There's been several disgraceful dives of late and as a result, there's been plenty of discussion as to how we get rid of it from the game.
Gabriel Jesus and Ander Herrera both fell to the ground in the Manchester derby a few weeks back, Manuel Lanzini conned the referee big time when he won a penalty despite there not being any contact against Stoke last weekend, while Ilkay Gundogan, Kyle Walker and Demarai Gray were all guilty of it in the Carabao Cup quarter final tie between Leicester and Man City on Tuesday - with the latter winning his side a spot-kick in stoppage time.
However, as bad as all those aforementioned dives were, it hasn't got a patch on the absolutely appalling theatrics from Bayer Leverkusen manager (yes, manager not player) Heiko Herrlich against Borussia Monchengladbach last night.
In the DFB Pokal game, which Leverkusen won 1-0, Gladbach midfielder Denis Zakaria came off the pitch to retrieve a loose ball.
Given it was in the 75th minute, and time was running out, the Swiss international wanted the ball back in rapid time and as he ran over to collect it, ever so slightly brushed the visiting manager.
In a truly pathetic act, the 46-year old, who turned out for Leverkusen, Gladbach and Borussia Dortmund in his playing career, tumbled to the floor in his technical area - trying to make out as if he'd been shoved by Zakaria, who was unsurprisingly angry. A bit of a skirmish ensued as a result.
The play-acting from Herrlich was similar to the sight of Louis van Gaal hurling himself to the ground on the Old Trafford against Arsenal a few years back - only the Dutchman was messing around.
Herrlich would appear to be embarrassed by his own antics and apologised for his dive, saying:
"That certainly looked stupid and happened in the heat of the moment, I would like to apologise," he said to Spiegel after the game.
"The ball came towards me, I let it through my legs so that Gladbach could not intervene quickly.
"I did not need to do that, that was nonsense, then Zakaria touches me lightly, I slide away. I have to, with 46 years behind me, stop."
Give him a three-game ban right now!
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Football, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Monchengladbach
