WAYNE Rooney is facing a three-match ban after the Football Association charged him with violent conduct for his Boxing Day clash with Bolton defender Tal Ben Haim.
But the teenager's Manchester United and England colleague Gary Neville has slammed the FA's decision, describing it as "petty" and "ridiculous".
Rooney was given until 6pm today to decide whether to contest the charge under the FA's new 'fast-track' policy of charging players for on-field offences.
He shoved Ben Haim in the face during United's 2-0 win over Bolton on Sunday - but referee Dermot Gallagher failed to spot the incident.
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson believes that the 19-year-old has been singled out because of his high profile.
And Neville, who is the players' union representative at Old Trafford, said that media hype is influencing FA decisions. Speaking on MUTV, Neville said: "The whole game needs to take a step back. We have just seen Wayne Rooney being charged with violent conduct, which is just ridiculous. It is being driven by the media."
Rooney could now miss United's trip to Middlesbrough on New Year's Day, the home match against Tottenham three days later and the FA Cup tie against Exeter on January 8.
Appeal
An appeal would delay any ban, but if he was then found guilty among the games Rooney could miss would be the trip to Liverpool on January 15.
Reds' boss Ferguson criticised Ben Haim for falling to the ground clutching his face in a theatrical manner following the Rooney incident.
He said: "Because it is Wayne Rooney and because it is Manchester United, the emphasis is taken off the Bolton player completely. That's sad, as it is obvious to everyone what he did.
"He laid down there for about two minutes rolling around, which is absolutely disgraceful as far as I am concerned."
The Israel international has been charged with 'improper conduct' - which is not covered by the FA's new fast-track policy - for his part in the incident.
Ben Haim, who has until January 20 to respond to the charge, could be hit with a one-match ban or a fine.
With Ruud van Nistelrooy and Louis Saha injured, Ferguson won't want to lose Rooney.
Meanwhile, Neville has insisted that the amount of hype surrounding football has put him off being a manager.
He said: "There is always the incentive to become a great manager, but there are also petty things like Wayne getting charged."
Do you think Rooney has been treated fairly? Have your say.
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At least SAF will be able to convincingly use "the world is against us" to drive the team on to wins against Boro, Spurs and Exeter even with so many strikers absent.
I am becoming more and more convinced that external influences are determining the outcome of the league. Ferdinand then van nistlerooy now this. Yet arsenal seem to get away with murder. The only solution is go out and buy a striker to cover. why not go for morientes. Maybe we could offload kleberson in part exchange. with just one forward who is not a goal scorer eligible to play we are seriously short of options.
Alias Smith if you had been watching United long enougth,you would realise most people are against us.Especially the ruling bodies United have been cheated out of results so many times.Rooney did something a little stupid but to class it as violent conduct is a joke.
Alias and he will have a good point too,as most are against us.
Wayne Rooney is a skillful young player but has an immature habit of shoving people in the back, in the face etc., which he needs to break. A strong punishment for shoving Tal Ben Haim might be just the thing to break him of this habit so that he can focus on playing soccer.
oh dear, the "you always pick on us" syndrome raises its picked on little head again. Grow up Gary Neville. Nobody's picking on Man U. The fact is that Rooney commited an offence under the rules of the game (as did Tal Ben Haim) and will now be punished. It does no good to try and influence the FA by coming out with these comments and only brings the press down harder on you. The best policy is to shut up and live with it.
IF you actually saw the event, then you should be commenting here. But if you watch the tape/game, you'll see that they were arguing and Rooney was provoked, and then pushed him in the chin/cheek area...nothing extreme at all...then to have Ben Haim fall seconds later clutching his eye area was far and above much worse an even than what Rooney did.
Dirty A------ and F--- and F- always cheating they never want to recognise Manchester or what are City HAS ACHIEVED, Now we are being invaded by an influx of the London looneys they think life is better in the North ,but in Manchester we have to work twice as hard to achieve what we want than a london looney.
Thanks for that Mary, my New Year's Resolution is to improve on the obviously pathetic attempt of having only supported/watched United for 29 years so far.
Its a joke! it really is, I've made my feelings clear recently, i'm not impressed with rooney I think he has been as bad as ronnie in showing how immature he can be. But please a three match ban for a push in the face nobody but the press complained! big sam did'nt have a problem, most were more concerned about the bolton players reaction he looked like he had been hit by a truck! I dont think we're playing anywhere near our potential but if this rubbish does'nt rile every player up nothing will!!! bring on boro COME ON YOU REDS!!!!!
A fault is a fault, why argue about it, learn from the mistake. A professional always have to look up the behavior million of people are watching, include my kids and yours.
rooney should be ashamed at being looked up and adored by young fans to act that way. i wouldn't want any youngster to make him hero anywhere in any manner.
Surprised? Course not! We should be grateful that Poll didn't send him off and give Villa a penalty. I don't see it as a setback (unless Zinedine gets his starting place), things haven't been going Roo's way so a few games off might get him fired up. It's a great opportunity to test some striking options like sticking on Ronaldo as the centre forward, he's one of our best headers, doesn't like defending and scares defenders, with Giggs firing in the crosses along with Heinze and Gary we've been lacking a target in the box and with Smith and Scholes coming in behind him any defence would be stretched to the limit. There's also the option of Bellion who can also thrteaten with his pace and finishing and even Rossi but that would be to adventurous for SAF. Of course the best thing about this is the oportunity for SAF to work on his favoured siege mentality which as we know has always served him well.
aah diddums u reds;everyone picks on u;its not fair!
Yes we know Alias Leeds United.
Mary, there's only ONE United love. If you don't know which one it is, shame on you.
you sad bunch trying to cover up what he has done its petty i must admit but the rules state that raise your hands and your off nothing more to be said. i dont recall any moaning when you won your 1st title with a goal in how many mins of extra time 7, 8, 9, and since then i can not remember a single game in any divs to have that amount of extra time spare a thought for the villa player at verses city the other month sent of for attempted head butt and there was no contact you have got off lightly he could have been sent off had the ref seen it and still had 3 game ban to come and then had bolton got a goal or 2 who knows so quite moaning and accept the punishment for the crime and hope he grows up a bit cause in europe he would have walked tell him from me if he keeps his arms down and cools his temper or angles it in another way he would be a better player yea yea he is only young and all that but er what about defoe ,famini ,wright phillips ,mellor ,smith these players are all young but dont go throwing hands in players facesthey will all get sent off in there carears but not for putting there hands in faces so the top and bottom line is 30 mil entittles you to do that no thought not you play for utd or exter you do that you get sent off the prem is much more high profile yea but i bet there is a player sent off in the 4 divs 1 every six weeks for the same offence i rest my case GROW UP REDS ???
if FA suspend rooney..its work 2 ways 1st..recently the boy did not play his full potential so he need rest!! 2nd the boy need some lesson...hope he can learn from this!! againts Boro put smith/scholes upfront.or smith alone support by ronaldo/scholes..im sure this will work
I would take the ban, first off it will give Wayne a chance to rest up and it sould now set a precedent for all other "acts of violence"
Before we all get carried away here lets just say one thing first, Rooney was impetous and stupid and deserves what he gets. He`ll have to learn quickly to control that temper and put the team first before that growing ego! Now onto the FA they now have set a precedent and I hope to see more incidents that the ref misses especially acrobatic tumbles, eye gouges and such like behaviour eradicated from our game.
He deserves the ban !. Fergie should also get a fine for having a go at the FA when most of the time he is the one asking them to look at video evidence etc. You can't have it all your own way as hard as he may try !. What should we do next, ignore the rule book ?. The Bolton player should get a 3 match ban as well for his acting.
As fergie has said in another thread, why are the FA charging the bolton player if they believe rooney is guilty. Complete contradiction.
Why are my threads being censored??? - We always try and publish everything that isn't potentially libellous or too personally offensive - Ed
OK Sir Alex, and England fan Gary we get the message. Now for goodness sake grow up. The world is full of victims and Manchester United Football club are not one of them!
good record alias smith!
I am 19yrs old so it s quiet impossible for me to watch em for 29 yrs or so.
anyway.. we have to win at riverside. i hate the boro-games!