ALEX SCHALK’S dive is not the first time a Scottish referee has been duped this season. Simulation is, mercifully, not yet a major problem in our game but there have been at least a handful of incidents that have blighted matches across the campaign.
Jamie Walker vs Celtic, August 7, 2016
The Hearts winger won and scored a penalty for his side on the opening day of the season but replays showed there had been no contact from Celtic defender Kieran Tierney when Walker went down in the box. Celtic captain Scott Brown called the player a cheat and said Walker ought to have been competing in the diving events at the Rio Olympics.
Walker was subsequently offered a two-match ban by the SFA that he unsuccessfully tried to appeal. He had greater success later in the season when a yellow card he was shown for an alleged dive at Ibrox against Rangers was overturned.
Leigh Griffiths vs St Johnstone, August 20, 2016
The Celtic forward was booked for a tumble with St Johnstone defender Richard Foster in close proximity, much to his later frustration. “There was contact in the box,” he insisted at the time.
“I’m not going to go down unless there was contact. I said that to the ref that he’s refereed other games against me and he’s not seen me dive once. He said, “well, I thought you dived, that’s why you got booked”.
Joe Garner vs Aberdeen, April 9, 2017
Not a dive as such but the Rangers striker did little to enhance his tough-guy reputation when he went head-to-head with Aberdeen’s Ryan Jack recently and collapsed to the turf as if he had been pole-axed in an attempt to get the midfielder sent off.
The pair were booked at the time meaning there was no scope for any retrospective action, although Garner was heavily criticised for his behaviour.
Kudus Oyenuga vs Hibernian, March 29, 2017
The incident that sparked the infamous rammy between Morton and Hibs players and management at Easter Road. Oyenuga had already been sent off for ploughing through Hibs’ Jordon Foster when he seemed to feign that he had been headbutted by Darren McGregor who was also then sent off.
That led to an on-field melee that also involved both managers, with Neil Lennon calling Oyenuga’s involvement “an act of cowardice”. McGregor’s red card was later downgraded to a yellow, while Oyenuga escaped further punishment.
James Maddison, various
The winger made a largely positive impression during his loan stint at Aberdeen in the first half of the season but also managed to get booked four times for diving, one of which was later rescinded. His former Pittodrie team-mate Ash Taylor, however, felt Maddison was being punished for his quick feet and clumsy defenders, rather than any wrong-doing.
“When your card is marked you get known for diving, and it’s unfair as James isn’t that sort of player,” he said at the time. “He buys fouls as he has quick feet. It’s harsh on him but what can you do? The referee makes the decision, and he has to get on with it. It comes with the type of player James is. He takes the ball in tight areas and takes players on, so he is always going to get kicked. Opposition players try to stop him any way they can as James is a very influential player who finds pockets of space and hurts teams.”
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