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MT 26 July 2017

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21 Sport FOOTBALL maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 26 JULY 2017 Maradona backs use of video technology to prevent another 'Hand of God' DIEGO Maradona has backed the use of video assistant referees (VARs) in football even though he is aware that his infa- mous 'Hand of God' goal would not have stood if the technology had ex- isted during his heyday. The goal during the 1986 World Cup quarter- final between Argentina and England is one of the most talked about in the history of football, alongside his brilliant so- lo run past five defenders in the same game that gave his side a 2-1 victory. The diminutive Argentine, who tapped the ball over the head of onrushing goalkeeper Peter Shilton with his fist to score his country's first goal, gained even more notoriety when he claimed afterwards it had been scored by the 'Hand of God'. "Obviously I think about it whenever I show my support for the use of technology," Maradona said in an interview posted on global football's governing body FIFA's website (www.fifa.com) on Tuesday. "I thought about it and, sure, that goal wouldn't have stood if technology had been around. And I'll tell you something else: at the 1990 World Cup I used my hand to clear the ball off the line against the Soviet Union. "We were lucky because the referee didn't see it. You couldn't use technology back then, but it's a different story today." FIFA has tested VAR tech- nology at several tournaments ahead of next year's World Cup in Russia, including at last month's Confederations Cup, and its head of refereeing Mas- simo Busacca said afterwards that the technology should be refined. The governing body has al- ready said it would like to use VAR at the 2018 World Cup, and football's law-making body IFAB is expected to decide next March whether to allow them to become part of the game on a permanent basis. VAR involves two video as- sistant referees who monitor the action on screens and draw the match referee's attention to possible officiating mistakes. But criticisms include the time taken to make decisions and the referees' criteria in de- ciding when to use the system, with some close calls being made without consulting the VARs. Maradona cited Frank Lam- pard's disallowed goal for Eng- land against Germany at the 2010 World Cup and Geoff Hurst's goal that won Eng- land the Jules Rimet Trophy in 1966, which modern replays later showed did not fully cross the line, as instances where technology could have made a difference. "People used to say that we'd waste a lot of time, that it would cause a lot of annoyance. But that's not the case," he said. "Football can't fall behind. Given the rate at which tech- nology is advancing and the fact that every sport uses it, how can we not think about using it in football?" Maradona's goal during the 1986 World Cup quarter-final between Argentina and England is one of the most talked about in the history of football, alongside his brilliant solo run past five defenders in the same game that gave his side a 2-1 victory Jose Mourinho aims to leave Manchester United in 'much, much, much better' state JOSE Mourinho wants to leave Manchester United in a "much, much, much better" state than the club he took over. There were always going to be teething problems when Sir Alex Ferguson called time on his trophy-laden spell at Old Trafford, but few could have foreseen quite how tough it would be. Successor David Moyes did not even see through his first season at the helm, with Louis van Gaal last year paying the price for his prosaic football and inability to secure Champions League qualification. Mourinho has struggled to immediately turn around Unit- ed's Premier League fortunes, but Europa League, EFL Cup and Community Shield glory has helped bring a winning mentality back to the club. The Portuguese recently said he would love to be at the club for a further 15 years - but whenever he leaves, he wants the club to be stronger than when he found them. "I would like the next man- ager to arrive – not now – but I would like the next manager to arrive and to find a much, much, much better club and team than I found at every lev- el," Mourinho said. "I found an amazing club with an amazing history, but not ready for me to win. "(I want to win) and I want the next one to win too." Upon his unveiling last sum- mer, Mourinho said United needed to forget the previous three years and re-find the win- ning "routine" that had gone missing. "You know, we won three tro- phies and the Europa League was very difficult to win, but it is not the Champions League," he said, speaking at George- town in Washington. "We went to the Europa League as one of the top teams, we go to the Champions League and we are not one of the top teams. "We have to be better, much better for that objective. "So, you know, we cannot be just thinking that we won, like I say, two-and-a-half trophies, like we did last season. "This season is going to be more difficult but I think we have also better conditions to fight for the Premier League against fantastic teams, against amazing investments. "But I believe in our group, in our spirit, in our empathy, in our togetherness, in our happi- ness to be together, in our hap- piness to work together. I trust my boys and we are going to try." The squad certainly seem to enjoy working together, while Mourinho has more often than not been seen with a smile on his face during the American tour. Questions over the Portu- guese's happiness were raised during his first campaign at Old Trafford, yet he feels even more enthused and motivated than when leading Porto to their shock Champions League tri- umph in 2004. "More - more than before," Mourinho said. "More than be- fore and better prepared than before. "Porto was 2004, 13 years later it looked so fast for me. I think when it looked so fast it is be- cause you love it so much. "Because when time flies, it is because you enjoy that time. When time looks very slow, it is because you are not enjoying and it never ends. "So 13 years was like a fin- ger click and I am ready for 13 more." Jose Mourinho

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