Diving for Cover

[Super_Ally 0]

Last Wednesday we saw Eduardo throwing himself to the floor under minimal contact from Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc to win his side a penalty in a convincing 5-1 aggregate defeat condemning Celtic to participation in the “Thursday Cup”.

 

Despite the fact that the penalty had little bearing on the final result, Celtic were a very definite second best, the Arsenal forward was rightly condemned for his actions. Diving, simulation, cheating, whatever you want to call it, is a distasteful part of the game that we would all like to see removed.

 

As the current chief executive of the SFA, Gordon Smith has spearheaded an admirable campaign to eradicate this form of cheating from our national game. In addition to the complaints of our media and Celtic, Smith added his weight to the calls for Eduardo to be dealt with by UEFA.

 

The vociferous complaints emanating from Parkhead and within the Scottish press offices have shone a spotlight on diving and attempts to deceive the referee this season. In reading a copy of the Times this weekend included with every match report of games in the EPL was a small column entitled “Diving Watch”. Any such instances of cheating will come under severe scrutiny this season. As the club that have largely brought this issue to the fore, you would expect Celtic to ensure their employees could not bring the game into disrepute or be accused of hypocrisy.

 

It was somewhat ironic then that both Aiden McGeady and Chris Killen were both involved in diving controversy in their very next competitive fixture. McGeady saw red for throwing himself to the floor under no contact from a Hibernian defender whilst Killen avoided punishment for simulation in the same match.

 

Last Sunday’s game proved the perfect opportunity for Celtic, Gordon Smith and the SFA to show their commitment to eradicating diving from Scottish football. Unfortunately they all failed to act with any integrity. Tony Mowbray claimed he was tired having run 40 yards. What that has to do with taking a dive someone else will have to explain to me? Surely he should be looking to move the ball onto a team mate, not trying to deceive the referee and have an opponent sent off because he’s a little fatigued. In complete contrast to the way Walter Smith dealt with the Lafferty incident, Celtic have again shown they are not able to live up to the standards set by Scotland's premier club.

 

Gordon Smith was apparently prevented from speaking out for fear of prejudicing a case. He did however speak out on the Lafferty incident at the end of last season to praise Walter Smith for the way he handled the issue. It appears then, a statement condemning Celtic for hiding from the issue would have been fair. Apparently he was free to speak out against Eduardo because the incident occurred in a match where disciplinary issues are not decided by the SFA and hence there was no issue with prejudicing a case. However, in further discussion with Mr Smith he admitted that as the referee dealt with the issue there and then, there is no case to answer. So there is nothing to prejudice. Smith’s refusal to comment on diving by Celtic players less than a week after chastising Arsenal for the same offence reeks of a lack of integrity and yet again a refusal for anyone within Scottish football to tackle Celtic football club. He is hiding behind legislation and supposed laws that do not in fact prevent him from speaking.

 

Much like on the radio phone-ins, in the printed press and unfortunately now in the corridors of power at Hampden, we are happy to discuss any issues blighting Scottish football unless it is Celtic who are under the microscope. Press bias in favour of Celtic has long been cited with the BBC and certain newspapers and radio stations being identified as the worst offenders. The fact that those who rule upon Scottish football are now similarly scared to speak out and challenge Celtic is a worrying occurrence.

[26th of foot 5,827]

I agree.

 

The degree of discomfort on Radio Snyde this week has been clearly palpable.

 

Last week, perm any of the regulars from Bitter Martin, Nuremberg Hugh, Guidi, Provo, ......................etc; all queuing up to include the words, 'Eduardo, diving, and cheat' in any given sentence. You couldn't stop them, they were most comfortable in slaughtering Wenger's poor defence too.

 

This week, they have left it up to the callers and big DJ to use words such as dive and cheat. Tony Mowbray's refusal to view the pictorial evidence has been allowed to disappear into the ether.

 

The worst case I heard was on BBC Radio Scotland on Monday evening during Traynor's weekly hour long chin-wag with fellow journos. This week, Traynor hosted the Sunday Herald's Michael Grant and Scotland on Sunday's Chief Sports Writer, Tom English(Dublin born and bred). All agreed that Plastic McGeady had dived, both Traynor and Grant agreed he had cheated; however, Tom English could not, would not go that far. He warbled on about four categories of cheating, Lafferty's case being right at the top, Rivaldo's incident in the 2002 world cup being next, then Eduardo, and bottom would be McGeady's dive. Further, it wasn't cheating to throw yourself in the middle of the pitch and if he had been the referee, he would not have cautioned Plastic, he would just have had a word.

 

Traynor ripped into him, but he reiterated the above again and again. Why can they not take the next step in nthe rationale? You dive, you cheat, what's the problem?

[Super_Ally 0]

That's pretty shocking 26th.

 

In another thread on here myself and Craig both had the same opinion at least. Cheating is cheating and to try and classify levels of cheating is a nonsense.

 

He tried to con the ref, got caught and paid the price. The scottish media sweeping brush out in force again. And Celtic's lack of integrity is not entirely unsurprising.

[Gazza_8 233]

That's pretty shocking 26th.

 

In another thread on here myself and Craig both had the same opinion at least. Cheating is cheating and to try and classify levels of cheating is a nonsense.

 

He tried to con the ref, got caught and paid the price. The scottish media sweeping brush out in force again. And Celtic's lack of integrity is not entirely unsurprising.

 

Can't rememebr if it was the Real Radio phone-in or the Radio Clyde one that I was listening to last night (I was flicking between the two) when a rather upper class gentleman (mhank) came on and suggested that Eduardo downright cheated which everyone agreed with. However, he then went onto say that McCheaty only went down as he thought a challenge was about to come in from Hanlon, the Hibs defender - it never.

 

The panel pointed this out to him but the guy was adament that McCheaty went down to win a FK rather get get kicked and injured. Basically, it was for his own good that he went down without contact.

 

What I couldn't believe was that everyone agreed that Killens WASN'T a dive.

 

He also went onto say that Lafferty shouldve been charged with his antics against Aberdeen. Where the fuck he pulled that cracker from is well and truly beyond me.

[Big Spliff 0]

I'm loving all this stuff to be honest.

 

Right on the heels of the eduardo thing and wee aids takes a dive and gets sent off. Brilliant! Everybody knows full well that he dived ( and therefore that he cheated), they are just making excuses because they have an agendas.

 

I honestly think it's funny as fook

[Norris Cole 0]

I agree.

 

The degree of discomfort on Radio Snyde this week has been clearly palpable.

 

Last week, perm any of the regulars from Bitter Martin, Nuremberg Hugh, Guidi, Provo, ......................etc; all queuing up to include the words, 'Eduardo, diving, and cheat' in any given sentence. You couldn't stop them, they were most comfortable in slaughtering Wenger's poor defence too.

 

This week, they have left it up to the callers and big DJ to use words such as dive and cheat. Tony Mowbray's refusal to view the pictorial evidence has been allowed to disappear into the ether.

 

The worst case I heard was on BBC Radio Scotland on Monday evening during Traynor's weekly hour long chin-wag with fellow journos. This week, Traynor hosted the Sunday Herald's Michael Grant and Scotland on Sunday's Chief Sports Writer, Tom English(Dublin born and bred). All agreed that Plastic McGeady had dived, both Traynor and Grant agreed he had cheated; however, Tom English could not, would not go that far. He warbled on about four categories of cheating, Lafferty's case being right at the top, Rivaldo's incident in the 2002 world cup being next, then Eduardo, and bottom would be McGeady's dive. Further, it wasn't cheating to throw yourself in the middle of the pitch and if he had been the referee, he would not have cautioned Plastic, he would just have had a word.

 

Traynor ripped into him, but he reiterated the above again and again. Why can they not take the next step in nthe rationale? You dive, you cheat, what's the problem?

 

Tom English is someone I've had my eye on for a number of months now. No friend of the Rangers.

[26th of foot 5,827]

Can't rememebr if it was the Real Radio phone-in or the Radio Clyde one that I was listening to last night (I was flicking between the two) when a rather upper class gentleman (mhank) came on and suggested that Eduardo downright cheated which everyone agreed with. However, he then went onto say that McCheaty only went down as he thought a challenge was about to come in from Hanlon, the Hibs defender - it never.

 

The panel pointed this out to him but the guy was adament that McCheaty went down to win a FK rather get get kicked and injured. Basically, it was for his own good that he went down without contact.

 

What I couldn't believe was that everyone agreed that Killens WASN'T a dive.

 

He also went onto say that Lafferty shouldve been charged with his antics against Aberdeen. Where the fuck he pulled that cracker from is well and truly beyond me.

 

Gazza 8,

 

It was Snyde, a Yahho with a mouthful of plums persued the differing categories argument. His worst category was again Kyle lafferty, he proclaimed Polis involvement because he perceived Lafferty had butted Aberdeen's Mulgrew. He demanded the law of the land should extend to the football field, and Lafferty should be charged with 'Assault'. He reinforced this argument by including the Big Dunc' case.

 

Of course, all of this was build up to his parting remark, "Aiden never assaulted anybody".

 

FANTASSSSSSSYYYYYYY.

[craig 5,195]

Can't rememebr if it was the Real Radio phone-in or the Radio Clyde one that I was listening to last night (I was flicking between the two) when a rather upper class gentleman (mhank) came on and suggested that Eduardo downright cheated which everyone agreed with. However, he then went onto say that McCheaty only went down as he thought a challenge was about to come in from Hanlon, the Hibs defender - it never.

 

The panel pointed this out to him but the guy was adament that McCheaty went down to win a FK rather get get kicked and injured. Basically, it was for his own good that he went down without contact.

 

 

What makes that laughable is that if you look at Eduardo's dive and McGeady's.... you could actually say that Eduardo also went down as he thought a challenge was about to come in from Boruc.

 

Now, admittedly, the chance of serious injury from a diving keeper is slim - but the fact remains that Boruc was about to challenge him which is NO different to Hanlon about to challenge Mcgeady.

 

You couldnt make that stuff up.

[Jon 0]

I just find it ridiculous how quickly the media and SFA have swept it under the carpet again after the non stop coverage and whinging over the Eduardo incident. That in itself speaks volumes about our countries media and other authorities.

[craig 5,195]

Gazza 8,

 

It was Snyde, a Yahho with a mouthful of plums persued the differing categories argument. His worst category was again Kyle lafferty, he proclaimed Polis involvement because he perceived Lafferty had butted Aberdeen's Mulgrew. He demanded the law of the land should extend to the football field, and Lafferty should be charged with 'Assault'. He reinforced this argument by including the Big Dunc' case.

 

Of course, all of this was build up to his parting remark, "Aiden never assaulted anybody".

 

FANTASSSSSSSYYYYYYY.

 

So Boruc should have spent time inside for assault last season when he smacked McGeady in the face on the training ground ?

 

Or should Boruc have also spent time inside for assault when he manhandled Naylor in a Euro game ?

 

Lafferty never "butted" Mulgrew. They went head to head but there was no butt from either side.

 

All this coming from a support who wont chastise their own for throwing lighters at players (Ricksen, Hugh Dallas, Arshavin to name but 3), from a support who have regularly had pitch invasions when things dont go their way.

 

Hypocrits.