Robertson takes a hard line on diving

STUART BATHGATE

RAMON Pereira and Patrick Kisnorbo have both been disciplined by Hearts for diving in recent matches. John Robertson, the club’s head coach, said he regarded such behaviour as unacceptable, but he refused to say whether the pair’s punishment had included a fine.

Pereira was booked during Saturday’s home defeat by Motherwell after going down in the box in search of a penalty. Hearts were a goal and a man down by then, Alan Maybury having been sent off for denying Martyn Corrigan a goalscoring opportunity.

Kisnorbo received a second yellow card in the UEFA Cup match against Schalke, also a 1-0 home defeat, also for going down in the box. In both cases there was minimal if any contact.

"I had a chat with Ramon and Paddy, and I don’t want to see that kind of thing happening at the club," Robertson said. "I have dealt with it internally. We’ve done what we have to do with both players.

"If players are brought down by being tripped you can live with it, but where no contact is made, like in the incident with Ramon on Saturday, it’s disappointing. Ramon has been left in no doubt it’s unacceptable."

Kisnorbo, meanwhile, will miss this evening’s match because of his offence against Schalke at Murrayfield. So will midfield playmaker Paul Hartley, who was also booked against the Germans.

Robertson’s decision to discipline both men contrasts, at least in part, with remarks he made after Saturday’s defeat by Motherwell, when he said that Hearts had two penalty claims turned down.

Taken from the Scotsman