Is UEFA right to ban Rooney for three matches?

European football governing body UEFA has banned English striker Wayne Rooney for three competitive matches after kicking Montenegro's Miodrag Dzudovic in a 2-2 draw in a Euro2012 qualifier in Podgorica on Friday a week ago.

This means that Wayne Rooney would miss all three of England's group stage matches at next years 2012 European Championships in Poland and the Ukraine. England coach Fabio Capello now has to consider what to do, if to take Rooney along and gamble that England will get through the group stages or another striker whom he could utilise if the need be during the group stage.

Not surprisingly the reactions from England and around Europe have been different. While in England many have questioned the decision, in Europe the issue often not a tpic at all and many after seeing the foul say it is a correct decision by UEFA and the English should blame Rooney for what he did.

Interestingly in the English Premier League the punishment for violent conduct is an automatic three-match ban. At UEFA a panel reviews such an incident and then takes a decision about suspensions.

For the Three Lions and their fans this is a disaster as it does weaken the team at Euro2012.

VIDEO: Wayne Rooney's penalty miss

Yesterday I showed you the terrible miss from Fernando Torres for Chelsea FC in their match at Old Trafford. Today another piece of comedy from the same game, Wayne Rooney's penalty for Manchester United.

It proves a simple point. Wayne Rooney follows in the great English tradition of Stuart Pearce, David Beckham and John Terry, then English footballers should not take penalties.


Here to see the video

Indicast Podcast: All in Wane and I-League fixtures are out

On Thursday I once more was part of the Indicast Podcast's Sportsbench and we discussed international and Indian football. The focus was on Wayne Rooney and his problems at Manchester United, but at that time Rooney hadn't signed a contract extention at Man Utd. We also discussed the Indian football calendar, especially the upcoming I-League.

The podcast was moderated by Vikram Nanivadekar and myself the guest with Adwait Patil joining us late in the programme teling us of his experiences of watching India live in Pune earlier this month in the international friendlies.



Listen Online (64 kbps) : ~ 25 mins





Here the direct link to the Indicast Podcast page: Sportsbench Podcast


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Trouble in Wayne's World

Things haven't been going right for Wayne Rooney over the last six/seven month's. The England strikers on field problems started with an injury in a UEFA Champions League match against Bayern Munich, a terrible 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign followed before the problems also reached his private life when an affair with a prostitute made tabloid front pages, and now Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson revealed ahead of a UEFA Champions League match yesterday that the striker wants to leave the club and Sir Alex just cannot understand why Rooney wants to do so.

It seems a number of issues are coming together. The number one issue is that Rooney seems to be no longer happy at Manchester United for an unknown reason as Sir Alex revealed that he first got to know of Rooney's interest to leave the club in pre-season in August. With two years to go on his contract there was no issue of selling one of their best players, but now with Rooney out of form and often injured, the club might want to cash in on him while it is still possible to have funds ready to spend on bringing in fresh talent as the Red Devils face financial problems. Also it seems that Rooney and his agents want a substantial pay rise for him which Manchester United isn't willing to offer, maybe just not yet. And then there are the problems in Rooney's private life, so a move away from England could allow him a quieter life of the field.

Some even say that the relationship between Sir Alex and Wayne Rooney has gone sour over the last few weeks due to the revelations about Rooney's off the field antics. Ferguson, who had bought Rooney as a teenager from FC Everton in 2004, has always been a father like figure for the boy from Liverpool, even advising him on off field matters. But now that relationship seems damaged and if it can be repaired has to be seen.

Then there is the question of where could Wayne Rooney go? In the English Premier League only local rivals Manchester City and FC Chelsea have the deep pockets to make such a transfer a reality. Abroad first candidate would be Real Madrid with Italian giants Internationale Milan and AC Milan also potential new clubs. If FC Barcelona, after the revelations of their huge debts, could still be in the running to sign Rooney would have to be seen. But of all the potential options, the Blue one within Manchester would be financially the most lucrative option, but would Sir Alex want a player of the calibre of Wayne Rooney to stay in England and play for United's city rivals on the other side of town? I would doubt that...

A new saga in football has emerged and lets see what happens in the coming weeks until the winter transfer window opens on January 1, 2011. Or can in the end Sir Alex convince Wayne Rooney to stay at Old Trafford.