Diving

Now diving is a massive thing in the beautiful game now, and in my opinion something that does need clamping down on. The problem we have with diving is quite clear in the case of one Paolo di Canio. Di Canio is famous for being a fantastic player in the Premier League, and fans of Everton will remember him for catching the ball in the 18 yard box, with their goalkeeper down injured.

Di Canio, who now manages Swindon Town in League 2, watched his team suffer yet another away defeat last Friday night, this time at the hands of Macclesfield Town. Di Canio was left fuming, when Matt Ritchie, who got clipped rounding the Macclesfield goalkeeper Jose Veiga, stayed on his feet and didn't get a penalty.

"From now on I will tell my players to dive," Di Canio told BBC Wiltshire.

"From now on I will bring in a different culture because this was a red card and penalty."

He added: "I'd prefer that they risk getting a yellow card for simulation. My team are the only ones who do not dive somewhere around the field.

"It's not fair but it's the only way to receive something.

"He [Ritchie] was too honest but it wasn't malicious - he [Veiga] had no intentions. You can't stay on your feet just because you want to be honest."

In my opinion, you have to look at this two ways. I don't condemn diving in the slightest, but you have to do what it takes to win football matches. This problem now creates a problem for referees. How do they know if you have dived or if you have really been fouled? It is a hard enough task for the referee, and I am in the majority of fans to give the referee abuse if I feel he has missed something. We are all human, and I can not say that I have never made a mistake, because I have.

But let me ask you to picture this.... The fourth official has indicated a minimum of four minutes added time, in the World Cup Final, in Brazil in 2014, and Wayne Rooney is bearing down on goal, with Real Madrid's Iker Casillas awaiting him. It is 0-0 and Rooney goes round Casillas and his touch is heavy and goes down without being touched. The referee, points to the spot and awards England a penalty kick. Casillas is sent off, and now Rooney has a chance to win the World Cup. He hammers the ball into the roof of the net, and England win the game.

My question to you is.... Are you bothered that Rooney has dived and we have won the World Cup? Would you not celebrate because he has cheated? For me, it may be wrong, but you have to do whatever it takes in order to win the game. What's your views on it?