Harry Redknapp has said that Tottenham striker Harry Kane went over too easily and was looking for a penalty in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Sunday.
Kane went over after a challenge from Sokratis late on in the game but came under criticism for diving.
Kane denied this after the game and said that he would have got the foul if the offence had been committed on the halfway line [Telegraph].
However, talking on talkSPORT (Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast show, 8.30am), former Spurs manager Redknapp didn’t agree with the striker.
Asked by pundit Ian Holloway whether he thought it was a penalty, Redknapp replied, “No, I didn’t”.
Holloway said, “He went over too easily” and Redknapp said, “Yeah, he did”.
“Some weeks it goes for you, some it doesn’t,” Redknapp added, “but what a game of football, it was fantastic. Two teams having a go, didn’t hold back, end to end, it could have gone either way. They slugged it out and it was really enjoyable. It was a great afternoon.”
Kane has previous
Kane tried to put his body in front of Sokratis on Sunday and the referee rightly waved play on, where others might have given a spot-kick.
It would have been a travesty if the penalty had been awarded and ruined a north London derby that was breathtaking at times.
Should Kane be castigated for diving? There was contact, although it looked like he initiated this himself, but that’s what strikers do.
As far as simulation goes, there’s outright diving after zero contact and players that go down too easily when contact has been made. The Kane incident was in the latter category.
However, he has previous. After the 1-0 defeat to Newcastle this season, Stan Collymore called Kane out on Twitter and said that VAR should see “more players stay on their feet rather than rely on conning”.
And Virgil van Dijk called him out last year saying, “You can see Harry Kane clearly diving” after a 2-2 draw with Liverpool at Anfield. [Evening Standard]
Kane is a brilliant striker and he’s strong – we would much prefer to see him stay on his feet and try to win games the right way.
Shows how flippantly penalties have been given for attacking players making a meal out of the slightest contact that many are losing their mind that at last someone in Stockley Park isn't kidded.
Wonderful, we'll see more players stay on their feet rather than rely on conning.
— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) August 25, 2019