Research reveals referees are beginning to win the battle against players diving
Gareth Bale’s departure to Real Madrid arguably a factor as number of simulation offences drop from 19 to six
Stay up: Manchester United manager David Moyes has told Ashley Young to remain on his feetPremier League referees believe they are winning the battle against diving.
Research reveals there have been only six simulation offences so far this season compared to 19 at the same stage in 2012-2013. “Players and managers saw the moral imperative,’’ said Mike Riley, the general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials Board.
A year ago, phone-ins frothed and columns overflowed with righteous indignation over tumbling stunts by Gareth Bale, Daniel Sturridge, Santi Cazorla, Luis Suárez and others.
Over the season, Bale was cautioned four times for diving, although officials acknowledge that sometimes the then Spurs attacker was simply taking evasive action at speed.
Riley noted that “Bale at Fulham last season was trying to avoid a tackle” from Steve Sidwell. Yet he escaped a yellow card for blatant simulation when diving against Aston Villa’s Brad Guzan.
In the wake of one dive by Arsenal’s Cazorla against West Bromwich Albion’s Steven Reid, Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive Gordon Taylor called for the introduction of video technology to tackle the cheats.
The then PFA chairman, Clarke Carlisle, argued for retrospective disciplinary action against divers after Suárez admitted “inventing a foul” against Stoke City when Marc Wilson was in the vicinity. Liverpool’s manager, Brendan Rodgers, spoke with the Uruguayan about such antics. “Diving is not something we advocate here,’’ said Rodgers.
Southampton’s Jay Rodriguez was vilified by the Aston Villa manager, Paul Lambert, for an incident when challenged by Enda Stevens.
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Manchester United’s then manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, criticised Ashley Young for diving, although the winger has continued tumbling this season. Riley argued that the penalty Young won last month against Real Sociedad for a minor tug would not have been awarded in the Premier League.
The arc of the diver that is Ashley Young seems to have stretched following the broken ankle he sustained when fouled by Manchester City’s Pablo Zabaleta last April. Divers often point to past offences against them leading to injuries.
Bale’s departure to Real Madrid has arguably contributed to the decline from 19 to six, particularly if officials were getting caught out simply by the speed of his movement and alacrity for taking evasive action. “I’m not a cheat,’’ Bale said recently.
It seems the message from some managers and from the players’ union has seeped through. “The PFA said ‘don’t dive’, and managers like Ferguson said it was ‘unacceptable’,’’ added Riley.
“David Moyes said the same this season. We’ve seen a drop-off in simulation offences. We should be proud it’s not an accepted part of our game. Players say it is not acceptable. Supporters said it is not acceptable. There’s a moral imperative on players not to get involved in it. We mustn’t lose the moral argument.’’
When assessing simulation in a penalty situation referees are told to evaluate five key areas, starting with the bleedin’ obvious of “whether or not there is contact”.
Referees then have to decide “whether any contact is ‘fair or normal’; whether the player legitimately avoids contact; who initiated the contact; and does the attacker exaggerate the effects of a normal contact challenge’’. Dennis Bergkamp wrote in his recent autobiography of the need to stretch out the arms almost theatrically when feeling some contact, to “exaggerate a little to bring it to the referee’s attention”.
Early in his Manchester United career, Cristiano Ronaldo went to earth too easily. “We watched Ronaldo,’’ said Riley, “we knew he would pick up the ball deeper, and would be going into areas where there would be a challenge. We studied the way they fall, whether their arms are up or down, but you look at the incident not the player. It’s nothing to do with reputation.’’
Players fear gaining a reputation. Andros Townsend took to Twitter to defend himself against accusations of diving when falling after a challenge by Swansea City’s Jonjo Shelvey in August. “Shelvey clearly stuck out his right leg and made contact with my left,’’ said Townsend.
A month later, Townsend apologised for diving at the Lane when Frank Lampard pulled out of a challenge. Townsend was cautioned. Other simulation offences punished this season include Crystal Palace’s Marouane Chamakh after a shocking tumble against Southampton’s Artur Boruc.
Controversy surrounded Ramires’ dive to win a penalty for Chelsea in the last minute against West Brom on Nov 9. “I can see why Andre [Marriner] gave it,’’ said Riley. “He thinks he sees Ramires getting in front of Steven Reid, thinks there’s contact, and him catching his back leg and making him go off balance without playing the ball so it’s a penalty.
“Andre is thinking to himself: ‘this is what I’ve seen, penalty, pause, replaying it in mind’. He should have played on. Only by watching it again you can make a case for simulation. The truth is only Ramires truly knows.
“If you introduce retrospective disciplinary action for diving it has to be enforceable. Five years ago, Italy had retrospective action for diving and three weeks later it was disbanded. They stopped it because nobody could agree what was and what wasn’t a dive.’’
If simulation has dipped this season, so has foul and abusive language. Riley’s referees have discussed which offensive outbursts they find most offensive. “If a player is turning round in the heat of the moment and saying ‘f--- off’ to you that is different to a player standing in front of you, staring at you, whites of the eyes, and saying ‘f--- off’,’’ explained Riley. “We have to remember they are human.
“It’s a highly emotional game yet we think players control themselves pretty well. Captains tell us the players’ relationship with referees is strong. We have to give the players credit for the way they conduct themselves on and off the pitch and this too often goes unheralded. We hold them in high esteem.’’
To keep pace with a game that is getting faster and faster, elite referees have become fitter, now making 176 high-intensity runs per match (up from 146 five years ago) compared to players’ 175. Referees make 50 sprints a game compared to 31 in 2008-09. “With the improved training, diet, lifestyle, a referee can probably be as fit as they need to be up to 55 to 60,’’ said Riley.
Referees are either more lenient or the game has become cleaner. There are fewer free-kicks a game (down from 25 to 22). Of the major European leagues, the Premier League games see the fewest yellow cards per match: 3.2, compared to 5.2 in Italy, 5.8 in Spain and 3.9 in the Bundesliga. Fewer dives help.
Source: Henry Winter - Telegraph
