NGOG WE DON'T TRUST ... David Ngog dives to
win a penalty as Lee Carsley slides in
Liverpool's David Ngog left the football world shaking
its head after his outrageous dive to win a penalty against
Birmingham on Monday.
Brum midfielder Lee Carsley, who referee Peter Walton
said felled the striker, branded the Frenchman an 'embarrassment'
and a 'cheat'. And on Saturday, Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes accused
former team-mate Darren Bent of diving to win a spot-kick for
Sunderland - which Gomes saved.
Rovers supremo Williams believes bringing in a video
referee and using retrospective footage is the best way to solve
the problem. He reckons it would quickly clear up any wrong
decisions like Walton's at Anfield - and also name and shame the
divers to the crowd right there and then.
Williams said: "I've always been a big advocate of
using technology more in the game and it could help eradicate
diving. "Referees have a lot on their plate and it's not easy to
see everything from the best possible angle. "But the referee will
give what he's seen although he can't always be sure, so a video
ref could help him.
"You look at Monday night, Peter Walton must have felt
it looked like a penalty from his angle. "That was a classic case
of the ref giving what he has seen - or what he thinks he's seen.
"It was an honest call that he made but he got it wrong.
"If he wasn't absolutely sure, he'd ask the video ref
to take a look. It would take a matter of seconds and the
interruption to the game would be minimal.
"Within seconds, everyone on the pitch and in the crowd
would know whether the player had dived or if it was a genuine
penalty."
In the Europa League this season, UEFA have introduced
two extra assistant referees who stand on the goal-line to help
with decisions in the area. The introduction of video referees
watching on a television screen could well be the next step - and
Williams feels a lot of officials would welcome it.
He added: "There's a feeling it could undermine the
authority of the referee but I don't see that at all, it would help
them. "I expect a lot would say they were in favour of it because
they would see it as an aid. I guarantee Peter Walton feels rotten
about the penalty because everyone is talking about it.
"He'd probably be pleased if there was something to
stop him being in this situation again. "All I'd say on the
morality of it is that whatever punishment is given to divers has
to be consistent for the 380 games of a Premier League season."
Refs' boss Keith Hackett admitted Walton got it
hopelessly wrong when he awarded Liverpool a penalty. Hackett said:
"Peter will be upset when he views the DVD. "Nobody in the game
supports the act of simulation but players do go down and that puts
pressure on refs."
Hackett was encouraged by Kop boss Rafa Benitez
admitting it should not have been a penalty. And he praised
Birmingham chief Alex McLeish for not directing his anger at
Walton. Hackett added: "Both managers were very clear in their
views and said it wasn't a penalty.
"Managers are working very hard to cut this out and I
know they abhor this type of behaviour. "Ultimately, it's down to
players not to commit acts of simulation. "It is difficult and
sometimes the speed and quality of the player and the way they
juggle the ball catches referees out."
