10 Oct 2012

'He's an embarrassment' - Nicol calls for Spurs cheat to be suspended. Agree...?

Over the weekend, the reputation of English football took another nosedive as two of the league's high profile players shamelessly cheated in an attempt to gain an unfair advantage for their teams. I am, of course, referring to Tottenham Hotspur's Gareth Bale, and Liverpool's Luis Suarez, and Liverpool legend Steve Nicol has called on the FA to take retrospective action and suspend Bale for his brazen act of cheating.

Discussing Bale's dive on ESPN last night, Nicol raged:

"It's pretty embarrassing.

"The worst thing about it for me is the minute Bale takes off, he's looking for a foul. That's the only thing in his mind.

"It's just an embarrassment, and he should get suspended for that".




Nicol also claimed that Suarez's dive was worse than Bale's. Is he right?

suarezgif The GIF Battle of the Dirty Divers: Gareth Bale (Tottenham) vs Luis Suarez (Liverpool)

They're both equally bad, and if the FA had any balls, they would - as Nicol suggests - start banning players for diving, starting with both Suarez and Bale.

Football is a cesspool of cheating and 'gamesmanship', and things will never change until fans and managers start taking a zero tolerance approach.

Unfortunately, the current poisonous trend, especially amongst 'fans', is to condone, justify and make excuses for cheating, and even encourage it if it gains their team an advantage.

Jaimie Kanwar


72 comments:

  1. They are both pretty laughable. I think they should just impose a yellow card for a dive after game, that is what you "get" if you are caught during a game. I think a three game ban is too much.
    Also if you were already on a yellow card in the game and they then add another for diving, that would equal a red, so then a normal ban would ensue. I think managers would then pretty quickly make sure players stop doing it.

    Suarezs dive makes me laugh, he clearly lost his footing and then suddenly should "S**t, im not going to get that ball, quikc throw yourself on the floor."

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm a Spurs fan and I'm not alone in condemning Bale's actions. As a group, Spurs fans want their players to play good football. Diving isn't good football.

    ReplyDelete
  3. They're both bad dives and both deserve bans, but players cheat in games by using methods other than diving. Defenders deal with attackers using ways outside of the rules of the game more often than attackers do to defenders. I've done a short piece on it at www.theliverpooljay.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I remember. Watching Steve nicol and his teammates (ray Hougton)and there where several layers from that era who fell over easily , but the cameras were not there at every game covering every angle.
    If you run down your road full pelt and some one steps out from their gate you will also anticipate a collision an react accordingly. As a spurs fan I believe bale could have scored had he stayed on his feet also Suarez does get whacked by defenders who know the ref will always take their side, if clever he should use this (dummy dives will catch players out as they look to ref whilst he recovers and scores)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Bale is disappointing, I have been a Spurs fan for 50 years and am not happy with Bales theatrics, he should leave it to the Suarezs to do it coz he is a far better diver than Bale.....the boys a fool and will without doubt lose some fans.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I too am a Spurs fan and my only defence of Bale was he didn't jump up and start waving his arms at the ref like a demented fool like Suarez does every 5 minutes. That said, it was embarrassing and I believe making diving a sending off offense would cut it out of our game within a week or two. But has the FA got the balls to take such action?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Granted Bale's dive was a bit theatrical but it does look like he is dodging the challenge coming from the keeper while running at pace.

    As for Suarez don't know what's going on there!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Will (not the first guy)10:35 am, October 10, 2012

    None of you can dribble quickly and run fast while so doing.
    If you could most of the rubbish about "diving" might be seen through different eyes. Try if (if you can, that is) and see how the slightest nudge can tip your balance.

    I am not defending "noncontact" diving but any contact at high speed can tip your balance. Is it worth a penalty? If the nudge induced fall stopped a goal then:"yes".

    Argue all you like, if you bring him down by any contact taht pushes a play off balance, it is NOT a dive.

    ReplyDelete
  9. As a Spurs fan, we have to acknowledge that Bale is a diver. But your clip is strange - there seems to be three different strips on the pitch. Please explain.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Silly me. One is obviously the goalkeeper.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I agree, Ian that if one were running and a sudden occurrence makes you veer off. However, Bale woudl have seen Guzan begin running at him some time before he came close enough to make contact.

    One can't say that Bale fell over because he was surprised by Guzan.

    As for Suarez, apologies to the Kopites, but he has form for disregarding the rules. Anyone remember the 2010 World Cup quarter-final against Ghana?

    Ultimately, it's inexcusable, no matter who does it. We can't defend the player who plays for our club while condemning someone else's.

    I think a one match ban for diving is too lenient. Three matches, be it seen by the ref or not. I am sick to death of players flinging themselves around the pitch.

    In respons to Jay, just because players cheat in other ways doesn't mean we ignore the others. Which is better havign ten ways to cheat in a match or nine? If we can eradicate one method, it makes the game better, even if only slightly.

    ReplyDelete
  12. GETTING TO THE POINT, THAT REF'S SHOULD BE CRITISISED FOR WRONG,BAD & UNJUST DECISIONS DURING THE 90mins, &JUST LIKE THE PLAYERS & MANY MANAGERS, BE BROUGHT TO TASK OVER THEIR FAILED/WRONG ACTIONS, & AS PER THE PREVIOUS, BE PUNISHED AS WELL, YEAH.... SEEN THAT BALE "DIVE" BE ASHAMED OF HIMSELF.. COYS...

    ReplyDelete
  13. I think the Yellow card option is enough of a discouragement. At the moment the gains by this sort of bad sportsmanship outweigh the penalties, a yellow card puts a player that does this on the knifes edge of being banned for several games so the loss could become greater than the gain.
    Bale often avoids being routinely hacked by diving and often does not claim for the foul he often just does this to protect himself having been injured too often before by reckless tackling.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Just a thought but if you look at Bale's face it is not screwed up in agony as if he has been poleaxed and he doesn't writhe around in makebelief agony. About the only thing he could perhaps have done was leap to his feet when he'd finished sliding. Maybe, just maybe he was keeping himself from being part of the potential train wreck about to happen - just remember Charlie Adam and self preservation springs to mind.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I agree that running at pace and the slighest contact can knock you over. I think its more about people that throw themselves to the floor so theatircally.
    And also the non contact thing.
    I think if players didnt throw themselves about as much flailing their arms Refs would probably be more in favour about giving free kicks etc. But when a players flails about and then starts shouting at the ref for free kicks, its not helping their cause.

    Also I can dribble so fast im a blur! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  16. The slow motion video shows that Bale went down without being touched. At the same time, the video also suggests that the defender was intent in knocking down Bale, rather than going for the ball. Hence, I don't think it would be a straight forward call for the FA to make.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Bale was avoiding a potential lunging challenge from the keeper, as he was at full speed. He doesn't look about asking for a call. Suarez is in fact a cheat, as is is constantly looking to the ref. You see in the video, he not only goes not while almost at a standstill, he tries twice then waves his arms in the air. NOT THE SAME as Bale.

    ReplyDelete
  18. True, but in the full clip he also looks at the linesman expectantly, and a few team mates start surrounding the ref. I would probably jump out of the way too (having torn a cruciate ligament). But I wouldnt then expect a free kick.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Okay I didnt want to get petty, because so many players dive. Maybe he is avoiding a lunge. But Bale still dives, like so many others. Im not defending Suarez because he dives too.
    Here is a better example of Bale diving.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzCU2tSgM2U

    ReplyDelete
  20. FA....themselves know what they gain. So they keep quiet.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Bale needs to cute it out.. It's not acceptable..

    But I think the difference between the 2 is that Suarez has gone down looking for something. Bale went down expecting to be clattered into, realised that Guzan had dummied him and then didnt even look for or appeal for the free kick, he got up - probably feeling rather embarrassed and got on with it, which that looping .gif doesn't show.

    ReplyDelete
  22. you mean the dive, where he is tripped? Made the most of it maybe, but if there's contact at the speed he runs, it sends you tumbling.

    ReplyDelete
  23. The intelligence level of people really amaze me at times....

    ReplyDelete
  24. Although I have no problem with retrospective punishment the rules must be the same for all players and all Premier league matches. It is simply not good enough that a pundit on Sky or MOTD raises the issue and the FA then react. For example, last season I watched Sunderland v Wolves and their was a clear dive from Seb Larsson. Sunderland were awarded a pen (which was saved if I remember correctly). I waited for the outcry from Redknapp & Co after the game..there was none. Nor was there a call for Larsson to be banned. I am not picking on him particularly but the point is it appears to me that only when players from the big teams dive (Suarez, Bale, Drogba, Ronaldo, Young..) is there a call for punishment. Why is that?

    ReplyDelete
  25. So we all believe that diving is wrong and we also seen YAYA Toure get a 9.6 for his dive over the weekend, which adds to more laughter watching all 3 together. The only thing I hate is Bullying and victimising of one person when they are not the only one doing it.... Those who do this are children as it is their that we are told it is wrong and have to grow out of it....
    FA need to take action on these areas;
    Diving, Stamping, Rugby tackles, two footed tackle (Kightly and Evens), Play acting, Obstructions has to truly sorted (if you are not touching or in control of the ball and as stopping the opponent getting to it, this is obstruction. Not standing 2 feet away and still not playing the ball just shadowing it out of play or letting your team mate get it).

    You should get fines (one weeks wages as they cheat the game) and cards after the match for these events.

    ReplyDelete
  26. bale is from wales. not england.

    ReplyDelete
  27. LUNGING TACKLE????? he was over a foot away from the player.... That is very funny... Bale Dove as there was a potential swimming pool to jump into, Yaya Toure dove as there was a potential fisherman at the end of the line, as he flopped around like a fish, and Suarez dove like a new born calf trying to find his feet...

    ReplyDelete
  28. I am all in favour of punsishing the divers (including, I am sorry to say, my beloved Luis) as long as it is operated consistently. I fear however that, as usual, the divers at a certain ground (step forward Valencia and Young) would have different rules applied to their simulations than the rest of us. Plus, Mr Pulis, let's stop going on about Luis' dive and talk about the 7 yellow cards given against your team for amongst other things, the systemtatic targetting of Luis last Sunday.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Both Suarez & Bale have "reps" for diving.....and this needs to be cut out- its true both are good players & in fairness both have properly been on wrong end of bad fouls, challenges, etc...but since I am a spur- we need to tell Bale: CUT IT OUT!! There is no place for cheating- he needs to man up! How can he look us in the eyes after such an embarrasing indiscretion??

    ReplyDelete
  30. Seriously?! He is just about to put his foot on the floor, then thinks better of it, and falls over. He could have eaily carried on. But he probably though, "I wont be able to get to the ball to score, so I will go down"

    ReplyDelete
  31. Blatant dives should be punished, but punishing diving is a complicated matter. Gary Neville explains the difficulty in judging dives here very well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNx5ok60U6A

    I would rather that they first focus on punishing violent conduct. After that is done, players would have much less of an excuse to dive for protection.

    Ideally, an attitude change occurs from the players and the clubs. But football is one big dirt game and do not expect that to happen.

    ReplyDelete
  32. With respect, GIG, Suarez has escaped punishment, whereas Pulis' men have not. The yellow cards are punishments. A player has to alter the way they play after getting a yellow card and it counts towards a ban.

    You can't state that because Pulis' team were rough (which I don't agree with because it's ugly football) then he has no right to comment on cheating.

    Fouling a player isn't cheating - it is part of football. Diving isn't. Othewise, I could say that Liverpool have no cause for complaint because Charlie Adam, while in Liverpool colours, systematically targetted Gareth Bale, both last season and in pre-season this year.

    Nor could I state that because Bale gets fouled a lot, he can dive as much as he likes.

    The two are not related to one another in any way.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Bale DOVE?? A dove is a bird Damien.Or should I say Rodney? Bale did dive but not seeking to gain a penalty and no theatrical appeals or imploring the ref. Suarez is a serial cheat on several continents. Both are wrong but trying,repeatedly for a penalty is beyond decency.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Spurs kit. Villa kit. Villa goalkeeper kit. Simple.

    As a Spurs fan, I think Gareth Bale is one of our best players and it's an absolute joy to watch him play football. *Except* when he dives. There's been a lot of discussion on the Spurs forums about this - and yes, in that particular instance there's an argument that he was trying to escape a heavy tackle (watch how the keeper pulls out of the challenge at the last second). BUT, that's not the first time this has happened and there are other examples where it was a clear dive.

    I think both our clubs have a talented player (Bale for us, Suarez for you) who really needs to deal with this aspect of their game. If the FA won't do something about it, then the clubs should take a principled stance; state publicly that they will not tolerate diving from any of their players and that players who do so will be benched for the next game. Because frankly I'd rather our best player wasn't on the field than have to watch him dive.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Whilst his team mates appealed for a foul - Bale himself didn't - I was sitting right above it. He's been chopped and injured by players like Charlie Adam and Faye so badly that he is a bit cowardly and you always fear he is out for the season when he gets taken out with the amount of pain he looks in....however - whilst he went down with no contact, it was his reaction, which wasnt to appeal to the ref that for me makes it a non-issue. It is very different to Suarez who has form with Uruguay, Ajax and now with Liverpool for all kinds of gamesmanship of which diving (particularly in the box) is certainly one. I think the jury is out on Bale and whilst he has gone down questionably in the past, he is not in the category of a Drogba, Suarez, Danny Wellbeck, or Ashley Young - but he does seem to attract a lot of criticism.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Look at the pace they are both travelling at. If he leaves his standing leg on the ground and Guzan DOES decide to clatter him (a decision he cannot control), thus probably breaking his leg, would he win the exalted prise of Steve Nicol's approval? Hooray!!!

    ReplyDelete
  37. You could argue that not appealing is worse as its knowingly cheating and knowing that not gesticulating protects you from further action / retro action?

    -1 point per dive agreed by independent panel.
    -2 points per off ball dangerous (elbow stamping)
    +1 point to the team where the same panel over rule which the FA refuse to action as the ref saw it and deemed not worthy....

    ReplyDelete
  38. Jamie. FA won't ban Bale and Suarez for diving cos they know that MU has Rooney, A Young and Nani and it would mean baning them as well. There no way on earth that they would have the balls to ban Rooney. We all know that people at the FA r pathetic, if that's the word to describe them.

    ReplyDelete
  39. I have seen your hero Steven Gerrard do exactly the same thing at White Hart Lane in the pst. Shall we have retrospective punishment for him? His defence was he was expecting to get hit and was going to rollwith it. Seems fair enough...

    ReplyDelete
  40. jaimie second day you have run a post on suarez diving the headline might be about bale but its a thin veil to carry on your suarez vendetta why did you put the suarez dive on the video you had your dig the other day

    ReplyDelete
  41. Major campaigns about diving, a few talking about elbowing & stamping. Perspective please. I saw you play many times Mr Nicol and you were also a cheat if you judge it by your own comments on attempting to referees. How many times did you claim a throw, corner, goal kick when you KNEW it wasn't? How many times did you foul someone and claim it wasn't a foul? If you're honest you'll admit to hundreds, and NO suspensions for it.

    ReplyDelete
  42. the player running to Bale is the goal keeper.

    ReplyDelete
  43. jaimie yet again its lets get suarez and if you try and say its wrong your post needs to be approved bulls3it

    ReplyDelete
  44. where not bothered about bales dive it did not affect us its just a chance to get some more cheap shots at suarez

    ReplyDelete
  45. I think it was the blade of grass that the Villa keeper deliberately kicked into Bale's ankle that sent him over. The Ref should have seen it and given us a penalty

    ReplyDelete
  46. Jay, I have read your article and it is interesting and I agree with what you say. There are so many things we can consider cheating. I.E attacker is ahead of last defender and because the defender knows he won't get to him in time to make a clean tackle he purposefully tackles him for behind knowing he will get a red card for it. That, technically is cheating BUT it's very much allowed in the game.

    So the question is, what balance approach can the "cough cough" powers that be take regarding this?

    Diving and deliberate handballs should be punished by bans and fines. And if the FA really had the balls then a team that consistently dives should be ducked points, there I said it.

    But the FA have no Balls, just the sack.

    ReplyDelete
  47. You mean the goalkeeper, the goalkeeper pulls pulls out of tackling Bale at the last minute...

    ReplyDelete
  48. Watch the goalkeeper, he steams into Bale BUT pulls out of a (potentially reckless) challenge at the last second. Bale doesn't know this and makes an evasive dive (to avoid potential injury)...Suarez on the other hand, dives to try and win a penalty. Surely you can see the difference, right ??

    ReplyDelete
  49. Spurs fan hear - sorry, not "trolling".
    I agree, both himself and Suarez should be banned. I hate to see it from anyone. I cannot come here as a fan and critise Suarez as we have Bale in our side. Enough is enough.
    It seems as though these days, the only punishment you get is a reputation which will hurt you later... Perhaps this has happened to Suarez already. I seem to remember a justifiable pen not being awarded to him this season, but he has the reputation he has for going down easy has cost Liverpool as a club - not him. I don't want Spurs to be effected that way for Bales actions but it will sooner or later. I can live with a ban though as it will effect themselves, hopefully enough to change. Things must be fair.
    No one likes it and every club has their cheat. If the FA don't step in, clubs must. I really hope our number two, Steffan "ARBEIT" Fruend will step in an tell Bale to man up.

    ReplyDelete
  50. I understand what you are saying but if you watch closely Bale gets there before the keeper and all the keeper does is stops any forward leg motion as Bale is already on his way to dive..

    ReplyDelete
  51. Player (No contact + fall over to ground)= Dive

    ReplyDelete
  52. I think diving & cheating is great ! Get over yourselves and enjoy it !

    ReplyDelete
  53. Can anyone tell me the stance the insurance company handling a teams medical and monitary coverage would take if,a player "dives",gets caught,but in doing so ,injures himself to the point of hospitalization.

    ReplyDelete
  54. This applies to any players that dive, regardless who they are, including Gerrard.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Bale on a scale of 10 got 9.999999 for his dive, it was criminal, I thought he should of got a straight red

    ReplyDelete
  56. Man if you believe that you must watch games through rose tinted spectacles, I have no malice towards Bale a great individual player, but that was a dive and a half. He dived to win a free kick, am sure he would of done the same thing in the box to win a pen, and you could also say he attempted to get the other player booked if the ref would of thought he had gone down legitimately. Bale should of got a yellow and a bollocking from the club in private, matter closed.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Probably the same as when you drive into a tree to avoid the car coming the other way just in case for some explicit reason it pulled over into your lane rather than drove past you.
    I dont think insurance policies have exclusion clauses for injuries that are self inflicted unless they happen away from the game, like you break your leg playing on your kids trampoline in the back garden.

    ReplyDelete
  58. Excellent post, my thoughts exactly. Rather have a player that dives on a regular bases out of the first team than having to watch him dive and disgrace himself and the club on the pitch. I love Suarez as a player for my club but I loathe to see him dive as he did against Stoke.

    Time for Tottenham and Liverpool (and a lot of other teams too, especially Manchester United) to publicly condemn diving and explain that their own players won't escape some form off club sanctioned punishment for a obvious dive.

    ReplyDelete
  59. Fing idiot....that's not a dive....go away!

    ReplyDelete
  60. Pratt....read above you plonker///get fucked

    ReplyDelete
  61. Ah, silly me. I didn’t realize it was the goalkeeper. But that incriminates the goalkeeper even more. He had run out of his goal box, which meant that he ABSOLUTELY HAD TO make sure that he dispossessed Bale of the ball, otherwise Bale would have run past him and scored. Hence, it appears certain that had Bale not dived, the goalkeeper would have made a career-wrecking challenge on Bale.

    ReplyDelete
  62. I think we need to make a distinction between players who dive to get a penalty without being touched, and those who dive out of self-defence. I think players like Michael Owen and Gareth Bale belong to the latter category. (see Owen’s recent article that appeared on Soccernet: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1186441/england's-michael-owen-'guilty'-over-penalties-against-argentina?cc=4716 ). Owen and Bale are fast, speedy players who place enormous pressure on the defenders who have to track them. Invariably, most defenders would not be able to win the ball fairly off Owen or Bale, and would have to resort to underhand and even career-wrecking means. I don’t condone Owen or Bale for diving, but honestly, can you blame them? It’s their self-defence mechanism; it’s like their way of communicating to slower defenders: “Don’t you dare try to hurt me! I will make sure you get sent off first.” That said, in the same breath that we discuss how to prevent diving, we should also talk about how to better protect players like Owen and Bale. If you say that Owen and Bale should be banned for life for diving, then you should similarly argue for defenders who habitually do not win their tackles cleanly to be banned.

    ReplyDelete
  63. It's down to the ref to enforce the laws of the game, which are perfectly adequate to deal with simulation. Personally I'd rather they focused on shirt-pulling, wrestling, elbowing and the downright melees that are now the norm at free kicks corners

    ReplyDelete
  64. Call the Police.





    Sent from Samsung Galaxy Note

    -------- Original message --------
    Subject: [liverpoolkop] Re: 'He's an embarrassment' - Nicol calls for Spurs cheat to be suspended. Agree...? | Liverpool-Kop.com

    ReplyDelete
  65. Will (not the first guy)5:29 am, October 11, 2012

    So could I, 30 years ago : )

    There is one issue here with non contact and that is when a player previously hurt in the same manner, tries to avoid injury and falls but does not feign injury or do the card waving. Bale has said that if is a choice of fall or be injured after Adams, he will fall. I think that most of the replies here have totally ignored this.

    My sequence in high level football was ended the day a defender took out both my ankles (compound fractures) after he had said:"i am going to get you" after I had beaten him three times for two goals. he "got" me alright and in those days it was just a freekick. But I could not walk for a year.

    ReplyDelete
  66. I'm a Spurs supporter too and yes, Bale's dive was laughable (not quite as laughable as Suarez' tho). As for a 3 game ban for this type of dive - that's laughable too. I can't help but look back to a couple of years ago tho and recall 2 tackles on Bale in which he didn't jump out of the way - each of which put him out of the game for months. Neither player making those challenges received any 'time out of the game'...........

    ReplyDelete
  67. Bale bottled taking the challenge, he got up and played on never once moaning. Suarez dived and tried getting a free kick out of it. Both bad in their own way.

    ReplyDelete
  68. Will (not the first guy)11:57 am, October 11, 2012

    Nicol is a bit of a joke to comment upon anyone as I have seen him "in action"numerous times and he was never above the odd handball, stray elbow or studs showing tackle not to mention referee nagging. It is a bit of a joke how once these players retire and begin to comment just how they seem to find a halo over their own heads and assume all misdeeds obliterated from history. Not so mate, I saw you chop a few down and elbow a few etc. Not quite as bad as Souness or Chopper Smith but certainly no angel but certainly a right hypocrite.
    I wait the day when Roy Keane goes "tut tut" over someone's two footed studs showing crippling attempt.
    Lineker is one of the few really clean commentators aythough a bit pedantic. I only saw him make one misdeed: an accidental handball as he was forced to head and on the way in it hit his hand and almost missed the net. The referee saw it despite the oppositions players begging and knew it was accidental and a goal anyway and allowed it. No idea who or when though.

    ReplyDelete
  69. By the way, watch Nzonzi in the Suarez clip. He shows Pulis what a player would do if he doesn't intend to stamp on an opponent.

    Maybe he'll show it to the FA and get Huth a ban since he's so interseted in justice

    ReplyDelete
  70. I am afraid you will never persuade me that stamping on someone's chest when you think the ref isnt looking (and getting away with it) or taking someone out by the throat when they are clean through on goal (again getting away with it) is not cheating

    ReplyDelete
  71. Have you noticed the young players are not acting like this?Coaches had better be careful they are not infected by these imbeciles Not good football to watch.

    ReplyDelete