Rooney out of order
Wayne Rooney was sent off against FC Porto in the LG Amsterdam Tournament for a challenge on defender Pepe Ferreira. The referee registered the dismissal with the Dutch FA who in turn reported it to the English FA. The English FA dealt with the dismissal as if it occurred in England and Rooney was handed a three-match ban to commence tomorrow. Paul Scholes was also sent off in that game and was banned too for three matches.
Now Rooney and Scholes lost appeals against the bans, though Scholes was meant to have no qualms about the decision. Rooney, however, has made it clear through his agent Paul Stretford in a letter that stated Rooney may consider pulling out of any commercial duties he agreed to for England because of the FA's stance.
That to me is the proverbial toys out the pram. While the conduct against Ferreira warranted a booking, it can be debated that it was harsh for a straight red. Personally I feel Rooney intentionally used the forearm. Yet because Rooney did not get it his way, he wishes to spite the FA, regardless of the many others he would please. Certainly the FA should not be held to ransom at all by any player and Rooney can withdraw from such duties as he sees fit, someone else can do it instead.
RedsMan.
posted by RedsMan at 8/22/2006 05:03:00 pm
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9 Comments:
Redsman, I agree that this reaction from Rooney is not correct.
As you say, the FA conducted an independent hearing and upheld the red card given in the Amsterdam tournament. Rooney may be aggrieved by the finding, but to take the proposed action seems to me to be in effect an argument that the FA should act with a bias and leniency in favour of a player if they are an important player for the FA's commercial programme.... which of course would render the FA's disciplinary process fundamentally unfair and flawed.
8/22/2006 6:43 pm
Sirs,
It seems to me that Mr Rooney is a victim of his own success and of a certain referree's desire to make a headline for himself. Whilst he may have had a raised hand as he jumped , he also had his eyes firmly on the ball and had Pepe continued to fight for control, instead of pulling out of the challange, it is likely that the incident would have lost in the flow of the game. The FA committee can only have concluded such a ridiculous and excessive punishment because of Mr Rooney's reputation and not because the incident deserved such harsh treatment. What I find most irritating, however, is the alarming inconsistancy and apparent bias of the FA. How can an accidental hand to face, in what is still supposed to be a physical game, result in an effective four match ban? Surely if a blatant and violent assault, as committed by the two footed lunge of Mr Brown on Mr Giggs, in Sunday's game between Manchester United and Fulham, can go unpunished, then how is the FA able to maintain any credibility as an unbiased and effective organisation ? Is it any wonder that Mr Rooney would choose to disassociate himself with such an inept body.
8/22/2006 10:45 pm
OK, people, now hear this. There is no agenda here with myself and Rooney, that is no.1.
No.2, when Rooney went to jump for the ball, it was Rooney who looked at Pepe before he jumped, I recall this as if it were this evening. That gave away intention to the referee and leading with the forearm calculated to a straight red offence, that and how he jumped for the ball. As I said, it is debatable.
No.3, whenever I play football and go to challenge for the ball, I have never ended with my arms flailing onto another player. There are many in the game who become penalised for jumping yet others who do not. When the arms are raised to bring the body up, the arms go vertical and come down vertically, not to begin vertically and then end up horizontal onto another player's face. That's a weak argument as you can clearly jump for the ball and not end up with a flailing arm onto another player.
No.4, as much as it is debated here, the decision was a red and it was upheld. Rooney appealed and lost. As Alan Ball stated on the BBC web-site, one is far more mature to take the punishment now that the appeal has been exhausted and bid your time, train and get ready to come back. As farcical as Man Utd believe it is, they can play without Rooney and potentially be a better team on his return.
No.5, there must be few who despise the English FA more than myself. From Adam Crozier to Mark Palios, the uproar over the Faria Alam affairs to the fiasco of appointing Eriksson as our national coach and watch him fleece our national squad of proper management while he entertained himself on as much money as he could acclaim to while seeking elsewhere for potential interests away from his actual duties with England, I despise the FA. They seem to be dozy and lapsidaisal in their approach of authority while at the same time earning a salary for doing very little in terms of their association.
When I heard that initially the FA were expected to do little about the red cards, I wasn't surprised. But I am glad to see they actually did uphold them and for Rooney to threaten his exclusion in this manner is out of order. Are the FA to now watch every red card and consider they have to evade issuing any punishment because it is Rooney? Certainly not. That's my view if it were a Liverpool or any other player.
We may not like the FA but they are the authorative organisation of our football. You just wouldn't get this nonsense back in the old days. First the WAGs allowed to come to Germany and now this. The likes of Booby Moore and Emlyn Hughes would have laughed it off, taken it and got back on in time.
RedsMan.
8/23/2006 1:38 am
Ur glad to see that the fa did? WoW Amazing :) Its amazing how you change ur stand for a player when he plays for england and when he plays for a club thats a bitter rival. If Rooney got banned for doing the same thing for England im sure everyone would have labelled the portugese guy a cheat, a diver and if the ban had come from fifa the thread would have been titled an injustice or something similiar. I remember Stevie G and another liverpool player...was it Hamann? Got sent off the last time they played in the same tournament but the fa decided to use commen sense and solve this issue rather then banning the player for an unofficial game.
8/23/2006 2:18 am
Oh yeah and man utd and rooney were angry and decided to resort to this action because the fa assured them that they would not take action before deciding to do so. If the FA goes againts their word why should Rooney allow his image to be exploited?
8/23/2006 2:22 am
Where did you read of such rumours the FA gave assaurances of no sanctions over Rooney? There is no way that could happen and then the adverse decision. The scenario you mentioned of a Portuguese player is not far from the incident in the World Cup, but no one blamed Carvalho because replays showed Rooney did stamp on him.
As for unofficial games, if regulations did not equally stretch to them, there wouldn't be any match but instead flying tackles and other disorderly conduct because of no fear of discipline.
And my tune never changes. I pity that it was a Man Utd player and not a player of another team, say Beckham. The 'rival club' point would come up yet I have always stated I'm impartial in these matters. This isnt about clubs, it's about a player disciplined under league rules but using his international status as a lance to hit back when he is under the administration of the authoritative body of his league.
For such an action by Rooney, though he has yet to totally pull from those duties, he either was urged to do so by Utd or his agent, potentially the latter as Stretford is facing FA charges concerning breaches of FIFA's agent regulations.
RedsMan.
8/23/2006 11:05 am
Thanks BJ.
A red card in another country in pre-season cannot be upheld by the FA of that country as the booked foreign player (foreign in terms of league registration) will not be playing further than the pre-season, if that. Because the administration for the red card takes a while, Rooney couldnt be banned from the tournament. Therefore the Dutch FA passed it on to our FA.
As I said it is debatable but the red card should. The thing is Rooney's attitude to the failed appeal. I couldn't do it, i play for England out of pride, I'm chosen for my ability, I consider it an honour. I lose an appeal I strongly believe I should win, then that is that. Take it on the chin and wait my time. I honour my commercial duties for England because it's my country, not for the FA. The FA simply grant me the opportunities and I agree to take them.
Apparently Rooney is the most commodative player for England after or even since Beckham, whose popularity has waned. I think this has been considered before the letter was sent.
RedsMan.
8/23/2006 1:15 pm
That's right. My opinion is Rooney is being advised 'This is wrong, red card in another country and our FA falls for it? You are their highest commodity since Beckham, and his popularity has gone down now, so its you who sells England, you who has the british bulldog spirit, giveing blood out there the most, for England, only for the FA to turn their backs on you when you are looking for a favour. Why should you promote the squad for them?' An upset Rooney says 'yeah' and there you are.
Rooney should be told 'That FA, they are so muddled up after the umpteen affairs of nonsense that occurs there, but that's it. All you do is focus on your fitness, keep training, support the side and be ready for when your time comes again. No doubt you will be when we need you. The three games will slide by, just think how long Smithy has waited.'
I have little doubt Rooney's agent is behind this rather than the club.
RedsMan.
8/23/2006 9:50 pm
I can add little to BJ's comment. My point is I have no distinction between clubs, a player is suspended after losing their appeal, that's it. There is his point regarding the red cards. Rooney hasn't been sent off once, the FA has had to deal with those occasions too but he didn't mention about withdrawing from commercial duties then. Plus the players' strike that time was equally stupid. That was equivalent to the potential threat of strike by our own firearms officers over a shooting incident. If that happened, when would they return to duty? And with armed people on the streets, simple anarchy. The England players decide to strike, can you imagine before Euro2008?
I can't see the precedent of England internationals deciding not to play for England because they feel hard done by by the FA over an incident (didn't Campbell consider not playing for England over a Solskjaer incident?), but in the circumstances Rooney should not exempt himself from England commercial duties to spite the FA. Then the FA will consider withdrawing Rooney from England appearances, and as McClaren said the atmosphere turns ugly.
The rules governing employers' rights are on a different level (civil law) than that of the Premiership League. I have a legal rights of employment and can use high authority to revert or stop an action, whereas Rooney only has a right of appeal and exceeded it, final decision. If Rooney financially loses out more than the FA, that's even more of a reason not to. Three matches out, yet he continues his duties and is paid while the matches whizz by.
If it were myself, I would do it, be paid and be more determined to get back in the squad. Wont break me, make me stronger. But if Mr Berwick and Mr Bevington try to sweet talk me at galas and/or dinners, I would be weary!
RedsMan.
8/24/2006 1:42 pm
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