Referee’s Chief Keith Hackett has praised the Manchester United winger and Chelsea striker for apparently cutting the diving business out of their game and going on to compete for the Premiership’s individual awards,
“Ronaldo and Drogba were serial offenders,” he said in The Guardian. “Now I’ve seen enough to know they’ve stopped doing it.
“I also believe their performances have improved dramatically because of this.”
The head of referees credits a dressing room poster campaign which was introduced prior to the start of last season for the decrease in diving.
“There is no doubt in my mind that the campaign has worked and that there has been a marked decrease in diving,” Hackett added.
Couple of interesting points in there. One being the suggestion that Drogba and Ronaldo no longer dive – Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann and anyone who works for Middlesbrough might disagree. Secondly, the suggestion that a bloody lockerroom poster was at all to do with it. We’re sure that while massive public outrage had no effect on them, reading a polite poster from the referee while putting on their socks before a match certainly did.
But the more terrifying bit is the idea that the Referee’s Chief will no longer considered a player a diver as long as they do it less than Cristiano Ronaldo and Didier Drogba. That’s like saying you’re not considered an embarrassment to your family as long as you look better than this guy:
