EVERYONE was moaning about gamesmanship last weekend writes Mick Jones

Fabien Barthez was nothing but a cheat and hanging certainly seemed too good for him.

He had the nerve to make Steed Malbranque wait to take his penalty while he kicked the posts, tried to get something out of his eye.

This was too much for Malbranque's nerves and his penalty was saved. Maybe I'm being harsh but if having to wait to take a penalty affects him so much, he's in the wrong game.

I won't argue that Barthez wasn't doing it on purpose. But was it THAT bad a thing to do?

Much worse happens in games every week, and it isn't just the demonised foreigners. Beckham spends more time lying on the floor looking pleadingly at the ref than any Italian.

Emile Heskey always struggles staying upright. A nudge from a full back and we're all looking to see which grassy knoll the rifle shot came from.

And don't get me started on Ashley Cole.

In Europe, some of these sneaky continentals practice it as we'd practice penalties.

But is it still cheating or have the days of honest sportsmen gone for good?

Now it's all substitutions to eat up the last seconds of a game, waving imaginary cards at the ref to get someone booked and rolling around on the floor more times than a Russian gymnast.

Maybe that's why our sides do better in Europe these days.

The continental touch isn't just in the coaching techniques. They've taught our lads how to keep up with the Rivaldos, rather than the Joneses.