Wayne Rooney

This blog preaches 'no nonsense' so when there is nonsense afoot we have to react quickly to stop it.

Wayne Rooney yesterday received a three match ban for violent conduct/assaulting another player for his petulant and malicious kick at a Montenegrin player in England's final Euro qualifier. Members of the media and assorted ex England players have all cried 'foul' but not for the right reasons.

One ex ManYoo and England player tweeted that Rooney was being singled out for special treatment, that there was an anti England agenda from UEFA. This is hypocrisy and stupidity of the highest level.

The rules within football for violent conduct are a three match ban as a minimum plain and simple. Two weeks ago Fernando Torres received (quite rightly) a straight red and a three match ban for a horrible two footed lunge. Did any of these people cry out begging for clemency for Torres? Of course they didn't because he is not Wayne Rooney.

It is THEY who are calling for and trying to hand out special treatment for Rooney, not UEFA. Wayne Rooney has acted with a huge amount of abandon in both his personal and private lives. He has been indulged to a ridiculous degree by the fans, his football club and even his wife because he provides greatly for the most part for all of them.

The fans forgave him for his sending off in the World Cup in 2006 which effectively ended all English hopes. He has now jeopardised England's slim chances at Euro 2012 due to his childishness but it has been dressed up as the fault of UEFA.

For ManYoo, despite much brilliance for much of his career, he endured a torrid twelve months before and after the last World Cup which he rounded off by handing in a transfer request. His reward for this was a record breaking new contract and little of the media lambasting that Carlos Tevez received, cue Johnny Foreigner/Carlos Kickaball thank you Sir Alan Sugar.

On the home front whilst not wishing to sully his long suffering wife's name any further by dwelling on his misdemeanours, he has had paying episodes with Grandmothers and enjoyed himself to the fullest with other company whilst his wife was heavily pregnant. Not many men known to this blog would still be enjoying marital bliss after those escapades.

Wayne Rooney is a fabulous footballer, the best that England currently has but he and those around him need to learn quickly that he is subject to the same laws and censure that we all are. It is easy to refer to it as 'fire in the belly', 'artistic brilliance spilling over', insert your own euphemism in much the same way that players like Eric Cantona walked on the edge.

Rooney however is pushing the boundaries by having his behaviour impact a Nation's chances at not one but two major championships - and most players don't get many more bites at the cherry than that. Rooney will be twenty six in two weeks time and with the amount of first team and international experience that he has he should be unquestionably classed as one of the senior players. Only last week he was talking of becoming the ManYoo and England captain.

It is something that could and probably will happen given the track record of managers indulging him so blatantly. No one is suggesting that Rooney be dropped or sold but only that his behaviour be treated in the same manner that it would be for other mere mortals.

Missing the group stages next Summer should be punishment enough but the message will not be driven home if those around him convince him that it is an unjust sentence. It is however not in the least bit unjust or unfair. Rooney should merely ask any of his fellow professionals what sentences they received for violent conduct, three matches end of story - No Nonsense.