Tote dived at the weekend and admitted afterwards that it wasn't a penalty. That set us debating about who the biggest divers in Spain are, the men who most drive you mad. Early candidates: Dani, Betis Torres, Atletico Madrid Figo and Guti, Real Madrid Etxeberria, Athletic Bilbao Juanfran, Celta Any thoughts?
Any Argentinian playing in Spain! With guys like that I never could figure out why Argentina have never won a gold medal in the Summer Olympics Mens Diving Competition! It must have been the East German judge who screwed them over with a bad score! They could have taught Greg Lagounis a trick or two! Saludos y viva er beti manque lopera! Pichi
I've always thought that diving is one of the real detractors to the spirit of the game. I hate it. Since the competition committee in Spain reviews violent conduct (and punishes actions the referee didn't take, handing out suspensions for punches, etc...) I've always thought that handing out cards and suspensions after the match, when it is determined via videotape that a player deliberately deceived the official (clearly was never even touched in a foul), especially when it results in a pk. I wonder if it would cut down on diving at all? Figo's a diver, but there are plenty I've seen over the years and have forgotten their names by now.
The extent to which diving goes on in Spain and Italy is well-known, but I have been overwhelmed by the amount of - for want of a better word - bitch-acting that goes on in an average game. I was at Zaragoza-Valladolid recently and the level of shin-hugging was incredible. A friend and I were laughing at it, saying that the format has now become established: The player goes down in a ball rolls over at least twice, possibly in one direction and then back again. He will then hug his shin while grimacing with eyes tightly shut. Once the free has been given or if he is being ignored, he will get up and gingerly limp for the first three or four steps, before running off as normal when the attention switches to somebody else. Refs are not cracking down hard enough on this - they should be instructed to hand out yellow cards to all offenders.