Re: Diving
 

But Barrie, I don't believe "the slightest nudge" is a foul.
The way some players appear to talk is that they feel fully justified in falling down if a defender even so much as brushes a finger against them. Such peripheral contact, in what remains a game that allows 'fair' contact (shoulder charge, anyone?), should not be used as an excuse for a full length, arms outstretched, mouth-gaping dive. That's cheating, and pathetic in grown children.

Re: Diving
 

Ha, ha - yeah bless him, Rory did it so well & (as Kenny Everett would say), always in the best possible taste :D

Re: Diving
 

Don't matter to me WHO does it, its cheating end of.

Re: Diving
 

The problem is the refs very rarely give free kicks for penal fouls if a player doesn't go to ground, if they stay on their feet off balance and lose the ball due to someone kicking lumps out of them the ref tens to play on.

Re: Diving
 

So, if we can just get refs to distinguish between "kicking lumps out of someone" and "the slightest nudge" things should be OK.:rolleyes:

Re: Diving
 

I assume if there is any contact at all then it's not a dive.

if there is none then it's a dive? BUT Even if the ref thinks there was no contact (i.e. Gives benefit of doubt to defender) he can still give benefit of doubt to attacker re sending off? "Beyond reasonable doubt"?

Re: Diving
 

[QUOTE=Chewbacca;1194675]The problem is the refs very rarely give free kicks for penal fouls if a player doesn't go to ground,

probebly due to the fact if you do give a penalty without the player going to the ground after a trip or foul tackle you get so much grief in all levels of football you,re loathed to do it again. done it on occasions but usually end up with a few cautioned for dissent.

Re: Diving
 

It surely depends on the definition of "contact".
I've heard professional players on the radio appearing to justify going to ground if they so much as feel any touch anywhere on their bodies. A brush against their arms, a "slight nudge" as someone else suggested.
Having been tripped up many a time on the hallowed turf that was Highams, my unscientific acid test is that any player who has time to stretch out his arms and scream in false agony is, more than likely, play-acting.

Re: Diving
 

that,s totally true exile. just tripped up over a stone this morning on the moors with my dog and only he knew what happened. no screaming and used my left hand to break my fall. apart from franny lee years ago all this diving and going down easy seems a fairly modern import from the continent.

Re: Diving
 

And I bet your dog 'played on'? ;)

Re: Diving
 

but the stone got a retrospective 6 game ban.

Re: Diving
 

There's no such thing as "diving", if a player lays down because he's tired, just leave him there and get on with it, if he has a broken leg I suppose the game should stop. I remember playing in the 60s, if a player went down for nothing you just notified him that next time he would would have a reason to go down.

Re: Diving
 

Sounds like the Dog could make a better referee than some of those we have seen in League Two over the last couple of seasons!
Or is that a bit "wough" on referees?:eek:

Re: Diving
 

Now you really are barking, Choirboy.;)

Re: Diving