Rooney banned for three Euro 2012 matches

NYON, Switzerland: England striker Wayne Rooney was on Thursday banned for three matches by UEFA for his red card against Montenegro, a decision which will rule him out of the group stages of Euro 2012.


Manchester United star Rooney was punished for his 74th-minute sending off in the 2-2 draw in Podgorica last Friday in England’s final qualifier when he kicked out at Miodrag Dzudovic.


“The UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body has today handed down a three-match suspension to England forward Wayne Rooney following his dismissal during the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier in Montenegro last Friday,” said a UEFA statement.


The Football Association is yet to decide whether or not to appeal, an action which could lead to an even longer suspension.England coach Fabio Capello said Rooney, who has 73 caps, had been guilty of a “silly” mistake, and had revealed that he plans to use next month’s friendlies against world champions Spain and Sweden as an opportunity to plan for the player’s absence.


“I think all the players are important. But we will find the solution to play without him. We will try something the next game, the next friendly game that we play,” the Italian said.


Capello admitted that Rooney’s behaviour was indefensible.


“It’s a red card. I can’t defend that. He made a silly mistake. He said ‘yes, sorry’,” Capello said in the aftermath of the game in Montenegro.


“He’s a really important player, he’s got a lot of experience, he’s played a lot of important games. But it was a silly mistake. What can you do?


“I’ve seen really important players make silly mistakes before. At that moment you can’t understand why this happened.”Rooney’s absence gives a host of players their chance to cement their places in the England squad for the Euro 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine.


Tottenham’s Jermain Defoe, Rooney’s United teammate Danny Welbeck, Darren Bent of Aston Villa and Liverpool’s Andy Carroll will be the leading strikers in the shake-up.