Perth Glory skipper Jamie Coyne believes the recent controversies over diving won’t deter South American footballers from joining Hyundai A-League clubs.
Perth Glory skipper Jamie Coyne believes the recent controversies over diving won’t deter South American footballers from joining Hyundai A-League clubs.
Adelaide’s Brazilian striker Cristiano earned widespread condemnation for a dive in the penalty area during the Reds’ recent loss to Melbourne while the Glory’s Argentine forward Adrian Trinidad has been criticised by Sydney coach John Kosmina and Jets boss Gary van Egmond following recent matches.
Although Coyne feels Cristiano’s actions were unacceptable, he doesn’t believe van Egmond’s accusation that Trinidad deliberately instigated contact with Jets’ skipper Jade North to earn the Glory a last-gasp penalty equaliser was justified.
And the Glory skipper doesn’t feel such undue criticisms will stop South American footballers from considering an Hyundai A-League career.
“I wouldn’t say so, no,” said Coyne on Wednesday. “You wouldn’t like to say that you’re going to drive players away from the A-league with all this interest over it.”
“It’s just a couple of incidents that have happened and I think people have blown it up.”
“(The) South American way of playing, if someone’s going to kick you or something, they’ll make the most of it.”
“You might say that’s them diving around (but) maybe that’s them being a bit more intelligent, a bit more switched onto a situation.”
“(But) I don’t agree that at all South Americans do that,” he said.
Coyne also felt that all the controversy over diving and simulating injuries for free kicks had obscured the positive elements South Americans had brought to the new competition.
“They bring a different type of style of play and that’s why they’re different to Australian players and that’s part of the reason why fans love having them here,” Coyne said.
“It’s exciting and everything for the fans and its great having them part of the club and hopefully the ones that have come here this year … we continue to keep them players or attract other players as well.”
Coyne thinks Trinidad will rapidly put his clash with van Egmond behind him, despite the Newcastle coach storming onto the pitch after the game to challenge the Argentine, an action that saw van Egmond receive a two-match touchline ban from Football Federation Australia and a $2000 fine.
“I don’t think it’s something he enjoys being called (a diver) but I think it just rolls off his back, I don’t think he’s going to worry himself too much about it,” Coyne said.
“No on likes to be criticised for something they’re not really doing.”
“He’s been hip and shouldered and he’s fallen over, he didn’t dive around on the floor crying or anything, looking for a penalty.”
“The players (North) going for the ball as well but if that happened anywhere else on the park it would have been a free kick. It’s a penalty plain and simple.”
