He was only on the pitch for 37 minutes however each time Saulius Mikoliunas touched the ball it was met by a chorus of boo’s. SPL fans are still clearly angry about his dive against the national team which happened all the way back in September of 2007.

I can understand why fans would be angry at him at the time because it could have potentially cost Scotland a place at Euro 2008. However this did not happen; Scotland went on to win the game 3-1 and it had no impact on our hopes of qualification. In fact Andrius Velicka should have had a penalty earlier in the game for a foul by Stephen McManus, proof if any of the thought that these things even themselves out in football. This game also saw Scotland and Birmingham Citys Garry O’ Conner also taking a dive however this was overlooked by the press and pundits alike who prefered to abuse Miko.

So I ask the question; why are people still booing the guy? How long until the fans realise that his dive had no bearing on the Scottish campaign? If they cannot get over this I think they need a reality check. Surely the referee was just as much to blame as he gave the penalty. Maybe I’m being naïve but does that not make him just as much of a villain as Miko?

Players dive all the time but are not victimised as much as the Lithuanian internationalist. For instance Nacho Novo was guilty of a blatent dive at the weekend against Hibs but nothing was said. And he is not the only one. Celtics’, Shunsuke Nakamura and Hibernians‘, Benji are well known for going down too easily but they have not become pantomime villains. I believe that the fans need someone to abuse because the Scottish game has very little quality right now (no matter how much the pundits attempt to raise excitment) so they thrive on a player to victimise.

It is not just in the SPL were certain players diving has been glossed over especially if they are one of our own or a player from a top side. Steven Gerrard for instance won a last minute penalty at the start of the 2007 season against Sheffield United and nothing was said, however as soon as a foreigner dives they apparently should be hung out to dry and thrown out of football.

Although he didn’t take a dive a Cristiano Ronaldo found himself in a similar situation to Miko after he was held wrongly responsible for getting Wayne Rooney sent off in the 2006 World Cup and ending their participation in the competion.. The English nation blamed Ronaldo for complaining about a challenge by Rooney on Chelsea’s Ricardo Carvalho which saw Rooney stamp on the Portugal defender. However in this case it cost England a place in the semi final as Portugal eventually went through on penalties. It was thought after this incident that like Miko, Ronaldo would not be able to play in the same team or even the same country as Rooney again. All has since been forgiven after Ronaldo has taken the Premiership by storm and helped lead Manchester United to an impressive double.

So why in one case is a player who according to the English public cost them there best chance of winning the World Cup since 1966 is not getting booed with every touch but Mikoliunas who has had much less impact with Hearts this season is still receiving abuse from the Scottish crowds. I say lets give him a break. Let bygones be bygones and concentrate on keeping talented foreign youngsters in the Scottish game as opposed to hounding them out.