Big Sam: No point in players staying on their feet
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Speaking on the back of the furore surrounding Morten Gamst Pedersen’s tumble on Saturday, Sam Allardyce says players will always be inclined to dive so long as referees are loathed to award fouls when they remain on their feet.
Pedersen threw himself to the ground despite not having an Arsenal player within his immediate vicinity and, although he failed to win a foul, he also escaped a yellow card for ‘simulation’.
The Norway winger has, as expected, been lambasted for his actions but Allardyce feels that it is only to be expected while officials continue to tow a lenient line.
"He is one of many Premier League players who are guilty of diving, but the bottom line is simple enough,” he said in the Daily Mail.
“Until Keith Hackett decides that fouls should still be given for players who manage to stay on their feet, then people will always cheat.
"I would rather he did not do it at all and there can be no doubt it should have been a straightforward yellow card.
"But what about players who are dishing out fouls all the time? I would like to see them being punished, not least because it would mean those on the receiving end would not need to resort to diving.
"It just strikes me at the moment that when a player stays on his feet, a referee thinks 'That can't have been a foul, because he's still standing. It doesn't look like a foul to me so I won't give it'.
"That's where the frustration creeps in. players feel they are being denied what is due them and start wondering if there is any point trying to stay on their feet.
"They inevitably reach the conclusion that, next time there is any contact, they might as well go down."