Premier League 
/ Richard Aikman / 03 April 2011 / Leave a Comment 
Oh, Wayne, when you will learn?!
"Rooney needed to be angry to pull the match out of the fire, but that still doesn’t excuse his antics. He has the bearing of a man who feels entitled – but football is entitled to more from its leading lights."
Wayne Rooney has once more attracted negative publicity after a using a Sky microphone to broadcast an obscene rant - and he must be punished this time, says richard Aikman
"I'm a Manchester United fan," said one caller into Radio Five Live's 606 programme last night, "and I'm never going to watch them again. What Rooney did was disgraceful."
According to 'Disgusted from Tunbridge Wells', Wayne Rooney had taken his poor behaviour one step to far by unleashing a foul-mouthed rant into the living rooms of millions of lunchtime viewers after scoring his third goal against West Ham yesterday.
Rooney had stared down the lens of the camera and sworn aggressively into it like a yob asking you to step outside. At the risk of sounding like a Daily Mail journalist, footballers do have a responsibility to supporters and youngsters watching, especially the Sky viewers who pay their wages. The likes of Rooney, great player though he is, fail to comprehend this.
He may be from a disadvantaged background but that doesn't preclude him from behaving any differently from anyone else. Only by receiving a three-match ban, which is the punishment for being sent off for using abusive and insulting language, will the matter be put to bed to any degree of satisfaction. Such action would be a shame, because at his best the England striker is the nation's best talent, but hopefully it will embarrass the United striker into improving his conduct in future - and if not - he will just have to keep learning his lesson the hard way.
Only last week the chief executive of the Premier League Richard Scudamore said that there was going to be a crackdown on unacceptable behaviour by players and managers, and although he was referring to the general attitude towards referees and suggested that action would be taken from next season, what better opportunity is there for those who govern the game to show they mean business by making an example of Rooney? Why should be wait until next season to step up the Respect campaign? What's wrong with now?
Last night a spokesman said: "We will look into it. We obviously do not condone foul or abusive language in front of the TV cameras." I'm sure they don't condone elbows on other players either, and yet Rooney got away with as much when taking out James McCarthy of Wigan recently.
Yet to their credit the FA did hand down a five-match touchline ban on Sir Alex Ferguson for questioning the integrity of match official Martin Atkinson recently. Rooney should also not be immune from punishment, even if he (or more likely a club PR man) did issue an immediate written apology.
Rooney's problem is that he seems unable to play at his best unless he is angry. He seems to have a persecution complex, which would have been heightened by a disappointing first half in which United once again went two goals down. After the break Rooney, presumably after receiving the hairdryer treatment from his manager, single-handedly won the game with a fine hat-trick, borne of his ire. He needed to be angry to pull the match out of the fire, but that still doesn't excuse his antics. He has the bearing of a man who feels entitled - but football is entitled to more from its leading lights.
And it's a shame that today's main Premier league talking point is all about Rooney's outburst rather than his brilliance, especially as United, Rooney ban or no Rooney ban, have effectively won the league. They are now [1.25] to clinch the title for a 19th time, while Arsenal are out to [7.6].
The north Londoners are seven points back, with a game in hand and home match against United still to come. United also have the added distraction of Champions League and FA Cup commitments, but the Gunners - while better on their day than United - simply don't have the mettle of champions. Arsene Wenger tried to take the heat of his players before their goalless draw with Blackburn by telling his players they needed to relax. Consequently, they played with all the energy and urgency of sleepwalkers. Despite creating an avalanche of chances, they were again guilty of trying to walk the ball into the net rather than shoot when the option was there. They clearly haven't recovered from shattered treble dreams and lack players with the belief and cojones to stand up and be counted.
What United have is experience, a winning mentality, and a knowledge that they can come back from adversity however bad they are playing; indeed quite how the Red Devils are [2.02] to reach the Champions League semi-finals as opposed to Chelsea's [1.86] is a mystery and somehow I think 'Disgusted from Tunbridge Wells' might have forgotten all about Rooney if United complete the treble [18.5] at Wembley next month.
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