Wayne Rooney’s regretful roll of the eyes and the calm, unruffled acceptance as the red card was risen above his recently haired head was a clear sign that he knew he had done wrong. The consequences were to come flooding in for him once his early shower had come to an end, and he knew it. After all, he had been in a similar situation before; attempting to violently trample the manhood from Ricardo Carvalho in the unsuccessful 2006 World Cup campaign.
A politely civilized letter to UEFA was posted and sincerely signed by Rooney himself, in the vain hope that a degree of sympathy would be shown, and the inevitable ban would not reach the dreaded three games. The UEFA disciplinary panel clearly did not allow their heart to bleed for England’s talismanic striker, and a stupidly frustrated kick will see him miss all three of England’s group stage games, which could incidentally mean that he may miss England’s whole tournament.
The case of whether or not Rooney should be taken to the competition is non-existent. He is the most influential English player in the squad. He is a world class footballer, and if England were to progress through to the later rounds – which will be expected – then the team needs the best to beat the best. The nation surely has enough fire power to get through the group, and if not, there really isn’t much point in travelling to Poland/Ukraine.
The likes of Danny Welbeck and Chelsea’s Danny Sturridge will hopefully have progressed well enough to be in with a shout of leading the line in a competitive, energetic and clinical fashion, adding that youthful flare which has made Rooney’s career so successful. There is then then the older heads such as Jermaine Defoe and Peter Crouch who have a proven goalscoring record, with Darren Bent and Gabriel Agbonlahor holding a very small chance of winning a place.
Rooney’s 28 goals for England and 73 appearances have mostly been extremely effective. A forgetful World Cup and odd occasion in which he has lost his temper have been ugly blots on a potentially great international canvas, and his effectiveness cannot be ignored. His form for Manchester United this season has been outstanding, and is regarded around the world by players and managers alike as a footballing star, capable of the impossible and passionate enough and good enough to deliver it.
He will suffer several headaches from people in the know telling him virtuously that he must mature, grow up, conduct himself properly, and discontinue from his erratic behaviour, and while he must take in on board, he knows full well that his once questionable behaviour has improved enormously. Capello described it as a “silly mistake,” and it was. It was needless, avoidable and silly, but if England don’t take him to the Euros that will be exactly what England’s tournament will be described as.
