Sean Dyche says diving is a major problem in football and it influences young children to copy

Sean Dyche says diving is a major problem in football and it influences young children to copy players who do it.

During his press conference ahead of the Wolves game in midweek, the Nottingham Forest manager strongly criticised diving and feigning injury in football, calling it a major problem that has gone unaddressed for years.

He argued that instead of focusing on minor time-wasting issues (like added time), authorities should instead be looking at cracking down on simulation as it sets a poor example for kids, with players seen faking serious injuries, then miraculously getting back up to sprint or chase counter-attacks, which undermines the integrity of the sport.

🗣️”The issue that needs tackling is feigning injury and diving, it stops children copying”

Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche says diving is a major problem in football and it influences young children to copy players who do it. pic.twitter.com/SiTaHAeNAh

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) December 1, 2025

Dyche said: “I thought the issue that needs tackling for years has been people feigning injury and diving all over the place and no one’s done anything about it really.

“So if you want something to meet on the bone and get to really change the game, do that because it stops children copying because I see children all the time diving all over the place. Why wouldn’t you stop that?

“Don’t worry about 10 seconds here and there, just worry about the real truth of the game and what that stands for in my opinion.

“I’ve been saying it for years and nothing ever happens so if they want to add on time they do what they want for me. They’ll find another way.

“All of football, any sport actually, they’re talking about momentum, breaking momentum. They’re talking about in tennis, they’re talking about in all sorts of games, breaking momentum. That’s what it’s about.

“You try different ways, they make the head second or for the keeper, so then people start doing long throws. It’s not just by the fact that Tony Pulis was a magician now, or seems to a magician because he did long throws. Nobody will go, right, long throw, set that up, it takes longer. Dropping out the back takes longer. People will always find a way, the game will find a way.

“So why not get to the the real meat on the bone, not stop people diving? Why not stop people feigning injury? You know the one that drives me mad now is they feign injury, the training goes on, or they don’t go on, they jump up and sprint after the player is just going to score a goal and you think, what’s that all about? They’re bringing in retrospective ban, do something that means something. You know what mean?

“Because they’ll just find another way, if they keep it and go down, someone else will go down. Head injuries now, how do you define it? It’s not the referee’s job, it’s a medical moment.

“No one wants to see a tragedy on a football pitch, so someone gets hit in the head, everyone stops and does a million checks. I’m not scoffing at that, what I’m saying is, no one wants to see a tragedy. So that’s not for the referee, you can’t define that.

“But can define, it’s not going to help them define if you’re injured rolling around squealing, then you jump up and sprint after the player. That can’t be right, can it?

“Or you get a counter attack and suddenly they bounce up and run through and nearly score and no one does anything about it. That means something, I think, to the game. Not just for that game there, for the whole of the game.

“The greater good of the game. Maybe look after the greater good of it. So is that more yellow cards from those sort of offences?

“I think I’ve been saying it for years and they keep telling me, yeah, but there’s been more this season now, but you go, what, two instead of one. I mean come on, the greater good of the game has to stand for something more in my opinion.

“And feigning injury and you know people diving, that’s got to change. Only because children do it, they copy. That can’t be right, can it? It can’t be right for a professional sport to have a viewpoint like that.

“By the way, there’s amazing things in the Premier League and other walks of football, so don’t get me wrong. The game in some ways is magical for all and the kids especially.

“But I don’t like that. I don’t like it when I see a kids team playing and they’re rolling around and feigning injury and diving and all these things. That can’t.

“So get hold of something that means something instead of like worrying whether someone’s going to go 10 seconds on and off. Come on.”

Twitter suers reacted after Sean Dyche says diving is a major problem in football and it influences young children to copy…

@TerrySinnett: Very well said Sean Dyche. Bravo 👏👏👏👏 It’s more than about time someone involved at the top end of football said it. It’s plain forward cheating and professional footballers should be embarrassed.

@GraemeR13867555: I couldn’t agree more. It’s not being clever, it’s cheating. Media need to call it out for what it is, not justify it.

@GroggyGunner: It’s really bad and it’s only getting worse. Just watch that Chelsea Arsenal match back it was absolutely embarrassing for both sides the amount of flopping and rolling and crying. These are supposed to be grown men. Joke.

@billandnadine: As a football fan from an older generation I hate the way its being allowed to go, riddled with players falling down when breathed on, as for the new get out, the head injury, roll about holding your face, game stopped. Wish I was a ref, they’d all be done for cheating.

@jaysta1979: Totally agree. I also think the constant spitting is unnecessary especially for managers stood on the touchline…..

@stewarts76: 100% , football is a hard watch these last 10 yrs, they are all grown up fannys, rolling around clutching their ankles.

@nicholaswilso11: He’s spot on, look at Brighton’s second the guy is literally rolling on floor in “pain” till he sees they’ve scored and he’s sprinting…. Blatant cheating

@adamguestsafc: This. Feigning injury has got really bad last few years. Players get a touch and start rolling around and screaming before being up and running about a minute later. It’s embarrassing and I really wish we’d start calling it out as its become normalised.