FA to appeal Rooney's Euro ban

The Football Association are to appeal Wayne Rooney's ban that has ruled the Manchester United striker out of the Euro 2012 group stages. An FA spokesman confirmed on Friday: "We will be appealing against the three-match suspension Wayne Rooney received following the recent Euro 2012 qualifier in Montenegro. "We received written reasons for the red card on Tuesday afternoon and we were given until midnight tonight (Friday) to respond." Rooney put his Euro participation in danger when he blatantly kicked Montenegro defender Miodrag Dzudovic, yet he has been assured by England manager Fabio Capello that he will figure in his Euro squad. Rooney claims the punishment, which would scupper his chances of featuring in the tournament at all should England fail to reach the knockout phase, was "a bit harsh". And that view has been endorsed, in writing, by Dzudovic, and it is thought that will provide the central component of the FA's appeal to UEFA. They decided to pursue the matter after it became obvious there was no risk of the ban being increased, as would be the case with the FA in a domestic appeal. Rather than simply levy an extra penalty for a "frivolous" appeal, UEFA would launch a counter-appeal if they felt the FA had no grounds for complaint. This would allow the FA to simply withdraw their own, leaving Rooney to accept his ban.