Agent defends harried Kewell against ‘diver’ claim

HARRY KEWELL’S agent has hit back at allegations the Liverpool star is a diver.

Kewell reportedly told Yeovil defender Hugo Rodrigues he dived to win a penalty which Danny Murphy converted in Liverpool's 2-0 FA Cup third-round victory at Huish Park on Sunday.

Portuguese centre-back Rodrigues said he confronted Kewell after the tie and angrily told the Australia international there was no contact, to which he claims the 25-year-old replied: "Yeah, I know you didn't, but this is football man. I had to dive."

But Bernie Mandic, who represents Kewell, said: "I would be shocked and amazed if Harry said that.

"I've spoken to him since the game and from what he tells me he caught the bloke's foot.

"If catching the bloke's foot is a dive then Mr Rodrigues should check the definition of what a penalty is.

"He can say what he wants. He has a right to free speech, but Harry is not a diver and never has been. He is not in the diving business.

"I think with these sort of things you should look at a player's previous history, and that pretty much tells you what he is about. Australians never normally pick up habits like that anyway. I think this fella Rodrigues is trying to make the best he can out of the situation."

Referees chief John Baker said diving gets under the skin of officials more than any other offence on a football pitch.

While he would not comment on the Kewell incident directly, Baker said: "Everybody feels a bit sick when you do get an attempt to deceive the ref. If you've (the referee) been cheated you feel the same thing.

"No-one likes to think they've been conned."

And Baker admitted that referees do have a problem if even the slightest contact is made by a defender.

"If contact is made then it is hard to say that you are trying to deceive the ref. Sometimes the degree of contact makes life difficult."

Baker confirmed that there is no chance of Rodrigues making his case to an FA video panel.

Whether a player has dived or not is a decision which, by definition, is made at the time by the referee.

That will certainly disappoint Aston Villa's Dion Dublin, who wants divers to be kicked out of the game.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I feel quite strongly that if someone purposefully acts and cheats it's a disgrace."