Neville Kneville said:
There is a huge difference between players who cheat to the level of Ronaldo & Neymar compared to the average player. If you can't accept that, you are in a very small minority.
It doesn't go down well with a City crowd. I don't know if you go to games or have ever been to a game but the typical response to, for instance, Balotelli, when he chucks himself over is 'get up'. A player who dives even more will receive 'get up you fucking pile of shite' etc etc.
Many of us do not want such players at our club. If half the crowd is atagonistic to cheats of that level, it's better not to sign them. There are other players we can sign instead & still be a great team, without those types.
Athletes learn and grow. If you haven't noticed, Ronaldo is not much of a diver anymore. I know blue lenses often blinds many to that fact. And the extent of Neymar's diving is grossly exaggerated. He just doesn't dive that much. We are only being self delusional when we see an exceptional talent, yet focus on an inconsequential.
Lets take the video of his most egregious display of diving for example: The match against the Netherlands, he apparently dived 5 times. But look at each one
1) This I agree was a dive. Similar to Micah Richards dive that won City a game last season. I don't remember much complaint afterwards about Micah. Mostly, folks excused it and rationalized it. Which makes me conclude it is a perception thing. If we think Micah is not a diver, then we are willing to excuse Micah's dive when it wins us favors. But sure that was a dive. Not to mention, that was a foul, whether contact was made or not. The dangerous nature of the attempt is what is penalized (just like in Micah's case) The falling of the player simply negates the possibility of an "advantage" play on call. Hence the Yellow that followed.
2) This is not a dive at all, matter of fact it is a staple in Tevez's arsenal. And I have never once heard anyone even mention it or complain about it. He put himself in front of a charging defender and falls when he is barged into from behind. This too me is fantastic football intelligence, and I applaud all attackers who keep possession by doing this. Tevez included.
3) This is inconsequential. 1) He didn't get to the ball, and the defender who had possession strong armed him away from getting near it. Sure he fell over. But the dude weys 90 pounds soaking wet. And runs at acute angles. Playing with suc an off balance style is actually advantageous, coz you are harder to defend, and can turn on a dime. But it also means you can fall easily. Did he exaggerate the fall? Absolutely! Was he pushed? Yes. Was it a foul? No! And the ref got it spot on.
4. Was a missed attempt byby the defender to kick the ball and then he grazed Neymar's knee and shin. He fell to alert the ref he had been kicked without contact to the ball. This is one of those grey areas where I actually support diving. When a player in possession is contacted (tackle, kicked pushed, shoved, grabbed) without the opposition player touching the ball simultaneously or prior to the contact, it is a foul. But often refs have digressions not to call every contact. But the truth is a guy swinging wildly around you, even when he doesn't touch you impacts your reaction. If you are contacted, your falling down is to signify to the ref that the contact was beyond that of a changed reaction to imminent contact, but an actual contact. But I digress. This will not get called 90% of the time, especially not in the box. And wasn't here.
5. Now this is the kind of diving, I consider cheating. When you intentionally, try to hook your leg around another player to induce a tripping. And he was duly carded for it. He will learn soon how ineffective this is. Sadly, had he paid attention to his right, there was a defender behind him charging, and he could have easily stepped in front of the guy and gotten pushed from behind for a legitimate foul. Actually in the process of diving the guy on the right actually pushed him. But the ref called his simulation.
So viewing the supposed most egregious tape of Neymar's dives we can see their are clearly 2 instances of actual simulation. And like you said, that is really par for the course, when you exclude preconceived perceptions from the equation
