Diving has always been a part of Soccer, and always will be. Until FIFA implements some rule that fines players significant amounts of money or bans them for a considerable number of games, it is going to be very difficult to eliminate diving from the game of Soccer.
That being said, there is no sense in complaining every time you see a player go to ground a little “too easily”. I am certainly not one for cheating; however I am all for giving your team the best chance of winning the game. Hence, if a defender is foolish enough to apply a little too much pressure to me in the attacking third, I may be a little more likely to go to ground and attempt to earn a free kick or penalty shot.
Before you criticize me, ask yourself this: If the defender isn’t disciplined enough to defend properly, shouldn’t you exploit this weakness in his game, and use it to your advantage?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not about to fall to the ground, clinching my ankles, screaming in pain, putting on a performance deserving of an Academy award, when no one is even near me. But as I stated before; it is part of the game and as long as it is I’m all for using it to my advantage.
Let’s be honest, were all guilty of it time to time. Maybe you have a bit of a bad touch between a bundle of defenders and you suddenly find yourself on the ground as the referee blows the whistle signalling the ball in possession of your team. For some players it has almost become habit, a last resort of retaining possession of the ball.
By all means, I always try to progress into dangerous goal scoring areas with my skill and creative edge. I would NEVER encourage using a dive to win possession of the Soccer ball in a dangerous area when there is no one around you and it’s undeserving. However, sometimes the referee doesn’t see all the clutching, grabbing, and hacking that is going on to win the ball – therefore it may be necessary for you to “aid” his/her decision by going to ground instead of battling against unbeatable odds.
Never fake an injury in an effort to have the referee punish the other team, once you go to ground get up and on with the play. There’s a big difference between using the rules to your advantage and outright cheating. Always play with pride.
Here’s a lovely video on How not to Dive (only go to ground when you have been obstructed by the opposition to some degree):
Obviously, this is going to be a controversial topic. But, I think that’s a good thing.
What are your thoughts and opinions on the topic of diving? Do you use it to your advantage sometime (be honest now, were all friends here)? Do you think it needs to be banished from the game of Soccer? Let me know what you think.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCGc_ngufDM
jackspades17 Reply:
July 6th, 2010 at 5:34 am
Haha thanks man. I watched this on the Score the other night. Some hilarous dives. Some… these guys have got to be ashamed of.
I think that at lower levels of soccer, diving needs to be done to draw the ref’s attention to a foul. When you don’t have videotape of a game to look back on, a dive may be necessary. But, you don’t have to be over-theatrical and call for a card each time.
But, those theatrical players usually get clattered with real malice later in the game or future games. Take the numbers of the theatrical divers and put them to ground in midfield with hard tackles. The games usually can be governed by the players themselves.
At a FIFA World Cup Final … well, just look at Kaka’s Red Card. A brilliant player forced to miss a game because of the theatrics of an opponent. Game tape should have been reviewed, Kaka reinstated and the ‘victim’ suspended for the duration of the tournament. Lampard’s missed goal call, you don’t need technology, just a couple of folks whose only job is to determine if the ball crosses the line. Suarez, Paraguay … I think ‘Hands of God’ should be amputated. FIFA needs a rule stating that a hand ball on the goal line preventing a goal IS a goal. That call can be made by the same chap determining if the ball is over the line. Suarez is a dirty cheat and should not be celebrated and Ghana is the winner in my books. FIFA’s “Fair Play” moniker is a self-imposed joke. Use technology and nail the worst offenders with a 5 or 10 game suspension from International play. See how the play acting decreases then.
jackspades17 Reply:
July 15th, 2010 at 12:53 am
Thanks for the insight Ed. I would have to agree, I believe some harsher punishments would eventually result in less diving and play acting.
Who knows, maybe FIFA will catch on in the next century?