I will like to make a comment on that one.
Diving can be cheating, strategy, controversial, or even good for "skillfull" players.
As a player.
I do prefer to dive sometimes because it protects yourself, sometimes you have "uneskillful" players againts you that do not play the ball. They play "hard" but what they mean by "playing hard" is going crazy after the you.
There is a difference between playing like a "man" and or trying to protect yourself. Uneskillful players like Granvenson (whoever you spell that name) or some dumb dudes never play the ball, they can't even make a good pass of 10 yards, as a Coach I seriously would not have on my team kids like that. Physical soccer make the game look sorry... boring, and violent!
Some people exagerate, some people is on the ground all the time. I think that is not good but again, it happens in pro, it happens in Germany, Argentina, Brazil, everywhere.
As a ref (I used to ref little kids) you have to protect "the talented." Players like the one I mentioned before (Graveson) never play the ball... and i mean never, he has not skill, none, he needs to play rugby or something!
As a Coach I think its pretty sad, but again... hey you can get a penalty kick, that may be the game.
That's my opinion, as an "skillfull" player I do think diving is good sometimes (unless we get rid of uneskillfull players). I do not like the idea of winning an important game because of an unfair call. A Coach that encourage his players to do that, he'll always be a sencond place Coach, always!
