IN A week where man's inhumanity to man has plumbed new depths, I am conscious of the need to refrain from over-emotive language.

That said, I have been appalled by the number of times in recent days when penalties have arisen from deliberate dives and dismissals from gross overreactions.

At a time when spectators worldwide have demonstrated overwhelming decency, players have hurled themselves over distance outstretched legs and clutched seemingly injured faces having been the recipient of at best minimal contact. And what response from the players union? What is the reaction to a situation tantamount to a teacher locking a colleague in a classroom of delinquent children? A threat to strike due to the lack of money being directed through its coffers. Sickening?

Managers bleat about cheating players and immediately study videos before ringing Soho Square to register the obligatory appeal.

Fair do's. If video evidence acquits a player who has been the victim of a conned referee he deserves to walk free.

But am I alone in praying that one day, just one day, a manager will stand up publicly and vilify one of his own players who has dived or rolled about the pitch theatrically.

Believe me, referees are getting conned day in and day out at all levels of the game.

In a recent local park game I seriously warned a player whose pirouette was clearly designed to get his opponent in trouble even though there were light years between them.

I was lucky, I had a good angle. Often we are not and the con is successful. Our top referee believes such actions should be met with a red card. I agree but what about you? Only if you are prepared to criticise your own players for such behaviour can we truly eradicate this blight on our game.

Closing words. In New York, in Washington and in Pennsylvania. RIP.