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Sherwood: Time to tackle simulation

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Tottenham head coach Tim Sherwood believes the Football Association should hand out heavy punishments to those feigning injury.

The subject of play-acting came to the fore last week after West Ham striker Andy Carroll was sent off for sending a flailing arm in the direction of Swansea's Chico Flores.

While the Hammers' fight against Carroll's three-match ban dominated the headlines, the Spanish defender has not avoided scrutiny for going down clutching his face despite being caught on the top of the head.

Sherwood believes such incidents need to be stamped out and has called for players caught play-acting to be banned retrospectively.

"I think it makes it clear that Andy Carroll is vitally important to West Ham's future," Sherwood, who successfully appealed Danny Rose's red card last week, said.

"They don't want to lose him for this period of time, but I think you've had to take every incident in isolation.

AGGRIEVED

"West Ham feel aggrieved that it hasn't been overturned. We made an appeal with Danny Rose and we got that one overturned.

"One thing I would say, not just on that incident but about what we have been seeing recently, is the feigning of injury from players, which is something we want to keep out of the game.

"Retrospectively, I would go back and punish the player who is diving around more than the player causing the offence."

Sherwood thinks the FA should set up a panel to clamp down on play-acting.

Added the former Spur midfielder: "It can only be stamped out by the authorities and not by the management and football clubs, unfortunately.

"You have got to realise the little one in the face, if you haven't made contact, you shouldn't be holding your face rolling around the pitch.

"Years ago, you used to jump up and say 'he did not hurt me'. Now, they see if a card has come out and jump back up. Rubbish." 
- PA Sport.