PREM clubs have been blasted for their “ludicrous” decision to bring in semi-automated offside technology AFTER next season has started.

The 20 top-flight sides yesterday unanimously voted to back refs’ chief Howard Webb’s recommendation to use the new system — which will slash the time on VAR offside calls.

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But the limb-tracking cameras will NOT be ready for the August Prem kick-off.

And ex-Prem ref Mark Halsey insists the clubs have scored an embarrassing own goal, fuming: “It’s ludicrous we are not bringing this in from day one next season.

“The Premier League is awash with money and it needs to be operational for every match.

“It’s got to be ready for the season kick-off. We can’t bring it in four, five or six weeks into the season as that will question the competition’s integrity.

“If it’s not ready, then wait until 2025-26.”

The new SAOT system — which sees the Prem follow Fifa and Uefa’s lead — will not be used until after one of the three autumn international breaks in September, October and November.

That allows an agreement over the right provider and the roll-out of the camera tech across the 20 grounds.

Halsey added: “SAOT should have been introduced at the start of last season to follow on from the World Cup and the Champions League.

“The clubs didn’t vote for it but the stakeholders of the League should have been working on it during the winter. What have they been waiting for?

What are semi-automated offsides?

PREMIER LEAGUE clubs have voted in the use of semi-automated offsides from the 2024-25 season.

The technology tracks 29 different points on the body of every player.

Together with a chip in the football, the tech then can produce almost instantaneous decisions, even on the tightest of calls.

These are then visualised with computer-generated 3D images which clearly show the offence on a screen for fans watching the broadcast from home.

Referees on the pitch will need to step in and intervene if the offside call is subjective – ie the player in an offside position does not touch the ball.

Here’s how it works:

• Each ground will have up to 12 special cameras with limb-tracking technology.
• These will focus on 29 goal-scoring body parts from every player on the pitch and will record their position 50 times per second.
• During the World Cup in Qatar, the microchip in the ball sent back data points 500 times every second to determine the  precise instant it was played by an attacker OR a defender
• That allowed the computer technology to alert the VAR that a player was in an offside position when the ball was played
• But all decisions were then checked to ensure the attacker was interfering with play
• The average time for an offside call in Qatar was cut to 25 seconds per incident
• In future, a 3D animation will “show” the decision to fans in the stadium and via broadcasters, and this will be available by the next stoppage in play after the decision.

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“The Prem is the best in the world but we always seem to be behind. I’ve been championing SAOT for a few years.

“We have seen too much controversy over offsides and the length of time taken. It’s great the change is finally being made.”