Wednesday 20 April 2016 22:59, UK
Roy Hodgson does not believe Jamie Vardy dived at the weekend and has sympathy for the striker following his angry outburst that could see him miss yet more of Leicester's title run-in.
Vardy was shown a second yellow card after going to ground under pressure from Angelo Ogbonna during Sunday's 2-2 draw with West Ham, with referee John Moss judging he tumbled too easily, prompting a furious reaction from the England striker that has left him with an FA improper conduct charge.
The 29-year-old has until 6pm on Thursday to respond to the charge, which could extend the existing one-match ban that currently rules him out of the home clash with Swansea on Sunday, live on Sky Sports.
But Hodgson insists he has no problem with Vardy's attitude, saying: "You take everything that the player brings with him. You take Wayne Rooney - he, in my recollection, was pretty hot-headed, often getting himself into scrapes on the field, but you take what the player brings.
"Vardy got sent off at the weekend, but once again I will go out on a limb: I don't see that. I don't see that as a dive. I just don't. I think he was unbalanced. I don't think it was a penalty either, I think he was unbalanced, running at that speed.
"I think there was a very slight sort of contact with the defender, who was trying to cover. I think he went down, he lost his balance. I don't think he was trying to dive.
"But of course all the pundits I hear they say, 'He dived, look how he dived'. I don't see it. I really don't, I'm sorry. I wouldn't blame him for that. I sympathise with him, I think he was very, very unlucky.
"When you get sent off for something where he obviously feels like I feel - there is no doubt he is of that opinion.
"But now he has had to swallow the fact that he has been made to leave the field and then, unfortunately, he has reacted like sometimes human beings react.
"He hasn't just said to the ref, 'Thanks very much, I understand'. He has called him a few names, but he is a human being and that can happen.
"But I think our disciplinary record over the last few years has been pretty good. I think it will remain good, but I can't guarantee you that a Vardy, a Rooney, or a Dele Alli, or anyone else for that matter, is not going to do that."
