Rage wrestled with regret inside Fabio Capello’s mind last Friday after seeing Wayne Rooney get himself sent off in Montenegro.

But there was not a moment’s hesitancy when it came to the question of whether he would still take England’s finest player to the European Championship.

‘Yes,’ replied the England manager, and even when it was suggested to him that a mandatory one-match ban from UEFA could yet become two he remained unmoved. ‘I hope it’s one,’ he said.

Well his hopes were crushed by European football’s governing body and while the FA could now appeal there is a fear that the chances of success are slim at best.

Moment of madness: Referee Wolfgang Stark shows the red card to Wayne Rooney in Montenegro

It was the use of the word ‘assault’ in the UEFA statement that concerned FA officials, their mood one of stunned amazement after sending that dossier to Switzerland quietly confident that written submissions from Rooney and Capello — as well as a carefully edited DVD — would limit the damage.

There is still likely to be an appeal, and for as long as there is a chance it could be reduced to two matches Capello cannot make a firm decision on what he does now.

If UEFA’s control and disciplinary body refuses to budge the Italian has an extremely tough call to make.

The smart money says Capello still takes Rooney to England’s training base in Poland in the belief that the team can be guided through the three group games before the best player is recalled to play in the quarter-final.

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