Updated: Watford boss Gianfranco Zola warns Fernando Forestieri over diving

10:58pm Tuesday 2nd October 2012 in Watford FC News Photograph of the Author By Frank Smith, Deputy Group Sports Editor

Picture: Action Images Picture: Action Images

Gianfranco Zola has told Fernando Forestieri he will be dropped from the Watford side if the forward is caught diving but insists the Argentine did not deserve to be sent off this week.

Forestieri was already on a yellow card against Charlton Athletic on Tuesday night when he cut inside the defender and after taking a couple of small steps, went over despite there being no contact with the player.

Opinion on whether it was a sending off has been split. Some argue the fact 22-year-old remained on the floor for a few seconds with his hands out indicates he dived, which was the view of referee Mike Dean, but others agree with Zola that the player slipped.

Forestieri did slip over on several occasions during the first half against Huddersfield Town on Saturday and Zola has told the player he will have to change his boots if it continues to be a problem.

Zola stood by the comments he made on Tuesday night when he spoke to the Watford Observer yesterday (Thursday).

Speaking after the Charlton game, he said: “I have seen the video of the sending off and I have spoken to Fernando. He said he slipped and he didn’t dive.

“If you watch the video of the game we played the other day at Huddersfield, in the first half he kept slipping over and I was telling him to change his boots.

“He is Argentinian and he likes to play with boots with small studs and on this pitch, it rained before the match and it was slippery. He has to change because he keeps slipping.

“He told me he didn’t want to dive and I saw it, so therefore it is a pity that Mike saw it as a dive and it is disappointing for the boy because he was playing a good match.”

Argentina international Sergio Aguero recently claimed English players are given “a little bit of privilege” compared to their foreign counter-parts when it comes to diving.

When asked about the claims, Zola added: “I don’t like to generalise but regarding Fernando, he is so quick that sometimes he gets in front of defenders and he is fouled. And sometimes he is so quick that he slips.

“Because he goes to the ground so many times, he is labelled as a diver. He doesn’t and it is just that he is quicker than the defenders and if they foul him, then they foul him.

“I told him that I don’t want him diving and if I find out he is diving then he will not play. He didn’t dive, he slipped and I believe him.”

Charlton manager and former Watford defender Chris Powell’s response to Forestieri’s fall suggested he did not necessarily agree with Zola.

When he was asked about Forestieri’s claims he slipped, Powell replied with a wry smile: “He blamed it on his studs? OK then, next question please.”

Forestieri upset the Huddersfield supporters on Saturday, when he did seemingly slip over on several occasions and also went down a little too easy a few times.

The Italy Under-20 international was already being booed by the Huddersfield fans before he was brought down for the deciding penalty, which was converted by Troy Deeney.

After the Huddersfield game, Zola claimed he wasn’t concerned about Forestieri developing a reputation for diving.

He said: “No I am not concerned; the point is that he is quick and if you watch, he gets to the ball a second before the opposition and the opposition think they will get the ball and get him.

“I have already told him that in this country, he does not need to go down because he will not get an advantage.

“But if he is quicker than the opposition and he is fouled then it is a foul. They may not like it but it is as simple as that.”

On Forestieri's habit of going down dramatically, Zola joked: “We are Latin. It might be like that but if he is fouled, he is fouled. The advantage he has on the defender is that he is quicker.

“He might be dramatic sometimes but a foul is a foul.”

Comments(35)

AngelHornet says...
11:09pm Tue 2 Oct 12

So will the club appeal?

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Holly68 says...
11:15pm Tue 2 Oct 12

Abdi free kick quite good, it was bloody amazing !!

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watford9140 says...
11:16pm Tue 2 Oct 12

when he says he likes to play with small studs in his boots, does he mean it literally or is he saying he likes to dive? lol

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mullenswfc says...
11:25pm Tue 2 Oct 12

http://www.charltonl
ife.com/discussion/5
0722/total-disgrace
Think this won't be the last time little Nando could be in trouble with referees. After just a few games oppostion fans have been singling him out. Surprising how the Huddersfield fan doesn't point out when he was being kicked on the floor, off the ball in the lead up to our second goal.
The total disgrace is fans like them who want to see talented footballers kicked off the pitch.

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goldenboy1993 says...
11:27pm Tue 2 Oct 12

To be fair it was seriously slippery and did look like a slip, unfortunately he already has a reputation. Also it seems he put his hands up asking for the pen which won't help his course. Absolutely brilliant performance tho, well done lads, play like that every week and we will be well up the league

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Iveco Kit any day! says...
11:27pm Tue 2 Oct 12

He slipped alright but didn't bother getting up in a hurry to win the ball back. Just flung his arms out like he had been tackled. From the away end I thought he had slipped but then some how turned it into an Oscar winning performance (or not) mid way through the slip.

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lutondown says...
11:37pm Tue 2 Oct 12

Never a sending off, but I think it inadvertently won us the game. Flair, resilience, strength in depth..we've got it all! You Horns

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Michel Ngonge was Brilliant says...
11:38pm Tue 2 Oct 12

Just back from the match. Poor decision by the ref on the red but overall that was not the only poor decision he made. On team note, you can see the potential and I was confident the way we kept the ball in 1st half that we could get a draw with 10 men. A win was a bonus. Like most fans, I can see it is a work in progress and give Zola credit for trying to find a system amongst such a selection. It is great to see Watford playing football.

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KeithMercer says...
11:42pm Tue 2 Oct 12

All i can say is thank duck yeates wasnt on the pitch as he might have taken that free kick and put it in row z as usual .
Abdi was superb and we deserved the 3 points.
Beautiful !!

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buckler says...
11:52pm Tue 2 Oct 12

That Mike Dean weasel was desperate for Charlton to get something! Luckily that got what they deserved, F.A. Great away day and 3 points, aveit!

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Bringe says...
12:09am Wed 3 Oct 12

There were enough Charlton fans tweeting that they thought he slipped so I quite believe it. Next time he'd better take Zola's advice on the studs.

Who was it kicking Pudil on the deck just to be told off?

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jasonwatford says...
12:27am Wed 3 Oct 12

great result tonight....i think mike dean knows he cocked up with the red card as gave us a lot od decisions in the 2nd half. true grit and they all love playing for watford

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Michel Ngonge was Brilliant says...
12:58am Wed 3 Oct 12

Not the first time ...
On 30 September 2010, Dean refereed a Europa League group stage match between Borussia Dortmund and Sevilla. Early in the second half he showed a second yellow card to Dortmund player Marcel Schmelzer for an alleged dive. The decision was criticised by Dortmund management and supporters who claimed Schmelzer had not attempted to draw a foul, but merely lost his footing while trying to evade his opponent's tackle; Dortmund coach Jürgen Klopp called Dean's interpretation of the incident "absolutely crazy". Later, Dean elected not to issue a second yellow card to Sevilla defender Fernando Navarro for what appeared a tactical foul on Jakub Błaszczykowski.

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holtonian says...
1:59am Wed 3 Oct 12

Fernando was a marked man .... Mike Dean clearly got wind of him being a diver and made a poor decision to send him off for an obvious slip. I can imagine the pre match conversation with him and his assistants over a nice cup of tea.Credit must go to our 10 men to overcome the odds.Do not want to point my finger at Mr Dean but i have severe doubts now of his honesty.

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SAHornet says...
6:19am Wed 3 Oct 12

holtonian wrote:
Fernando was a marked man .... Mike Dean clearly got wind of him being a diver and made a poor decision to send him off for an obvious slip. I can imagine the pre match conversation with him and his assistants over a nice cup of tea.Credit must go to our 10 men to overcome the odds.Do not want to point my finger at Mr Dean but i have severe doubts now of his honesty.
Sorry, nothing to do with Mike Dean's honesty. Dive or slip, GZ needs to talk seriously to FF about his theatrics when going to ground. He's only just started in English football and he's already attracted the referee's attention and that's not good for us.

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DuffmanWFC says...
7:26am Wed 3 Oct 12

We can't appeal as it was a second yellow and not a straight red!
Great result tho! A happy man going into work today!

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Letsalldothecongaforbrittassombalonga says...
7:54am Wed 3 Oct 12

What a great win last night!
Just wondered if anyone could clear up a squad issue. BBC site and Wobbly disagree. one says Hogg started and Chalobah came on for him in the 90th and the other says Calobah started and Lloyd came on for him in the 90th. Also either Hogg or Doyley wasn't on the bench-
Bit confused by this, is Hogg now back as a starter?
Incredible result, really looking forward to Borough but wont be able to go unfortunately. Does anyone know if Posh tickets are still going at a tenner for family day?
Onwards and upwards, in Zola we trust, COYH!!!

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jasonwatford says...
8:12am Wed 3 Oct 12

Chalobah and Hogg started with Lloyd coming on for chalobah in 90th minute...same starting team as at huddersfield.

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Chris the Vic says...
8:26am Wed 3 Oct 12

If the video is clear Zola will know whether he dived or not

Secondly if he is slipping often when does he learn from his mistakes. Zola needs to manage situation.

Glad to hear Powell is there for all players with his wry smile. He was chair of the Professional Footballers Assn...replaced by Clark who wanted JT banned for life if guilty but if Anton was a liar no comment. Powell and Clark may be ex horns but not so proud of either. If Fernando dived say so, if he didn't see it say so and if he did not dive say so. Powell being political ( or clever in his own mind) just diminishes the respect one has for him.

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buckler says...
8:26am Wed 3 Oct 12

I would take Tom Daley diving in the team if we keep winning ! Uornns

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dal8oy says...
9:20am Wed 3 Oct 12

If he had of dived Im sure he would have appealed for a foul or the other player to be booked but nothing, so adds weight to fact that he slipped. Shame because now refs will be looking at him even more closely

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Eastsussexhornet says...
10:14am Wed 3 Oct 12

I like the way GFZ mentions that he slipped loads of times against Huddersfield as well! May be he slips into swimming pools and slips out of planes as well!

Anyway, he is a very impressive player from the moment he started playing for us. But there's not a lot you can do about that type of temperament. As long as he doesn't keep getting sent off, it does raise a smile.....

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Holly68 says...
10:18am Wed 3 Oct 12

Two minutes before he got sent off he went on a mazey run, and the Charlton player I thought played the ball, FF went down (not dive but momentum), Dean gave FF a free kick, home fans booed, next thing he gets sent off 2 mins later. FF did not dive during this match, he has low gravity and can turn on a sixpence, the only debateable action all night was the slip/dive to get sent off, my gut straight away was he slipped, the Watford players were incensed several confronted Dean, Pudil got booked, I doubt they would of remonstrated so passionately unless they thought a slip.

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Travelling Hornet says...
11:13am Wed 3 Oct 12

Fernando Forestieri
Fernando Forestieri
He's just like Lional Messi
And he dives like Tom Daley
Fernando Forestieri
Fernando Forestieri

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CreteJoe says...
11:47am Wed 3 Oct 12

KeithMercer wrote:
All i can say is thank duck yeates wasnt on the pitch as he might have taken that free kick and put it in row z as usual .
Abdi was superb and we deserved the 3 points.
Beautiful !!
Good work Saturday for our second goal

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DuffmanWFC says...
12:37pm Wed 3 Oct 12

Theese things happen, the beauty of this is now Vydra slots in for the next game! We have a great squad and when Geijo, Ekstrand, Fanchone, Battocchino are fit the likes of Yeates, Dickinson, Iwelumo will be history! They've had there chances but will gladly be gone come January!

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holtonian says...
1:41pm Wed 3 Oct 12

SAHornet wrote:
holtonian wrote:
Fernando was a marked man .... Mike Dean clearly got wind of him being a diver and made a poor decision to send him off for an obvious slip. I can imagine the pre match conversation with him and his assistants over a nice cup of tea.Credit must go to our 10 men to overcome the odds.Do not want to point my finger at Mr Dean but i have severe doubts now of his honesty.
Sorry, nothing to do with Mike Dean's honesty. Dive or slip, GZ needs to talk seriously to FF about his theatrics when going to ground. He's only just started in English football and he's already attracted the referee's attention and that's not good for us.
Like it or not Fernando is causing havoc up front. Mike Dean was on a mission, having watched the incident many times he slipped. I do not condone diving but low gravity players are very prone to go over easily.A terrible sending off.

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lovestospouge says...
1:56pm Wed 3 Oct 12

I missed the highlights for last night’s game, and now the BBC has stopped posting the videos of the games. Where can I watch the goals and the red card online?

Thanks

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lutondown says...
2:10pm Wed 3 Oct 12

SAHornet wrote:
holtonian wrote:
Fernando was a marked man .... Mike Dean clearly got wind of him being a diver and made a poor decision to send him off for an obvious slip. I can imagine the pre match conversation with him and his assistants over a nice cup of tea.Credit must go to our 10 men to overcome the odds.Do not want to point my finger at Mr Dean but i have severe doubts now of his honesty.
Sorry, nothing to do with Mike Dean's honesty. Dive or slip, GZ needs to talk seriously to FF about his theatrics when going to ground. He's only just started in English football and he's already attracted the referee's attention and that's not good for us.
No what's not good is the referee is not playing what's in front of him.
Forresteri is simply too fast for the defenders and stray legs catch him.
He's not the biggest guy in the world, so a physical defender is going to have him over.
I think what we've got to accept is we are regarded as the 'petite' Chelsea in regards that the powers that lurk in the sports media do not like us.
We are going to be good and to me that's all that matters.
One point at the forum I will be requesting they look at un allocated seating for the Vic. The proof of the pudding is the vociferous support we get at away games, could be taken to the Vic.
We've even got a few normal looking people going again!
You Horns

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lutondown says...
2:11pm Wed 3 Oct 12

DuffmanWFC wrote:
Theese things happen, the beauty of this is now Vydra slots in for the next game! We have a great squad and when Geijo, Ekstrand, Fanchone, Battocchino are fit the likes of Yeates, Dickinson, Iwelumo will be history! They've had there chances but will gladly be gone come January!
Yes as usual Duffster you are bang on!

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lutondown says...
2:12pm Wed 3 Oct 12

CreteJoe wrote:
KeithMercer wrote:
All i can say is thank duck yeates wasnt on the pitch as he might have taken that free kick and put it in row z as usual .
Abdi was superb and we deserved the 3 points.
Beautiful !!
Good work Saturday for our second goal
Yes but one swallow don't make a summer

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Iveco Kit any day! says...
5:33pm Wed 3 Oct 12

Having just watched the highlights over on watford player and having been at the games last night. He dived, absolute no doubt about it. Sadly it pains me to say he deserves the ban.

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lutondown says...
5:48pm Wed 3 Oct 12

No he never, he slipped. No appeals for nothing.
He deserves better than being typecast as a typical Italian player

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corbindallas says...
7:24am Thu 4 Oct 12

He probably did slip, but the arms waving by him was impying it was a foul so from that point he was being dishonest and on those grounds a second yellow was correct, lets face it if it wasa Charlton player we would be saying the same Lets hope he learns from this or he will be marked by refs!

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SAHornet says...
8:26am Thu 4 Oct 12

Iveco Kit any day! wrote:
Having just watched the highlights over on watford player and having been at the games last night. He dived, absolute no doubt about it. Sadly it pains me to say he deserves the ban.
Yep, I've just watched it over and over and over. No slip, no trip, just a plain old argie cheat. No doubts. GZ get a grip on this lad cos we don't need that reputation and nor does FF. Sorry LD, normally you and I are in agreement but not this time mate.

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