Roy Hodgson says he feels vindicated by the two-match ban handed to Oumar Niasse, but admits that it does nothing to aid Palace’s cause.
Niasse became the first player in Premier League history to be retrospectively punished for deceiving a match official through simulation, as judged by a panel, under new Football Association rules introduced in May.
The Senegalese striker won a controversial penalty which would see Everton equalise through Leighton Baines after James McCarthur put Palace in front in the first 50 seconds, and despite Everton expressing outrage at the decision to ban Niasse, their appeal was rejection.
Niasse would go on to score his side’s second equaliser to further frustrate Palace. Talking about the ban, Hodgson said;
We thought it wasn’t a penalty because he had dived and I suppose I’m grateful to have been shown that my judgement isn’t as bad as all that when it comes to these matters.
I respect the decision (The FA) have made but it doesn’t help us a great deal because it would have been nicer if the penalty hadn’t been given.
But it was given, we lost points as a result of it and the FA have seen fit to punish him because obviously they don’t want it to happen to other teams.
My only satisfaction is that The FA and the people who make those decisions have sided with me rather than the player.
Hodgson also said that he is hopeful that the punishment Niasse received will act as a deterrent and reduce the amount of simulation in modern day football.
All of these things make players think about diving.
When you have matches where it’s discussed afterwards and experts on the TV state their case, of course it has an effect but you have to be very careful with diving.
There are situations where the dive is less pronounced than others. There are ones where players lose their balance and it isn’t a penalty. You have to be very careful; it’s very nuanced.
