10 Jul 2006(Mon)

July 8, 2006 -- It has been very encouraging to read lots of articles lately about the amount of diving, feigning injury and gamesmanship at the World Cup, and that FIFA accepts there is a plague that needs wiping out.

I say "encouraging" because many times I feel the media do not write about this aspect of the game, and just accept it as a modern trend.

My thoughts on the subject have been well documented over the years, and I will never turn a blind eye to an injustice brought about by someone cheating, even if a member of the Japanese press once criticised me for standing up for "old-style football." I think he meant "honest" football.

I just can't help myself from commenting on the subject, and this led to a heated argument in the Media Seats during the England-Ecuador second-round game at Stuttgart.

From the opening whistle Ecuador were clearly playing for a goalless draw, extra time and penalties, when they could suddenly turn from negative spoilers to brave heroes.

So when yet another Ecuador player decided to stay down after an innocuous challenge and one of his team-mates kicked the ball out of play, I threw my pen down on the desk and said it was a joke. Actually I used a bad word before "joke", beginning with "F", and I apologise for not being able to keep my "passion and emotion" in check!

Sitting to my right were four or five Spanish-speaking journalists, who were clearly cheering for Ecuador. And I mean cheering!

They took offence to the fact that I thought the Ecuador players were play-acting, and repeated my "F" word several times between themselves, which was quite amusing.

"What about 'F...ing' Rio Ferdinand?" said the one next to me, who did not even have a note book or pen with him. "The 'F...ing' King of Fair Play!"

He then proceeded to demonstrate the use of his elbows and started punching thin air, a bit like Tim Cahill's boxing celebration at the corner flag against Japan (sorry to mention that readers, still painful isn't it?)

"It's a man's game," I replied, "not a girl's game."

So, as you can see, there are very differing views on the subject. Strangely enough, though, Ecuador stopped play-acting after "Prince David of Beckingham Palace" scored his wonderful free kick. From that point on, Ecuador actually tried to score, too, which was quite a novelty. Had the clowns sitting next to me noticed the link between their team falling behind and the subsequent lack of time-wasting? Probably not.

Anyway, thanks to Portugal in general and Cristiano Ronaldo in particular, all the dark elements of the game have been highlighted at this World Cup, and Franz Beckenbauer -- "Der Kaiser" of Fair Play -- says a panel of players, referees and coaches will discuss the problem at a meeting later this year.

It could be long gone by then, of course.

Yes, it is as easy as that, if the players really want it.

ends