‘I’m no diver’, insists skipper Shankland
Hearts striker baffled by yellow card for simulation
Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland spoke out to insist he is no diver after a booking for simulation against Ross County.
Referee Grant Irvine cautioned Shankland for going down in a penalty-box challenge with County defender Ryan Leak and later explained the decision to the striker.
Hearts were 2-0 down at the time but Shankland is adamant he was not seeking to win a penalty. He went down from Leak’s tackle and video replays show Leak’s leg making contact with the forward’s thigh.
Shankland feels he was unfairly booked in a game his team eventually lost 2-1.
“The yellow card – I haven’t even looked for a penalty,” he stressed.
“I don't know how I fell right enough but the pitch was horrific so it’s probably something to do with that or I thought I was getting smashed. I don’t know what happened at the time but I’ve gone down. I haven’t asked for a penalty, I went to get up and chase the ball. I think he [Irvine] just reacted too quickly to me falling and booked me.”
Irvine explained to Shankland why he produced the yellow card. “He said I gave him a decision to make by going down but, at the same time, I didn’t look for a penalty. I don’t think me and the ref will ever agree on it so it’s one of those ones. We’ll let it lie.”
The Tynecastle skipper added that he is frequently impeded by opposing defenders during matches and tends not to grumble. “I genuinely think I get one foul every week when I get ragdolled about the box and I never complain that much,” he said.
“I give out my fair share as well, I agree with that, but I think I’m on the other end of decisions which should be fouls. I don’t get them and I get on with it.
“When you get booked for simulation, it’s obviously not ideal. I didn’t get up and claim for [a penalty] so there’s no problem on my part.”