Everton manager Sean Dyche criticized Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane for poor gamesmanship during Monday’s matchup. Abdoulaye Doucoure was sent off in the 58th minute after pushing Kane in the face following an altercation. The Spurs striker was not injured in the incident, but went down dramatically. Despite going down to 10 men, the Toffees were able to grab a point on the night thanks to a late goal by Michael Keane.
“I don’t regard that as cheating. It’s gamesmanship,” Dyche told reporters on Friday. “Harry Kane is a great pro, but some of it leaves you scratching your head.”
“If you make a rule, everyone will try to find a way to bend it. So you make a rule that you can’t touch anyone in the face and now everyone goes down if they do get touched in the face.
“It was a big drama over nothing. It is worrying to me when I see the physio concussion-testing him after that. Really? Come on.”
Dyche also compared Kane’s actions to another red card incident later in the match. Spurs attacker Lucas Moura was sent off in the 88th minute for a dangerous challenge on the aforementioned Keane. The Everton defender was caught on the ankle with a studs-up challenge by Moura. Despite the heavy tackle, Keane did not have much of a reaction to the challenge.
“The strange thing about football is that on one night you have a player who, in theory, is very close to getting a broken ankle and nothing is said, and another gets a broken eyelash and it’s like the world is going to end,” stated Dyche.
“But that’s society and how things have changed. (The Kane incident) was pretty much nothing, but football has changed. Everyone has become so precious, haven’t they? The rules are so precious, in society as well as football.”
“I’ve been on about it for years. Millions of kids see footballers cheat every week, diving all over the place, and no one says a word.”
“Someone gets flicked in the eyelash and it becomes a big situation. That’s just the way it is now. And that’s not about being a football manager; it’s just being human. If lads go down in training I do tell them to get up. I have my own authentic standards.”
Everton will look to stay out of the relegation zone when they face Manchester United on Saturday. Spurs, on the other hand, could use some help by the Toffees in their quest for a Champions League place. United are currently three points ahead of the north London outfit for fourth in the Premier League.
PHOTO: IMAGO / Sportimage
