How do we stop divers? Ban ’em for three games insists Pulis
DIVERS should be hit with three-match bans to stamp out play-acting in the game, according to Tony Pulis.
There is no question that diving is rife in the modern game.
Laws have been passed in recent years sanctioning retrospective action for poor tackles and violent conduct not seen by match officials.
And West Bromwich Albion boss Pulis feels the same rules should apply for those who attempt to con referees with theatrics on the field.
“I tell you what I think,” Pulis said. “We have retrospective stuff on tackles and we should have retrospective decisions on people who dive and they should be banned for three games. “That will soon stop it. “You don’t want players to dive. “Sometimes they do it out of instinct but you don’t want them to dive. I would bring bans in. They do it for challenges, why not do it for that?”
Callum McManaman has not featured for Albion this season and has only played four times since he was accused of diving in the Boxing Day defeat at Swansea last year.
Swans defender Angel Rangel had to be separated from McManaman after the Albion winger went down far too easily under a tackle from Leon Britton.
Pulis defended the match.
But the Welshman had been far less forgiving a few weeks earlier.
He was the first to censure the Scouser, who looks set to move on in January, after he tried to trick referee Stuart Attwell into awarding a penalty in the 0-0 draw with Southampton.
“I think Callum’s feet actually go up from under him and I don’t think the player has touched him,” Pulis said at the time, in what was an astonishing attack on his own player
“I’ll be having a chat with lum. I don’t like to see that.”
Pulis insists McManaman’s behaviour on the pitch is not the sole reason behind his continued exclusion, but admitted it had been a factor.
“I don’t think it was just that,” he said. “We picked the team that we thought was best without Callum being in it and that’s no disrespect to Callum.” the player after Cal-