Wednesday 20 April 2016 12:00, UK
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic has revealed he has no problem with his players "occasionally" diving.
The Hammers' 2-2 Premier League draw with leaders Leicester City on Sunday garnered a lot of attention after referee Jonathan Moss awarded two controversial penalties, one to each side, and gave a second yellow card to striker Jamie Vardy for simulation.
West Ham's penalty came when Foxes captain Wes Morgan was penalised for grappling with Winston Reid during a corner kick.
That penalty was just West Ham's second of the season, compared to seven conceded, and while Bilic says he does not want his players to become serial divers, he is keen to see them win more penalties.
"I would like us to get a penalty, but also we as a club don't want to get that label [of divers]," Bilic said.
"Occasionally I wouldn't mind it, but I'm proud that we're not that kind of club."
Bilic is no stranger to diving controversy, having been involved in an incident when playing for Croatia against France in the 1998 World Cup final.
With France leading 2-1, Bilic went down clutching his face after being shoved in the chest by French defender Laurent Blanc as the two grappled at a corner.
Blanc was sent off for the first time in his career and was suspended for the final which host nation France won 3-0 over tournament favourites Brazil.
Asked about the 1998 incident with Blanc, Bilic said: "I'm not proud of that. I didn't want him to get sent off, no way. Why? For him to miss the final? The final is not against us.
"I wanted to protect myself there. I didn't want the referee to come with what they were usually doing then - yellow, yellow - and it's my second yellow and I don't play in the final if we go to the final.
"Maybe I should think more about Laurent Blanc but I was thinking more about myself. I only wanted to protect myself."
