Source: Daily_Mail
Blame refs for diving culture, insists Blackburn boss Allardyce
Sam Allardyce yesterday came clean on Morten Gamst Pedersen's blatant dive and admitted his errant Blackburn[LNB]midfielder had been guilty of cheating. [LNB]The Blackburn manager made no attempt to justify Pedersen's actions in the 4-0 defeat at Arsenal[LNB]on Saturday, but argued that referees' chief Keith Hackett could help eliminate simulation from the game by offering flair players greater protection. [LNB]Despite trying to hoodwink referee Phil Dowd by hurling himself to the ground inside the Arsenal area and turning round with his arms raised, Pedersen bizarrely claimed he had not been trying to win a penalty, as reported in Sportsmail yesterday. [LNB] Taking a tumble: Pedersen's dive at Arsenal, which failed to impress Allardyce[LNB] I wasn't trying to con a penalty, insists Highbury 'diver' Pedersen[LNB]Arshavin's Rovers rage! Arsenal star says his foot looks like it was cut by a knife[LNB]This is your moment! Sportsmail's club-by-club guide to the incidents that defined your team's Premier League season[LNB]ARSENAL FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]BLACKBURN ROVERS FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB][LNB]He clearly failed to convince Allardyce, who opened up on the moment of controversy and conceded that his Norway winger had been 'in the wrong' and should have been shown a yellow card. [LNB]Speaking at a Barclays Football Writers' Association lunch at Haydock Park, Allardyce said: 'It was nearly as good as a Ronaldo dive, but he is certainly not alone in doing things like that. [LNB]'He is one of many Premier League players who are guilty of diving, but the bottom line is simple enough. Until Keith Hackett decides that fouls should still be given for players who manage to stay on their feet, then people will always cheat. [LNB]Speaking out: Allardyce[LNB]'I would rather he did not do it at all and there can be no doubt it should have been a straightforward yellow card. But what about players who are dishing out fouls all the time? I would like to see them being punished, not least because it would mean those on the receiving end would not need to resort to diving. [LNB]'It just strikes me at the moment that when a player stays on his feet, a referee thinks: 'That can't have been a foul, because he's still standing. It doesn't look like a foul to me, so I won't give it'. [LNB]'That's where the frustration creeps in. Players feel they are being denied what is due them and start wondering if there is any point trying to stay on their feet. [LNB]'They inevitably reach the conclusion that, next time there is any contact, they might as well go down. Even if the contact is slighter than before, the inclination is to hit the deck and see what happens. [LNB]'In fairness to Morten, I think he tripped himself up. He caught his own leg but thought the contact had come from a defender, so down he went.' [LNB]Pedersen caused uproar by flinging himself full length and looking hopefully towards Dowd, despite the nearest Arsenal defender full back Bacary Sagna being a good two yards behind him. [LNB]Football Association chiefs have decided against taking the matter any further, but Pedersen still felt the need to try to defend himself over an incident that has brought him widespread ridicule. [LNB]He claimed he was not trying to win a penalty but failed to shed any light on what his motives were in spinning round and raising both arms. [LNB]'I know it was not a spotkick and that is not what I was after,' he said. 'If you look at the pictures, you can see my legs hit each other and I fell. My heel catches my leg and I end up face down. [LNB]'There were many thoughts that went through my head there and then. I was frustrated and maybe waved with my arms a bit, but I know it definitely was not a penalty and I said that later to Sagna. [LNB]'The referee came up to me straight away and I imagine if he thought I had dived, he would have shown me a card. [LNB]'I can assure everyone, I was not trying to cheat to win a penalty and it was entirely correct that the referee decided not to award one.' I wasn't trying to con a penalty, insists Highbury 'diver' Pedersen[LNB]Arshavin's Rovers rage! Arsenal star says his foot looks like it was cut by a knife[LNB]This is your moment! Sportsmail's club-by-club guide to the incidents that defined your team's Premier League season[LNB]ARSENAL FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]BLACKBURN ROVERS FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB][LNB]
