(Image Source Mirror Football)
BY KAVEH KAGHAZI
ANCHOR JIM FLINK
Wayne Rooney is at it again. This time his temper may have cost him a chance to play in next summer’s Euro Championship. ESPN has the details.
“England striker Wayne Rooney has been handed a three match ban for kicking an opponent during Euro 2012 qualifying last week. It means he’ll miss each of the group stage matches. The Man U star did not appear at the disciplinary hearing, although he can still appeal the ruling.”
Rooney will likely appeal the suspension before England’s tournament opponents are announced on December 2nd. Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp tells Sky Sports Rooney just hasn’t learned his lesson.
“I think after he did it he realized he made a big error. You could see the look on his face you know he accepted what he’d done and walked off the pitch without arguing with anybody and obviously he would have regretted it after the game.
Was the suspension too harsh? An ESPN soccernet analyst says considering the length of the tournament, the three game ban was uncalled for.
“When you strip it down and you think about this you know punishment and the crime situation do they fit? I don’t think so. If he breaks somebody’s leg or if he violently throws an elbow or fist at somebody, absolutely throw the book at him. But for this moment of madness to miss the tournament, the main part of the tournament is just too much in my opinion.”
On the opposite side of the argument is a writer from Daily Mail. He says UEFA’s policies justify Rooney’s suspension.
“When a player is dismissed for a poor tackle…it is seen as serious foul play and a by-product of playing a physical game. However, violent conduct is not part of the game and what Rooney did was described as such in the referee’s report to UEFA.”
The loss of Rooney leaves big questions for England coach Fabio Capello. Where does the squad go from here? An analyst for BBC says Rooney’s three game ban is a dagger to England’s heart.
“This is a real problem for England. It means that Capello now doesn’t know his best side. He’s going to have to reconfigure his team his own mind and everybody else’s. And more importantly is he going to take him?”
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