LAST NIGHT, DURING England’s penultimate Euro 2012 qualifier with Montenegro, Wayne Rooney achieved the ignominous honour of becoming only the second player to be dismissed twice while playing for the men in white (the other, of course, being David Beckham).
Fabio Capello’s men were on course to secure a maximum three-point return from their visit to Podgorica when a spell of second-half pressure from their Balkan opponents culminated in Rooney being dispossessed by Mirodrag Dzudovic. Frustrated, the striker lashed out, striking Dzudovic’s right leg. The referee didn’t hesitate in diplaying a red card.
Speaking to the Daily Mirror after the match, Capello revealed that the Manchester United star had been in apologetic mood after the game:
“He made a silly mistake and said: ‘Yes, sorry’… It’s a red card. You can’t defend that.“He’s a really important player with a lot of experience, and he’s played really important games.
“But he has made a silly mistake. I have seen players like him do that. You can’t understand why.”
Rooney’s dismissal was in many ways as predictable as his inclusion in the starting line-up was surprising. Just a day ealier, his father Wayne Sr. and uncle Richie had been arrested for alleged involvement in a match-fixing operation.
Montenegro’s coach, Branko Brnovic, in jubilant mood after his side rallied late in the second half to seize a potentially crucial point from the encounter, claimed he had been “surprised” to see Rooney take to the field.
“I read in the newspapers that Rooney has some family problems in England,” said Brnovic.“To be honest, I didn’t expect him to play because those things are serious and it’s not easy to concentrate on the game.
“They’re serious, and maybe that’s why he did what he did.”
Though England will be less than satisfied by the manner in which they spurned an opportunity to claim three points, a draw was enough to secure their qualification for next’s summer’s European Championships.
