Derby boss Steve McClaren BLASTS Chelsea divers ahead of League Cup clash
Posted Tuesday, December 16, 2014 by Dailystar.co.uk
STEVE McCLAREN has cranked up the pressure on Chelsea by urging the FA to rid the game of divers.
The Derby boss faces Jose Mourinho’s side just three days after they were in the dock for having two players booked for diving and another lucky to escape for the same crime against Hull.
Willian and Diego Costa went into referee Chris Foy’s book and Gary Cahill could easily have received a yellow card - which would have been his second - for taking a tumble in the box.
On top of that Ramires was booked for diving in the area when the teams met in the FA Cup in January.
And McClaren wants action taken by the authorities.
"Would I like to see retrospective action taken? Absolutely,” he said.
"If people cheat and do wrong, they have to suffer the consequences, we’ve all had to do that.
"It should be, they do it in other things so why not in for diving or simulation.
"It is a similar crime for red cards for dangerous tackles -- it can cost you a game.
BLAST: Steve McClaren has urged the FA to crack down on divers
"All we can do is beat the drum. If the authorities see it as a problem, which it obviously is, because it keeps getting mentioned - for years now and still nothing’s been done.”
McClaren admits he now coaches his players to deal with the cheats.
"We have to coach our defenders better. Tell them stay on your feet and don’t dive in.
"Once a player’s in that penalty area - it’s what we call the red zone. It’s danger!
"Don’t give the opponent the opportunity to fall over or catch your foot, to put yourself into that situation where it’s a desperate challenge. We don’t like it.”
Rams skipper Richard Keogh has warned any divers to expect a mouthful tonight.
He said: “It is not nice to see. You don’t want fellow professionals to cheat a little bit.
DIVE: Diego Costa is booked for diving
"We kind of had it against Wigan at home. Callum McManaman went in the box and went over quite easy and I let him know it wasn’t acceptable.
"That’s what I do on the pitch – I stick up for my team-mates. I stick up for the club and that’s what it was. It wasn’t acceptable.”
Ironically Cahill will miss out tonight after Mourinho indicated he would be rested.
"We’re going to play against a top team in the Championship,” the Cheslea boss said. Mourinho told Chelsea TV.
"The difference between a top team in the Championship and the teams of the Premier League are very, very small.
"We played there last year and it was not an easy game.
"We have no reason to rest people. Everybody goes.
"The only one that is not going because he played against Sporting (Lisbon) - I never gave him a break - is Cahill.
"Cahill doesn’t play, I play Zouma.”
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