Burnley manager Sean Dyche has called on football’s governing bodies to stamp out diving which, he says, has ‘gone too far’.
Dyche has been vocal about diving in the past — claiming authorities have told him not to use the word ‘cheating’ when referring to it — but reiterated his stance after accusing three Arsenal players of doing it during Burnley’s 3-1 defeat yesterday.
‘No one seems to want to do anything about diving apart from me,’ he said. ‘I’m still amazed by it. Kids everywhere are watching, all copying it. No one seems to care about it. I want to see people banned because, if they were, it would evaporate out of the game.
‘You wouldn’t ruffle your kids’ hair if they come home after school and cheated in a maths test. They cheat at a game of football and it’s OK. It’s almost like “well done. We got away with that one”.
‘I’m talking about blatant diving. Cheating. Where there has been no contact at all and people are falling over. The powers-that-be have to get their heads together.’
It is believed that Dyche was responding to incidents involving Granit Xhaka and Matteo Guendouzi.