Foul-mouthed Rooney set to be hit with two game ban
Rooney swore into a television camera moments after completing a hat-trick against West Ham on Saturday, and the FA confirmed last night he had been charged with “use of offensive, insulting and/or abusive language” in relation to the incident.
The charge carries a two-match ban if it is accepted, and Rooney has torespond by 6pm today. Unless the 25-year-old can successfully plead that the punishment has been too severe, he will serve a two-match suspension, starting with Saturday’s Premier League encounter with Fulham at Old Trafford and concluding with that eagerly-anticipated Manchester derby at Wembley for the right to meet Bolton or Stoke in next month’s FA Cup final.
It had been thought Rooney would escape with a warning. He issued an apology within hours of the final whistle which he hoped would lessen the possibility of any sanctions against him. However, when an FA disciplinary panel met yesterday they decided Rooney’s conduct was so poor it could not be allowed to pass unchecked. The fact Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore only last week declared his intention to clean up the game hardly helped, and when PFA deputy chief executive John Bramhall condemned Rooney’s actions, it soon became clear the idea of a warning was fanciful.
Rooney now has three options — he can deny the charge, in which case a hearing would be convened on Wednesday where there would be the risk of an increased sanction. His second option is to accept the charge, in which case he would be banned for the games against Fulham and Manchester City. His third and most likely option is to accept the charge but to appeal against the severity of the ban, but that approach could also run the risk of inviting a more severe ban if the appeal is deemed to be frivolous.
The news is a major blow to United boss Alex Ferguson, who is trying to prepare a team for tomorrow night’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, with Rooney’s position set to be made clear before that game kicks off.
Last night’s FA statement read: “The FA has charged Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney for the use of offensive, insulting and/or abusive language. This charge relates to an incident during his side’s fixture with West Ham United on Saturday April 2, 2011. Rooney has until 6pm on April 5 to respond to the charge.”
Meanwhile Rooney’s team-mate Nemanja Vidic has admitted Chelsea’s recent dominance over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge gives them a psychological edge ahead of tomorrow night’s Champions League showdown.
United have not recorded an away win against the team they defeated in the 2008 final in Moscow for nine years and most recently came unstuck in the Premier League just five weeks ago.
It is a formidable record Ferguson’s team could do with ending if they are to harbour realistic hopes of making the last four.
Vidic feels they can do it and a crucial away goal will dispel any doubts.
However, the United skipper feels that as kick-off time approaches, the hosts will be the ones who will have the extra belief.
“In terms of the results, yes, they do have an edge because they had good ones against us,’’ said the Serbian.
“But this is the Champions League and the name of the game for is on Wednesday is to score an away goal.’’
To that end, United’s own morale is sky high after another of those astounding comebacks at West Ham on Saturday.
Although Ferguson will not adopt the same gung-ho tactics he employed during the second half at Upton Park this week, that four-goal blitz that sent United seven points clear at the top of the Premier League is a reminder of the firepower at their disposal.
“Our performance on Saturday is a big positive for us,’’ he said.
“We scored four goals and played very good football. We do need to improve the defending part but if we can play like that against Chelsea, I am sure we will be okay.’’
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
