Should he stay or should he go?

The news that Wayne Rooney has been dealt a three match ban is a massive blow to England’s Euro 2012 preparations. The length of the ban means that Rooney will be ineligible to play in any of England’s group games at the tournament in Poland and Ukraine.

The question that inevitably will arise in many debates in the pubs up and down the nation and beyond is, understandably, should Capello take Rooney to the tournament despite the suspension?

The sensible answer is yes. Wayne Rooney is by far the most talented English player around right now and even if he will miss the group stages he could be crucial to England’s chances in the later rounds of the competition. The type of player that can make the difference in a tight match at the highest level is exactly the category into which Rooney falls.

Those arguing he should be left behind are simply doing so out of spite or personal disregard for Rooney. Yes, he made a mistake but should the English punish themselves for that to prove a point?

The fact of the matter is that England need their best players available. Without wanting to encourage complacency in such a prestigious tournament, they should certainly be capable of progressing through the group stages without Rooney. He is just one player after all.

Having such a talismanic figure available for, and only for, the latter stages of the tournament could in fact prove an advantage for the English. He will, all going according to plan, enter the fray fit and raring to go when the rest of the competition has already played three games; a boost to England at a crucial time.

It’s not as if his inclusion would disrupt the squad, he has been involved with England for so long now that, if anything, his exclusion would be more disruptive.

Of course it is not ideal that England will need to line up in their first three games without a key player, and it will be especially tough on the player who will make way for Rooney when his suspension elapses. This is, as previously stated, a massive blow to England – but it is important that they do not overreact.

If the goals and desires of the country are put ahead of petty grudges then Rooney will be part of the England’s Euro 2012 challenge and will have a crucial role to play in determining what success the team has.