Chelsea

Jose Mourinho: Retrospective action for diving would be a "disaster"

By Joe Fish, Reporter | 21 December 2014

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho rejects the idea of retrospective action being taken against divers as he feels current examples of independent panels are a "disaster".

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is firmly against retrospective action against diving as he feels that independent panels are already a "disaster".

Several Premier League managers and former referees have suggested that post-match punishments may be the only way to cut simulation out of the game.

Mourinho has been forced to defend the honesty of his players following accusations that Gary Cahill, Diego Costa and Willian all dived during the victory over Hull City.

However, the Blues boss feels that such systems should be concentrated on more serious offences and is unconvinced that current examples work effectively anyway.

"The independent panels don't do their job well in any case," he told reporters. "When you go to an independent panel to analyse and suspend players by video evidence, it is a disaster. It is a disaster.

"I remember last season, and I don't want to say the names of clubs or players, you had players and clubs punished by panels and you had clubs and players protected by panels. I saw somebody kick a player on the floor, hit him in the back - no suspension. I saw others with minor things being suspended.

"Players are punished for silly comments on Facebook, Instagram and this kind of thing, and players are not punished for other things. You speak one week about one dive that, for me, was not even a dive - you don't speak about Filipe Luis who could be in this moment in the hospital having big surgery on his knee or in his leg.

"Independent panels are the same ones that last season analysed my situation against Aston Villa and I was punished and suspended because I tried to help, so for me panels only favour the ones who always have the favours."

Table-topping Chelsea travel to the Britannia Stadium to face Stoke City on Monday evening.