Players and not officials are to blame for diving problems, says referees supremo - Liverpool FC latest

Nov 11 2009 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

REFEREES supremo Keith Hackett believes it should be the responsibility of the players and not the officials to eradicate diving from English football.

The issue has again taken centre stage after the controversial Steven Gerrard penalty that earned Liverpool a 2-2 draw against Birmingham City on Monday.

Referee Peter Walton pointed to the spot when David Ngog tumbled over a Lee Carsley sliding challenge, despite television replays confirming the initial impression that there was no contact between the pair.

Carsley and Birmingham manager Alex McLeish both claimed Ngog had dived, and while Benitez stopped short of agreeing with their opinion on the striker, the Spaniard admitted it was not a penalty.

And Hackett accepts that although referee Walton made a mistake, officials are not being helped by the behaviour of some players.

“Nobody in the game supports the act of simulation and I think that’s true of managers and all the organisations in the game,” said Hackett.

“The managers are working very, very hard to cut this out and I know from speaking to them regularly that they abhor this type of behaviour.

“However players do go down and that puts pressure on referees.

“Ultimately it’s down to players not to commit acts of simulation. However, as referees, we have a responsibility. Referees need to put themselves in the right viewing area to see what’s happening.

“It is difficult and sometimes the speed and quality of the player and the way they can juggle the ball does catch referees out.”

Hackett, head of the Professional Game Match Officials Board, has called for a summit between referees to help ensure such mistakes are not repeated.