Butcher issues diver warning

Terry Butcher hopes the current diving debate will work in Scotland’s favour against Macedonia on Saturday.

Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith urged Uefa to take action against Eduardo last week after he appeared to dive to win a penalty against Celtic in the UEFA Champions League.

And the Arsenal striker has since been given a two-match ban and the issue remains a discussion point going into the weekend’s World Cup qualifiers.

Scotland assistant manager Butcher expects the officials to keep an eye out for any possible simulation from Macedonia and in particular striker Goran Pandev.

“We have watched DVDs of Macedonia and Pandev up front is very exciting,” said Butcher.

“He scored two good goals against Spain in the last game but he does have a habit of falling to the ground very easily.

“So I’m hoping that the referee will pick up on Gordon Smith’s insistence that divers should be punished.”

Scotland need to win their last two qualifiers to clinch second spot in Group Nine and Butcher does not want a crucial decision to go against them.

He continued: “I don’t want to go in to the Eduardo thing, that’s history.

“But you look at DVDs and Pandev in particular is very aware of the presence of defenders and if defenders get too close then he hits the floor.

“Strikers do that, whether it’s simulation or whether there is actual contact but we will leave it to the referee to make his mind up.

“It would be nice if he was aware of that because decisions could go against us that could affect our chances.”