Chris Sutton has accused West Ham United defender Thilo Kehrer of diving and then suggested that Leeds United-owned Dan James could be the biggest diver at the 2022 World Cup for Wales.
The former striker stated ‘we will call you out’ if any players are seen or punished for simulating during a game – and West Ham’s summer signing Kehrer was called out for doing just that in Germany colours.
Whilst Sutton thinks loaned-out Leeds star, James, has a history of going down easy and questioned if he will repeat his actions in Qatar.
James moved to Fulham on a season-loan loan deal during the 2022 summer transfer window, in order to earn game time ahead of the World Cup in November.
Wales are in the same group as England and the duo will meet for the final group match, which also includes Iran and the USA.
Nonetheless, when playing the simulation game and calling out players for diving, Sutton was quick to make his feelings clear towards Kehrer and James, as he told BBC Radio 5 Live Sport.
“It doesn’t matter, lower league football, Premier League football or international football, we will just track them down,” said Sutton.
“I was at Wembley (for England v Germany) and Kehrer, take greater carer, that’s what I would say to him. Stay on your feet. Don’t throw yourself down and don’t simulate, because I tell you what we will do, we will call you out and tell you ‘you’re better than that Thilo Kehrer’. Getting his dives in before the World Cup. Getting all the practise in, that’s what the Germans do, they dive, don’t they?
“It’s going to be interesting the World Cup, who is going to be the biggest diver at the World Cup? Has the Welsh got any divers? Daniel James? Daniel James, likes to dive, doesn’t he?!”
SUSPENSIONS FOR DIVING
Once upon a time, before the days of VAR, there were some ex-players that would sit on a panel and look back at the weekend’s action and see if any players are diving.
To no one’s surprise, nobody really got called out or banned, which suggests those making the calls are either weak or there isn’t any diving in the game.
Well, it’s pretty clear there is from England captain Harry Kane to Liverpool’s so-called king, Mo Salah.
If you dive, whether it’s caught on the field, by VAR, or when reviewing a game, you should receive an instant suspension of, at least, one match.
The quicker it’s stamped out in that fashion, then the fewer times you will see players doing their best Jack Grealish impression.
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