RAJIV VAN LA PARRA has jumped to the defence of so-called “divers” in the Premier League and insisted: “It is part of the game.”
Brutal honesty is what you get from the Dutchman, who was accused of trying to con the ref earlier in the season.
He is totally open about his own ambition and using Huddersfield as a launchpad to a bigger club and what David Wagner’s men needed to do to win their first Premier League match since mid-December.
And when it comes to diving, players jump from tackles and go over when they expect tackles – and it is down to the FA to punish the cheats.
Van La Parra said: “It is part of the game. Now they suspend players so they have something to help stop it, which will help also.
“It is good that they can suspend players as that clears it up.
“But for me personally, sometimes some touches are coming so I try to protect myself, I had a lot of challenges on my leg but was lucky as I jumped – if I was standing they would break my ankle. That is the reason why I jump a bit up.”
Van La Parra’s “dive” against Burnley earlier in the season angered boss Wagner and earned a fine.
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But he said: “Against Burnley it was unlucky as the player stopped his challenge, which is why it looked like a dive. But I don’t ever think ‘I am going dive’.
“When you are at full speed only a little touch can change everything for you and make you fall.”
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Van La Parra wants to make sure this season is remembered for the right reasons, not his dive, or his red card against Manchester City for pushing Leroy Sane after the final whistle.
The 26-year-old was told afterwards that raising hands to an opponent’s face is a straight red.
He said: “I spoke to Sane and we laughed about it as these things happen. It was a soft push. It is something that can happen in the heat of the moment. The staff of my team explained why it was red.”
The ex-Wolves winger fought his way back into Wagner’s team after suspension and his now hoping to secure safety – and catch the eye of “bigger” teams.
Trying to force his way into Ronald Koeman’s plans for the Holland squad is also an ambition.
He said: “My ambition first of all is to stay in the Premier League with Huddersfield and then after that to play in a bigger team.
“The club understand that. Huddersfield are more a selling club who buy cheaper players and let them improve and sell them for more money, so of course they 100 per cent understand.
“They give us the opportunity to show ourselves and if we do well the club does well as well.”
And to get clear of relegation trouble, Van La Parra insists Huddersfield needed to take more risks on the pitch – and it resulted in the thumping 4-1 win on Sunday.
He said: ”Even against the big teams you need to play your own game. I think that doesn’t work for us, we don’t create and let them come to us and I don’t think it is possible to do that for 90 minutes and get a clean sheet
“Now we have to take more risks and create more and score more. For now especially as we need the wins and as many points as we can we have to take more risks.”
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