Red devil: Roony's Manchester United team-mate Danny Welbeck could step into his place

When they read the report from referee Wolfgang Stark today they are expected to recommend the case for review by the Control and Disciplinary  Committee because it was violent.

The three-man committee have punished similar offences in the past with two-match bans, and it’s no help that Rooney (below) has already been banned in the qualifying campaign for two yellow cards.

UEFA will decide today on a date for the hearing but Capello has to start planning for the European Championship opener.   

Preparing one team for a major tournament has proved hard enough for a succession of England managers. Now, thanks to Rooney, Capello has to prepare two!

So surely the Italian has been too hasty in deciding that Rooney will not play in next month’s friendly with Spain — or any of the other friendlies. 

Rooney is a first-class idiot, and there is no denying his actions have jeopardised England’s chances of success next summer. He has not just denied his country their best player for one, possibly two, group games; he has disrupted Capello’s preparations when the coach will want to see his team gaining a bit of momentum.

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