Keane blasts 'cheats and divers' in Premier League

LONDON, Nov 10 (Reuters) Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane believes the Premier League is being ruined by what he sees as an epidemic of cheating and diving.

Keane, now manager of second division Sunderland, told British newspapers today that the problem was so bad he would be ''pulling his hair out'' if he was still playing.

''Players are conning each other, I'm glad I'm not playing any more, especially in the Premiership,'' the former tough-tackling midfielder said.

''There's a lot of sneaky stuff going on that makes it hard for referees.

''I can't get my head round a player who rolls around then gets up 30 seconds later. I'd be embarrassed. That's cheating, trying to get another player in trouble.'' Keane, 35, expressed some sympathy for under-fire referees and said club managers needed to take responsibility for the behaviour of their players.

He also said it was unfair to lay the blame on the huge foreign influx of players into English football.

''Everyone has got to take responsibility,'' he said. ''Players have got to look to treat referees fairly.

''I'm on my high horse because I went and kicked a lot of players -- but I'm on about conning referees.

''There are a lot of players who are trying to pull one over the referee by diving or chasing the referee...I wouldn't give them the time of day.

''Everyone goes down the foreign route but there are plenty of lads who play for England who do it...it's not just a foreign thing.

Lads I've played with go down like they've been shot and it drives me crazy.'' However the former Ireland player, who was sent off 11 times in his career and had regular run-ins with referees, does agree with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho that referees should explain their decisions after the game.

''Last week I tried to speak to a referee but they have nothing to do with you,'' Keane said. ''Mourinho made a point, maybe refs should come and speak with the media. There's no harm in them explaining their decision.'' Mourinho was unhappy after the 2-1 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday when Graham Poll disallowed a Didier Drogba goal and then sent off captain John Terry.

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