Keane's plea to 'con' artists
Roy Keane today urged his fellow professionals to cut out the gamesmanship he believes is damaging the sport.
The Manchester United captain called on the Football Association and the Professional Footballers’ Association to halt a trend that he said “is driving me crazy”.
Keane’s plea comes in the wake of comments from Old Trafford manager Alex Ferguson who said the disciplinary system was “flawed and immoral”.
United have until 6pm this evening to decide whether to contest a charge of violent conduct levelled against Wayne Rooney.
The young England striker faces a three-match ban for shoving his hand into the face of Bolton defender Tal Ben Haim on Boxing Day.
Ben Haim has also been charged with improper conduct after the incident at Old Trafford.
While Ferguson would like the disciplinary system updated, Keane is anxious for things to change on the pitch.
“A lot of players seem to be looking to be getting players booked or sent off. That is something that has crept in over the last year or two, “ he said.
“There are a lot of cases where players are reacting and trying to get fellow professionals into trouble. It is disgraceful.
“It needs to stop. The PFA and the FA need to look at the situation.
“Lots of stuff goes on in a game. If you went down every time a player touched you, every player would be down.
“But you see it every weekend – when players do get touched, they are going down. They are trying to con the referee, con their fellow players and con the crowd.
“It is driving me crazy seeing them trying to get players in trouble.”
Ferguson admits he is baffled that a charge of violent conduct has been levelled at Rooney.
“It was no more than a push in the face, there was no swing of the arm or anything like that, “ he said.
“The violent conduct charge bemuses me because every man and his dog would agree it was not violent conduct.
“If it is violent conduct why are they charging Ben Haim? I can’t understand it. If it is violent conduct, Ben Haim should not be charged.
“He is being charged so they therefore believe he is guilty of diving and bringing the game into disrepute.
“The system is completely flawed. The problem for us now is we can’t really appeal because we are not allowed to be represented. It is a closed section.
“So therefore they are telling you, ‘don’t bother appealing, you are not going to win anyway’.
“As we are approaching 2005, that seems to be unfair and immoral.”
Bolton have already confirmed they will be appealing against Ben Haim’s charge and Ferguson said: “I can understand that. If Wayne Rooney is being done for violent conduct, why is Ben Haim being charged?”
Meanwhile defender John O’Shea could be out for up to two weeks, starting with the game against Middlesbrough on Saturday, after suffering a thigh injury in the defeat of Aston Villa.
