Hawk-eye look for Premier League tie-up

The man behind the Hawk-Eye system claims the goal-line technology is 100% accurate and so cost-effective he would install it in every Premier League ground free of charge.

Paul Hawkins, managing director of Hawk-Eye Innovations, said the spin-off from sponsorship would more than cover the cost of installing and running the system.

Hawkins also gave a cautious welcome to FIFA president Sepp Blatter's announcement that the issue of goal-line technology would be revisited next month - just four months after FIFA had kicked it into touch.

The cost of installation would be between £125,000 and £250,000 per ground but Hawkins told Press Association Sport: "We would install it free of charge in every Premier League ground if we could have the rights to sell the sponsorship.

"That just highlights that it is commercially viable and that the cost would not be an issue.

"For example in tennis Rolex, pays to the All England Club a lot more than the All England Club pay to us!"

Blatter has suggested that Hawk-Eye may not be the answer because it is based on cameras and "cameras can't see everything" but Hawkins rejected that.

He added: "It's 100% accurate. Hawk-Eye has been independently tested by the Premier League and the International FA Board, and shown to work in all instances tested."

Hawkins said he hoped Frank Lampard's disallowed goal against Germany would provide the spark for goal-line technology to be brought in.

"There are parallels with tennis - tennis was 50/50 about technology until the 2004 US Open.

"That was a real catalyst for change so maybe this will be the same for football - obviously we hope so.

"I'm not cracking open the champagne yet though. The issue now is whether FIFA are really serious about having a proper look at this and discussion about goal-line technology or whether they are just trying to defuse the situation until after the World Cup and then block it again."