Dele Alli caused outrage in Tottenham's 5-0 demolition of Swansea on Saturday when England's latest golden boy appeared to engage in the least British of all football's practices - diving.
The England midfielder would've won Tom Daley's approval after launching himself into the airwhile running pastKyle Naughton in the Swans' penalty area; refereeJon Moss took the bait andduly awarded the spot kick, which prompted Spurs' goal-laden afternoon.
Mauricio Pochettino insisted he didn't seethe incident properly when he was interviewed post-match, and could not say ifhis young chargehad 'simulated'.
However, As quoted in the Guardian, the Argentine gave a rather muddled and unapologetic answer to the overall notion of diving.
You cannot advise: ˜Don't fall down or¦' It's too difficult to work about that. Dele is how he is. I haven't spoken to him and I need to speak with him to know what happened in that situation.
"Maybe, he will say: ˜OK, I fell down and I didn't mean to dive but the referee believed it was a penalty.' Or, it wasn't his intention. But it's difficult [to speak about it] now.�
Pochettino also couldn't resist citinga personal example of how the notion of English 'honesty' is nothing but a myth in the modern game, reminiscing on the time Michael Owen went down under minimum contact from the now Spurs boss in England's 1-0 World Cup 2002 victory over Argentina in Japan.
It was 15 years or so ago when Owen dived,� Pochettino said.
Don't believe that English football is always fair play because Owen jumped like [he was] in a swimming pool. Come on. I didn't touch him. I promise you. It's true.�
Now, we have the influence of the Latin people that try to cheat, always,� Pochettino said. Maybe, you were more pure 20, 25, 30 years ago. Now you are like us!�
Pochettino right to highlight that English players have been diving for years. Not many look like they practise as hard as Dele Alli, though
The former Espanyol boss also made a rather candid confession in the interview, admitting that in Argentina, players practised diving, although it is not something he advocates as a manager himself.
The people sometimes practise that [diving]. It's true. But many years ago. Now, I don't know. But when I was a player, it was part of training to try to cheat. Yes, [it was] at Newell's. Estudiantes, if you remember¦ Many, many years ago. It was part of practice.�