Not so much a moan about our result last night as a moan about the blatant diving around and deliberately trying to get players booked or red carded.

 

We were beaten fair and square last night. What did annoy me was the diving by Pana players and the guy up front for them gesturing for the referee to book some of our players.

I am disappointed that the ref didn't book the guy for doing this not once.... but twice. It sticks in my throat that this type of behaviour was tolerated. Trying to influence oficials is desparate and despicable behaviour and happens all the time. Who'd be a referee?

 

It's no good saying that this type of behaviour is typical and expected in European and World competition. Fifa's own motto is "Fair Play" for crying out loud!!! What is fair about the shenanigins that we are seeing week in and week out in all the leagues around the world being beamed into our living rooms?

 

To be perfectly honest. I'd rather support a team who doesn't get involved in this stuff who are beaten all the time than support one who cheats and manipulates their way to victory. If people condone this way of playing, I'd rather be better out of it and go and watch wrestling........ At least there is more honesty there than in football these days. That meaning that wrestling is fixed and dishonest as hell!

 

If an Aberdeen player blatantly dives or cheats then we should make that player know we won't accept it by letting him know. I'd hope other clubs supporters would follow suit, but we all know that in the heat of the game, that would probably never happen.

 

I like the idea of reviewing a match a couple of days later and punishing players who's conduct is less than honest. Will we see players being punished? I doubt it

The diving did annoy me, but i expected it to be honest. After all, Takis Fyssas only left Hearts in the close season... Seriously though, i think it's just an unfortunate side effect of having a weak referee. If he was to have booked even one of them for it, then that would have nipped it in the bud straight away.

 

This asking for a yellow card thing annoys me more to be honest, mainly because (as far as i know) refs are supposed to automatically book players who do that. Again, the lack of yellow cards indicated a weak ref for me.

This asking for a yellow card thing annoys me more to be honest, mainly because (as far as i know) refs are supposed to automatically book players who do that. Again, the lack of yellow cards indicated a weak ref for me.

 

Have you EVER seen a ref do that though? No, of course not, cos it's always players from "big" clubs from the "big" nations that do it and....well....UEFA doesn't want to upset them now.

This asking for a yellow card thing annoys me more to be honest, mainly because (as far as i know) refs are supposed to automatically book players who do that. Again, the lack of yellow cards indicated a weak ref for me.

 

Have you EVER seen a ref do that though? No, of course not, cos it's always players from "big" clubs from the "big" nations that do it and....well....UEFA doesn't want to upset them now.

 

In the main, that's very true. I did see it happen in a Champion's League game once, and i think Mr Rooney copped a yellow for sarcastically applauding the ref (something that i think comes under the same "undermining the ref's authority" idea). Doesn't happen enough though. It's like diving - until it gets dealt with on the pitch, it'll continue. And that's a shame.

When and where did it actually start?

 

I don't recall seeing it in games in Scotland until very recently, and even then only rarely......are we guilty of being too honest (or naive)?