Diving, or some may call it, flopping is always a hot topic in world football, but the talk has ramped up recently as more and more controversial plays seem to happen every week. Tottenham Hotspur Manager Mauricio Pochettino made some rather interesting and insightful remarks on this topic, so let’s dive right in shall we?!
Sorry, I could have just said let’s get this party started, but I just couldn’t help myself.
Midfelder Dele Alli appeared to dive in Saturday’s resounding 5-0 victory over Swansea, and the play set up Spurs first goal.
Pochettino saw similarities between this play and Pochettino’s challenge on England’s Michael Owen at the 2002 World Cup. Poch still believes he was a victim of an Owen flop, and the play set up David Beckham’s penalty kick winner in Japan that day.
“It was 15 years ago when Owen dived,” Pochettino said in his postgame media opportunities at White Hart Lane Saturday.
“Don’t believe that English football is always fair because Owen jumped like [he was] in a swimming pool. Come on! I didn’t touch him. I promise you. It’s true.
“Today football is more global. It’s more European football. Now we have the influence of the Latin people that try to cheat always. Maybe you were more pure 20, 25, 30 years ago, now you are like us,” he added with a laugh.
Pochettino, who is of Argentine nationality, addressed the idea of diving culture in his native land.
“In Argentina, yes — the people sometimes practise that. It’s true. But many years ago. Now I don’t know. But when I was a player always it was part of training to try to cheat,” he said.
“At Newell’s, many, many years ago, it was part of practice. Now, of course I don’t like. I don’t like that.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
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