IT'S TIME TO CLEAN UP YOUR ACT RUDI

CRAIG GORDON last night warned Rudi Skacel to cut out his antics and concentrate on scoring goals for Hearts.

The Tynecastle star has become a target for opposing fans after being accused of play-acting and incurred the wrath of Falkirk players on Saturday as they branded him a diver and a loudmouth.

Now Hearts keeper Gordon has urged the Czech to copy team-mate Roman Bednar's example and clean up his act.

Bednar was sent off in the Scottish Cup against Partick Thistle after being booked for taking a dive and Gordon revealed senior Hearts players had spoken to the striker about his behaviour.

Gordon said: "Roman was booked for diving against Partick but on another day he might have got a penalty after going down when he went past the goalkeeper.

"I happen to think that the referee was spot on that day to book Bednar for diving and then send him off.

"I told the referee after the game it was the correct decision. Things like diving just make the referee's life a lot more harder.

"Roman knows he made a mistake that day and held his hands up and admitted to all the guys that it was the wrong thing to do.

"Diving is something that upsets the majority of football fans. As far as Rudi is concerned he is probably not aware of doing anything wrong.

"It may just be something in his make-up but I can see how it could be viewed as not being sportsmanlike and not very good to the people who are watching football."

The diving controversy has intensified over the weekend after Chelsea striker Didier Drogba admitted to taking a tumble during Saturday's match with Manchester City where he also confessed to deliberately using a hand while scoring his second goal in a 2-0 win.

But Gordon refuses to believe Skacel is the same kind of player and insists the prolific scorer is a victim of his own success.

The keeper added: "I think Rudi is a great player and I think that when he's on top form there are not many players in the SPL to match him.

"In the early part of the season he was magnificent for us. When someone makes that kind of impact so soon it's only natural players are going to want to stop you in any way they can, whether that be by intimidation or trying to wind him up and get him booked or sent off and try to put him off his game.

"That is something Rudi has to accept. Because he is such a good player opposing fans will get on his back. It is a compliment to him and he should take it as that.

"Rudi is definitely a star player and if he can concentrate on just playing his football then he can make things happen for us.

"Rudi is an enthusiastic guy and he wants to do well. I'm sure this furore will all die down and he will get back to doing what he does best and that is sticking the ball in the net.

"I don't think Rudi dives as much as has been reported. Other players tend to say that to foreign players and it's a popular pre-conception about their football culture that foreigners will come in to our game and dive about the place.

"Diving is something that goes on every week in football and if you look at all games over the weekend there are players going down easily to win free-kicks - and I'm talking about British players.

"To say that diving is just a foreign thing is simply not true

"Any player will seek to gain an advantage by going down easily, whether it be by slight contact or not he will do it.

"It is very difficult for referees to stop that."

Taken from the Daily Record