Neil Warnock has criticised the Premier League’s top players for going down softly.
The Cardiff boss was quizzed over diving in the top flight ahead of their game with Tottenham on New Year’s Day after Spurs striker Harry Kane was booked for simulation during the defeat to Wolves.
Warnock, who clashed with Kane in the reverse fixture at Wembley earlier this season, said he warned his players about those at the top going down too easily ahead of their clash with Manchester United earlier this month.
“It's so difficult to see diving, you can't blame referees,” he told reporters.
“I say to my players about the top players 'try not to breathe on them'.
“I said that before the Manchester United game, if they get in the box ‘Don't breathe on them at all’ because they'll be down. That's how it is nowadays.”
Following Cardiff’s loss at Tottenham earlier this season, Warnock criticised Kane for seemingly looking to pressurise the referee into sending off Joe Ralls following a dangerous challenge on Lucas Moura. Replays appeared to show Warnock calling the England captain a ‘t***’, though the ex-Crystal Palace manager insisted, with a grin, that he would have said ‘twit’.
In October, Warnock said: “England player, going off like that? Dear me…He went straight in and pushed him, so why not give him a red card.”
