Mourinho: Controversial as ever
Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho has sparked a debate over diving after professing his view several of the world’s top players are guilty of gamesmanship.
As Chelsea incumbent Mourinho always defended any of his charges of foul play, with Didier Drogba one such player who was often the subject of criticism.
However, having looked at the issue of diving from a neutral perspective, the Portuguese has had some enlightening things to say.
“I’m no longer Chelsea manager and I don’t have to defend them so I think it’s correct if I say Drogba is a diver, (Cristiano) Ronaldo, Fernando Torres, Robin van Persie are the divers who won more penalties during the last four or five years,” he told Ford’s FeelFootball.com website.
Mourinho does, though, praise Drogba and Ronaldo for the manner in which they have curbed any inclination to take a tumble.
He claims foreign players who join the English Premier League need to learn to adapt if they are to avoid the ignominy of being labeled ‘divers’; of the opinion the English game has an ‘anti-dive’ culture that does not fit with the rest of the European leagues.
Neutral perspective
“English football criticises divers. In England, coaches teach the kids how to play a game of football but in Italy, Spain and Portugal, coaches teach the kids how to win a game. When players go to England they need to adapt. Drogba today is better than he was before. Ronaldo is better than he was. And Torres will be better too.”
But Mourinho also believes that in the right circumstances players should dive to convince the referee that they have been fouled.
“I hate diving, but I’m not happy if a player is kicked by somebody in the box and he tries to remain standing. It’s very, very rare a referee gives a decision if the player doesn’t go down so I tell players not to be naive, but to be fair.”
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