Bales I'm with you!

But knowing the FA they will make sure he goes to Euro12!

But I'm with you, leave the behind to teach him a lesson

I don't think you can be blamed for thinking that way. I'd personally want to take him, particularly if he has a great season. I mean let's say he gets 30 goals this season in the PL, far more than any other English player. It would be mad to turn a blind eye to that.

Capello's going to HAVE to leave him out of any pre-season games prior to the Euro's! he has no choice but to!

We have to find a team/formation to suit the group stages! we know how to play with Rooney

Too far away to make such a statement.

Events may not be in his favour anyway come 2012 (injury, new stars on the rise etc) .

I agree with you Bales.

You can't really take someone who will miss the first three games of the tournament, who then when he can play will not be up to match fitness as he would have spent the time sitting on the bench (no doubt getting wound up) as well as the break between the end of the league and the start of the tournament.

How can he replace the strikers that are match fit, hopefully are scoring and have earnt the place in the knockout (all things going well). If he does goes he shouldn't be automatically picked for the next round.

Its a team game, not an individual game, and whilst one can make a difference they also can make no difference.

Look at the world cup when we did win it, the argument was that Greaves should have started in the final game, and look how that turned out.

Make him a bench boy for the 1st stages! yes he is a talent.. but you can't go round kicking players

I think the 3 match ban is really unfair, but you have a point about removing a striker who's helped us to qualify (if that happens) to make way for Rooney. It wouldn't be fair on the replaced striker and you can imagine the pressure that the press will put on Rooney in the lead up, may disrupt the teams preparations?

As ever the supposedly patriotic press will be desperate for England to fail and they need a scapegoat so Rooney's 3 match ban has probably got them beating off en masse in Fleet Street.

Spurtle - What would you say if the back end of the season Rooney is out of form and isn't scoring.

Would you still then take an out of form Rooney for the knockout stages?

He is (sadly) the best English striker at the moment, but out of form and missing a few games it would be a waste of a squad place.

Wow, kind of surprised at the responses - you do care about international football after-all!

Thudd - got a feeling you might be right - a Man U first-teamer not getting called up by England?? Impossible!

Spurtle - you've only got to look at Crouch's record in internationals (and Capello's in domestic competition) to see how different the two are.

RDBD - fair enough mate but I just know it'll pee me off when the media goes mad and he gets picked, just thought i'd get it out of the way early.

Sturridge

Capello wouldn't have the guys plus the FA would want him there for commercial reasons.

31 Moments - I guess it would depend on the strength of other candidates. If he's out of form and there are players in far better form then yeah I'd exclude him. As I said before in another thread, we haven't even seen him play well at a tournament for England since 2004. Who is to say the next one won't just be another disappointment.

I don't think the ban is unfair! I think its spot on, players like Rooney should be punished for his petulance, make him suffer! no player is bigger than the team!

If it was just for two silly yellow cards then yes I would agree it was harsh! but for a straight red for kicking out, totally justified!

*guts

*s

Bale's - With Crouch I think it's more his height and the international competition not being as familiar with that, for why he has such a good record there, rather than any talent coming through, if you know what I mean?

The media will love it either way.

If we don't get out of the group stages then its his fault.

If he's selected in the squad and we qualify if he gets picked and doesn't score then they can attack him and Capello.

If he gets picked and scored then its the second coming.

If he's not selected for the squad and we don't win, Capello should have picked him.

If he's picked for the squad and we don't reach knockouts then it was a waste of a squad place.

Rubbing their dirty little hands with glee.

Spurtle - you're probably bang-on, that's my point exactly - it's better to play a freak than an ogre

Seriously though, everyone knows what to do with Rooney now - let him drop deep and wind him up till he does something stupid.
If Montenegro can figure it out..

Agreed Media will be all over this like a rash!

Media

Rooney

Defoe

Spurtle - can't argue with what you have said. Personally though I would start to think about giving some of the younger ones a risk (sturridge, welbeck) and a tournament over a 3 match banned Rooney. Though I hope they go anyway rather than the likes of Bent.

I agree with what you said about Crouch as well.

International fooball is a young mans game! out with Lampard, Terry, Gerrard

31 Moments

Agreed the media will have a field-day but Capello's gone once the tournament's over so it's not going to bother him too much. I don't see what he's got to lose by taking a risk

Well said Thudd

We're never going to have the technique of Spain we've got to stick to our stengths, like.. erm.. strength

I hope the likes of Smalling, Walker & Sturridge have a great season and force their way into the squad

A young mans game coached by a foreign OAP via a translator

england