Diving: The Biggest Disease in the English Game

Diving is the cancer of football. A disease that needs to be extinguished, root and stem. It's spread itself across our game in a way that's changing it forever, and not for the better. I’ve heard it called clever play or buying an advantage; but it’s nothing short of cheating, plain and simple. Sure, you might argue that leg-breaking tackles do more damage and that spitting or biting is more disgusting, but conning the officials on a football field is one of the most deplorable acts a player can commit; in my humble opinion. I’ve heard it said that it originated overseas, alongside underhanded tactics like game halting fouls, winding up the opposition and feigning injury; not reaching England until the 1990s. Being born five days before the decade though, that’s not really something I can comment on.

The blame for the apparent increase in the frequency of diving is laid largely at the feet of foreign players, and many will say rightfully so. Klinsmann is believed to have started the trend, and he created a signature celebration in response to his critics; while the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Didier Drogba and Mo Salah have all had the tendency to take a trip over a particularly long blade of grass from time to time. Whether its right or not to criticise those from overseas, we can’t deny that the British lads have been taken in by its wily charms; with the likes of Ashley Young, Harry Kane and Gareth Bale all being blown over by a large gust of wind from time to time. Whether it’s the influence of some imports or we’ve been kidding ourselves all these years, diving is definitely a growing trend.

While the players are certainly culpable, I say that a large part of the responsibility should fall on the officials, or at the very least the law makers of the game. The fact is, the majority of the time a penalty won’t be awarded without a player falling to the ground. They could have been pulled back, tripped or impeded in a way that makes getting a decent shot or pass off impossible, but it will be waved away if they have not hit the deck. My biggest recollection of such was from the 2011/12 season, when Manchester City won the league thanks to the famous last minute Aguero goal against QPR. It was in a 1-0 defeat to Wigan and Welbeck had been manhandled in the penalty area, in a way that can only be likened to a sumo wrestler trying to throw his opponent out of the ring. I’m not bitter about that season at all though…

The above can only increase the need to anticipate contact, which is not an excuse for blatant dishonesty and, should they start pulling defenders up on these offences, I don’t expect it to be fully eradicated; although harsher punishments may take them closer. This they’ve tried, pitifully, but they’ve tried. Yellow cards clearly aren’t the answer, and the retrospective punishment route they’ve gone down is a joke; more than anything because it does nothing to reward the wronged team. More than this, players will only be disciplined if a penalty is obtained and despatched, so any unsuccessful attempt at deceit is deemed as ok by the monkeys in charge and they’re welcome to keep trying until they get it right. The only consequence should be a red card and a three-game ban, and with the advent of VAR, any offence should be easily spotted (more on this, here). I’m not naïve enough to think that this would eliminate it, but it should vastly decrease how often it occurs; which can only be a good thing for the sport.

By Calum Dewsbury