Wayne Rooney has been suspended for three games by UEFA and will therefore miss all three Group Games at Euro 2012. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/15297615.stm This beggars the question: Should he even be picked in the squad? If England are eliminated in the group stage he will have simply been a spectator. If England reach the Quarter Finals should one of the strikers who helped get them there be made to stand aside so he gets in the team? From a technical point of view, if he is NOT selected will he be deemed to have served his ban, or would his absence from the squad cause it to carry over into the first three 2014 World Cup Qualifiers?
Yes, 100%. No matter what he has done, the fact is he is still our best player. Although, if 2 strikers both in form in group stages, then they should keep their place for the 1/4 finals, Rooney would be a great impact sub, can you imagine a raring to go Rooney with a point to prove coming on against a tired defence?
I don't think he should go. As already pointed out, how could you justify dropping one of the two strikers who played in the group stages if we get to the quarter finals? Secondly, by taking him you're effectively one man down for the first three games, what happens then if on of your forwards gets injured/sent off in the first group game? You're down to two forwards for the next two games. Although I agree with Saint_Ford about having Rooney as an impact sub, the flip side would be a fired up Rooney raring to go with a point to prove has the very real possibility of diving into a tackle and getting himself sent off. By not taking him it may be the kick up the backside he needs so that he knows he's not untouchable, if he messes up he will get dropped.
Definite NO from me !! He cannot control himself - great player he may be, but he is unreliable and has a really nasty side to him that is quite tasteless. Leave him at home, it will give him a chance to reflect on things, and for his hairpiece to grow a bit more.
He will be going whether it's 3 games or not! There is always a few players that never feature anyway...
If he does go, I would suggest that FC should make him sweat a good long while, before letting him know. Wayne seriously needs to grow up, realise that he's behaving like a spoilt child, most of the time and become a man. He is probably becoming one of the most disliked footballers ever, to pull on an England jersey.
Rooney is picked, England get to the Final, the pressure is cranked way up, scores level five minutes to go, the ball rolls to Rooney on the edge of the box but he'll need to stretch for it to control it, a defender appears to be closer and gets between Rooney and the ball............................ Now replace the name Rooney with any other player and in your head review the likely scenarios that may take place. Can you really do this based on what you have seen in the past and not merely what you want to happen? While it maybe argued that absolutely anything may happen and speculation is useless, but an England manager has to speculate and calculate what may happen through out a whole match to make their selection. They know it isn't perfect but all you can do is look at the skills, form and temperament of the available players and make a speculative judgement. With Rooney it is clear. Does his temperament give his skill an unbeatable edge or is it a liability? Remembering over a season one man can go AWOL but their contribution will still be vital, yet in a pressure knock-out situation any one man going AWOL and the competition is over.
England have to take him to the Euros. I doubt they'll progress, but without him they are not the same team. Rooney creates that link between attack and midfield. He is the vital link and can turn a midfield battle into a sudden attack in a matter of seconds. Nobody has the ability to do what he does.
The choice is essentially between Rooney and the fifth choice striker. So for me it has to be Wayne, he is far more likely to make the difference.
What Bladderball has presented here, gives us, in one game, the full range of Rooney's spitefulness, in all it's gory glory. Why does someone, who possesses so much talent, to play the game beautifully, need to do this sort of stuff anyway. It's got me beat.
