OPINION: FA wins Rooney appeal

This morning, the FA won its appeal and had Wayne Rooney's three-match ban at the Euro 2012 tournament reduced to two matches.

This means, assuming that Capello selects Rooney, he will be available t play in the final group stage match against the co-hosts, Ukraine.

But what sort of message does this send out to youngsters, as well as other players?

At best, Rooney's tackle was petulant. At worst, it was thuggery of a type Rooney regularly exhibits. He'll feel he's got away with it to some extent.

Rooney, and all other footballing thugs, should be banned and fined far more dramatically. When Eric Cantona Kung fu kicked a fan in the crowd he was banned for the rest of that season. That is the sort of punishment that Rooney deserves. And, if there is a repeat (and there have been many repeats from this dullard yob) he should be banned for life.

He is a danger to himself, to the teams he plays for and, more seriously, to the opposition because, the chances are, his violent tendencies will, one day, lead to a player being seriously injured.

Today, UEFA lost my respect. The FA, by appealing the original decision, had already lost my respect. Rooney is scum, sporting detritus, and should not be allowed to play again, in any competition, until he cleans up his act and learns how to play within the rules ofthe game.