Sone Aluko criticises SFA compliance officer as winger prepares to return from ban

The winger was suspended for two games after Lunny ruled he should face a disciplinary tribunal for simulation when earning a penalty kick in Rangers’ 2-1 home win over Dunfermline on 3 December.

Aluko’s ban sparked the first high-profile controversy of the SFA’s new fast-track disciplinary system which is headed by former lawyer Lunny, prompting an angry reaction from Rangers manager Ally McCoist.

Speaking for the first time since receiving his punishment, Aluko has insisted he did not dive against Dunfermline and claims Lunny’s lack of a footballing background leaves him unable to properly assess such incidents.

“The compliance officer, with all due respect to him, has not played football,” said Aluko. “It would help if he had. But then he would get accusations that he was a Celtic fan, a Rangers fan, or this or that. So he is always going to be crucified for whatever decisions he makes.

“The new system won’t change the way players react in games. With the Peter Pawlett incident for Aberdeen against Hibs last weekend, for example, I didn’t think it was a penalty but I also don’t think he dived. If you don’t play football, you won’t know what has gone through his head.

“You see some referees, even before a decision is made, putting their whistle to their mouth. They are expecting it to happen.

“As a player, you get used to expecting knocks or kicks. You kind of think ‘this is going to happen’. So as soon as you feel something, you think ‘that’s what I was waiting for’. It’s up to the referee to say if it is a penalty or not.

“It’s just like boxing. Someone might move to throw a punch. Even if he doesn’t throw it, the other guy still moves. It’s not diving or cheating. It’s just a natural reaction.

“Of course it was a soft penalty I got against Dunfermline. But there’s a difference between a soft penalty and diving. People say you dived or cheated. That’s just labels to me.

“You could make the same judgment on every other foul on the pitch. Sometimes they say it’s a stonewaller, but you could ask ‘why did his leg do that?’ He wouldn’t fall down like that in the city centre. You could scrutinise every single decision in a game.

“It’s like whether it is a deliberate handball or not. It might just be a natural reaction. You’ve not thought ‘I’m going to cheat’. If you are offside, have broken forward a bit early, you haven’t thought ‘I’m going to cheat here’. Everyone is a cheat if you are saying they intentionally do these things. It’s in split seconds.

“I can’t change the way I play. With the style of play and attributes I have, there is always going to be the case when people are diving in on me, in and around the box. I think I won six penalties last season for Aberdeen. It’s not something I can just change.

“Diving has never been levelled at me before, so it’s not really a problem. That’s what the SFA compliance officer’s job is, to scrutinise things. Of course I disagree with being labelled a diver. But whatever they label me, that’s up to them. I can’t focus on what people are saying about me, it would drive me crazy. When I wasn’t playing football, they labelled me things. So I’m just going to do what I do best when I’m playing.”

Aluko can expect to be the target for flak from opposition supporters, starting with tomorrow’s match at St Mirren, but is more concerned at his perception in the minds of referees.

“I hope the fans target me now,” he smiled, “because I like a bit of attention at games. It’s good to be noticed. It’s just more fuel for me to do well, so it’s not a problem for me. Referees doubting me could be a problem, though.

“I’ve never been scrutinised like this before, no one has. The new system has put a bit of pressure on referees. The referee’s decision has always been final in football, but to a certain degree that’s not the case anymore. It could change their minds a little bit. I hope they stay strong and make the decisions they feel are right.”