In this week’s FIFA 10 podcast Romily Broad and myself discussed the topic of diving after David N’Gog did his impression of a perfect dying swan in the box against Birmingham and earned Liverpool a penalty.
Most commentators were in uproar over this blatant attempt to con the referee and many complained that diving is a stain on the name of football. But it caused me to wonder if it really is that bad?
When Michael Owen dived against Argentina and won a penalty in the 1998 World Cup were the same people complaining? I think not.
Particularly because it meant England scored from the penalty but also because the dive was a good one. N’Gog would do well to study it because I believe that there is a real art to diving.
If a defender makes a challenge in the box and isn’t guaranteed to win the ball, every attacker wonders whether or not it’s worth staying on their feet. The sharpest are able to pull off the perfect dive and claim a penalty. Others may call it a stain on the name of football but I call it initiative. And if it’s done well there is an art to it, unlike the hash that others make of it, such as Didier Drogba.
Compared to other modern scourges such as lack of respect for the referee and performance-enhancing drugs, I think diving is small beer. But everyone seems to get so worked up over it.
The purists will always complain about something in the game - shirt sponsorship, Sunday kick offs and Gabby Logan - but diving has been there ever since people first decided to kick a pig’s bladder towards the opponent’s goal.
Would the same people complain if Wayne Rooney went down in the box and won a penalty during the World Cup Final?
Of course not - you’ve got more chance of N’Gog staying upright in the box!
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