IT MAY HAVE BEEN THE POSTERS, vigilant refereeing or a sudden outbreak of the Corinthian spirit, but diving was at a premium in Barclays Premiership matches this weekend. As children prepare to cause havoc at swimming pools up and down the country during half-term, the leading players appear more reluctant to throw themselves from the high board.
The Times’s war on simulation — “Supporters Say No To Diving” — is not over, but an important battle may have been won. Three leading managers joined the campaign over the weekend, with Sir Bobby Robson, Arsène Wenger and Rafael Benítez condemning the theatrics that have become commonplace in the Premiership playground. Unlike his fictional compatriot, Arjen Robben, Chelsea’s Dutch boy who started this controversy eight days ago by taking a tumble against Liverpool, has been unable to stem the flow of criticism from the anti-diving dike. The floodgates are open.
Unsurprisingly, given the way his team have suffered in the past week, losing José Manuel Reina courtesy of Robben’s actions and conceding a penalty after Darren Bent fell to the floor in the match against Charlton Athletic, Benítez is animated on the subject of diving. Although insisting he tells his players to stay on their feet, the Spaniard believes diving will never be eradicated. “People talk about cutting out diving, but that is impossible,” Benítez said. “I prefer to play within the rules. I want to win, but it’s important to me my team win in a sporting way. But there are other people who do things differently — as we saw at Chelsea. I have already told my players it is important they stay on their feet. We have to play inside the rules.”
Wenger’s words support Benítez’s conviction, as he is no stranger to the dark arts of hypocrisy. Although condemning the cynical approach of Bolton Wanderers after Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Highbury — “They used all the tricks like time-wasting and diving when tackled and I find it terrible to take,” he said — Wenger was strangely unmoved by the sins of his players, who were among the biggest divers of the weekend. Having started on the substitutes’ bench, Robert Pires, the prince of the pirouette, was strangely subdued, less so José Antonio Reyes, his young apprentice. The Spain forward threw himself to the ground claiming a penalty under the faintest of pressure from Tel Ben Haim in the opening exchanges, ensuring he received little sympathy when clattered by Abdoulaye Faye half an hour later. Reyes was carried off and, although an X-ray revealed nothing serious, his reputation is damaged. Jens Lehmann again showed his clownish side. The goalkeeper is paid to dive but took his vocation to extremes after a late tackle by Kevin Davies, rolling around like an Olympic gymnast, only to leap up and protest when the Bolton striker was given a yellow card. Not even Lazarus got up that quickly.
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Elsewhere, the usual suspects were relatively well-behaved. Cristiano Ronaldo, usually felled by a light breeze, stayed on his feet to score twice for Manchester United at Portsmouth, while Robben did not go down half as dramatically as his team at Middlesbrough, collapsing only once under pressure from Doriva.
Milan Baros appeared to dive to win a penalty for Aston Villa at home to Newcastle United, but Glenn Roeder, the visiting team’s caretaker manager, admitted there had been some contact from Celestine Babayaro. Perhaps Premiership stars will start leaving the acting to their showbiz cousins after all.
BIG GUNS SIGNING UP
ALL THE SIGNIFICANT BODIES IN DOMESTIC football have expressed support for The Times’s anti-diving campaign. Backers include:
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The FA
FA Premier League
Football Supporters’ Federation,
English Schools Football Association,
League Managers Association,
Professional Footballers’ Association
Referees’ Association
HOW THEY FARED
How much diving took place this weekend? The Times was watching closely
Arsenal v Bolton Wanderers
Ugly — like a Peter Kay belly-flop. Players from both sides went to ground too easily
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Aston Villa v Newcastle United
Milan Baros appeared to go off at the deep end; surprisingly, Glenn Roeder did not because the Villa striker tumbled like he’d been shot
Everton v Blackburn Rovers
Who needs dives with dizzy goalkeepers, disallowed goals and pantomime rabble-rousing from David Moyes at half-time. High comedy, but few theatrics
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Fulham v West Bromwich Albion
The only thing going down here was West Bromwich. Fulham stayed on their feet and filled their boots
Middlesbrough v Chelsea
Huge shock at the Riverside. No play-acting by Arjen Robben
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Portsmouth v Manchester United
Struggling to keep their heads above water on the South Coast but doing it in the right spirit
Wigan Athletic v Liverpool
Impossible to keep upright on the pitch, although no attempts to hoodwink the officials
Sunderland v Tottenham Hotspur
Not even a back-flip from Robbie Keane when he scored
Manchester City v Charlton Athletic
Corinthian spirit alive and well in Eastlands — potential England managers can be proud of their boys’ behaviour