Tony Pulis: Players that dive should get a 3 match ban

One More Solo · 27 Sep 2012 at 13:27

Stoke manager Tony Pulis wants the Football Association to ban players who dive for three matches.

Pulis accused Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic of "simulation" after City's 1-0 defeat on Saturday.

On Thursday, he said: "The FA should pull people up for diving and give them a three-game ban straight away.

"Ivanovic would be looking at three games, Chelsea wouldn't be too happy with him and I don't think he would be diving around any more."

Chelsea were not awarded any penalties during the Premier League game at Stamford Bridge and Oscar was booked for diving, while Ivanovic escaped a yellow card despite going down in the box when he appeared not to be touched.

Pulis, whose defender Andy Wilkinson is serving a three-match suspension for a violent conduct, added: "They are really quick to pull people up on incidents that they think are bookable or sending-off incidents.

"We just don't think it's right and we encourage the players to be as honest as they can.

"Michael Kightly stayed on his feet [in a separate incident] and rightly so.

"We think it is the way to do it - whatever other clubs do, they do."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19744028

First of all, I love the bolded bit that the BBC have conveniently inserted.

However, take away that this is Pulis speaking and it seems like a sensible idea. Referees are clearly afraid to book players for diving so why not do it retrospectively when there is little doubt?

elmuzzy66. · 27 Sep 2012 at 13:32

Its just one of the many things that need sorting out. Still can't beleive how backward football is.

Pigeon_Killer · 27 Sep 2012 at 13:33

Thought they should've done this a long time ago but FIFA want to promote attacking football and it's usually the attacking players that dive.

When you consider a player taking his shirt off and displaying a message currently receives a bigger fine than clubs/countries do for racism you know something's not right with the way football's run.

grimm · 27 Sep 2012 at 13:34

You tell em Tony, lol.

Cosimo · 27 Sep 2012 at 13:46

Give some managers a one match ban for spouting rubbish after a game.

Shamikebab · 27 Sep 2012 at 13:48

There needs to be punishment. Retroactive 1 match ban for first offence.

[ASSE]Hinchy · 27 Sep 2012 at 13:53

Stoke City manager Tony Pulis has hailed as "brilliant" that striker Peter Crouch managed to "get away" with scoring against Manchester City by using his hand to control the ball.

Despite Crouch clearly controlling the ball with his hand before slotting home, Pulis refused to condemn the former Liverpool man and instead insisted that he was happy that his player had managed to score.

The goal in the 15th minute had given Stoke the lead at the Britannia Stadium before new Manchester City signing Javi Garcia headed home from a free-kick 20 minutes later.

The Premier League clash ended 1-1, but the talking point was Crouch’s contentious goal, which Pulis surprisingly chose to praise.

"I haven’t seen it, but if Peter’s got away with it then brilliant", the Stoke manager told Sky Sports.

"It’s nice being a smaller club to get away with something against the bigger clubs", added the Potters boss.

Tom84 · 27 Sep 2012 at 14:02

Really dont know how you'd enforce any retrospective punishment for diving tbh, for example Welbeck against Wigan, the ref gave a penalty for that so banning Welbeck for diving would be the FA saying that the ref got it wrong and we all know the FA dont like admitting their referees get things wrong as proven by Gerrard's numerous stray elbow offenses which he's got away with. Also and again with Welbeck against Wigan at no point did Welbeck actually appeal for a penalty that I saw so who's to say it was a dive and not just Welbeck (as per the norm) falling over his own feet?

Even those players who dive and replays show absolute zero contact could argue they were just hurdling contact they thought was going to be made. Impossible situation to police imo.

cm1179 · 27 Sep 2012 at 14:08

any manager who wears a cap cannot be taken seriously.

grimm · 27 Sep 2012 at 14:15

simulatorman said:
Give some managers a one match ban for spouting rubbish after a game.

They already do that lol.

grimm · 27 Sep 2012 at 14:18

Tom84 said:
Really dont know how you'd enforce any retrospective punishment for diving tbh, for example Welbeck against Wigan, the ref gave a penalty for that so banning Welbeck for diving would be the FA saying that the ref got it wrong and we all know the FA dont like admitting their referees get things wrong as proven by Gerrard's numerous stray elbow offenses which he's got away with. Also and again with Welbeck against Wigan at no point did Welbeck actually appeal for a penalty that I saw so who's to say it was a dive and not just Welbeck (as per the norm) falling over his own feet?

That cheeky elbowing thing must be a merseyside thing because Rooney is always at it as well.

Purdy · 27 Sep 2012 at 14:42

I guess if we're talking elbows we need to be impartial and mention every other player doing it like Fellani or Olsen(sp. that big nob who plays for WBA)

grimm · 27 Sep 2012 at 15:36

Purdy said:
I guess if we're talking elbows we need to be impartial and mention every other player doing it like Fellani or Olsen(sp. that big nob who plays for WBA)

I thought Olsson did't bother with elbows and just went straight in with his fists?

Breeze said:
Didn't help getting smacked in the face

drunkenmaster · 27 Sep 2012 at 15:40

Pulis is such an arrogant ****, any manager that complains about one type of cheating while celebrating another is a complete idiot. Diving is cheating, so is playing basketball in the area before scoring, neither is worse.

Retrospective punishment is difficult, while some dives are blatant, others aren't, so there wouldn't be any real fairness anyway, likewise if someone dives and wins a penalty that wins a game and gets a keeper or defender a red card, that games result would either need to change or it would be worthless. There are times players genuinely jump out of the way to avoid injury from an incoming bad tackle, who haven't dived but went down without contact, should they all be banned. What about players who jump out of the way because someone runs over looks in every way like they are about to smash into a player, then pull out at the very last second.

The only thing we should do is, not randomly banning people after the game changing consequences of a dive happen, but address the game changing consequences before they happen.

If someone goes down, half the team are convinced its a dive... video replay, if the ref see's it as a dive then a penalty maybe ends up not being given and a different team wins the game.

We need to stop peeing around with reacting after games, there is nothing preventing video replay being introduced except for the ridiculous notion that it will somehow kill the flow of football games. 30 second break 3-4 times in a particularly troubled game, and often no breaks at all isn't going to change football in any way but for the better.

pingwing · 27 Sep 2012 at 16:07

Well they can retroactively increase a match ban after a sending off (look at Barton) so I don't see why the system shouldn't then be increased to cover diving.

Then again I also think we should be able to have a rugby style review system with someone watching it on the cameras to radio down to the ref, get some of the lines men into shape making correct calls for once....

Shame it's Pulis coming out with this as he's an idiot, anyone who signed Owen this summer has to be considered an idiot.

Tummy · 27 Sep 2012 at 17:08

I'd rather Tony Pulis got his side to play football.

pingwing · 27 Sep 2012 at 17:51

Pigs are more likely to be flying before that happens

elmuzzy66. · 27 Sep 2012 at 17:51

Its not rocket science to see when a dive is a dive. The fall, reaction and even sometimes the tackle gives the diver away. The fa should just ban them 1 game for bring the game into disripute.

One More Solo · 27 Sep 2012 at 18:01

drunkenmaster said:
Retrospective punishment is difficult, while some dives are blatant, others aren't, so there wouldn't be any real fairness anyway, likewise if someone dives and wins a penalty that wins a game and gets a keeper or defender a red card, that games result would either need to change or it would be worthless. There are times players genuinely jump out of the way to avoid injury from an incoming bad tackle, who haven't dived but went down without contact, should they all be banned. What about players who jump out of the way because someone runs over looks in every way like they are about to smash into a player, then pull out at the very last second.

Because cheating to change the result and getting away with it completely is better than cheating to change the result and being pulled up on it? Right.

Mr_White · 27 Sep 2012 at 18:14

I'm not sure I'd be entirely comfortable with this precedent being set anyway, how often are penalties not given because the ref thought it was a dive, only for it be shown to the contrary post the event, that would now result in not only not being awarded the penalty but also being sent off all together.

Nice idea, but would just end up with players being unjustly sent off.