refereeing, they can stand for election."