FIFA are inconsistent bastards because they don't permit football associations to overturn refereeing decisions even if they are wrong. They allow it in areas of serious foul play like when Ben Thatcher knocked out Mendes and got a 6 match ban after initially getting a yellow. Whether Rooney's fell into this category is a different question since you see two footed tackles and elbows that should be reds but are only yellows all the time.bullshit bullshit bullshit
Examples:
http://www.totalfootballmadness.com/2010/10/27/milos-krasic-suspended-two-games-for-diving/
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/06012011/58/ligue-1-four-match-ban-doumbia.html
^the second one is particularly relevant - only punished with a yellow in play, later handed out a 4 match suspension. The FA chose not to do anything.
(also, you do realise that you say 'the FA could do nothing if they wanted to' and then 'the FA just do what they like' with only one sentence in between them?)
Gareth Barry's automatic selection in the past three years is one of the reasons why England can't do well when it counts. I watched the Ozil race with him again and he gave Ozil a ten yard headstart and ended up 15 behind him. A lack of tactical awareness, technique and mobility but he's somehow a starter ahead of Carrick and guys in form like Parker etc.The best thing about that interview is that it's very hard to find something to disagree with - he's been in excellent form this season, I've seen him play quite a few times and he is pretty awesome.
I dunno why he hasn't been rewarded with a callup - I guess ostensibly it's about how badly he's behaved in the past but look at the rest of the England team, christ; if they haven't filmed themselves spit-roasting a girl (Ferdinand), assaulted someone (Gerrard, god knows who else), shot a team-mate (Cole), allegedly shagged his best mate's girlfriend, persuaded her to have an abortion and the small matter of 'stripping naked and taunting weeping American tourists whilst they watched live footage of 9/11'.. and that's our fucking captain.
Similarly, Nolan has been on excellent form this season - where the fuck's his call up?
Cahill's not experienced enough yet. If we're building to 2012/14 Smalling should be in there. Tons of potential and he's getting big game experience. Baines isn't better than Ashley Cole and is more experienced despite Baines having a good season. I wouldn't play 4-5-1 with anyone other than Rooney as the striker...Carroll and Bent aren't good enough when it comes to the quarter finals of major tournaments IMO. But I agree other than that. Walcott is one of our best two/three wingers and is ideal for a 4-3-3 because he scores more goals than the rest of them.This should be the England first XI imo:
4-3-3:
---------------------------------Hart----------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
--Johnson----------Cahill---------------------Ferdinand--------Baines--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------Gerrard--------------------------------
--------------------Parker-------------------Wilshere------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------A. Young-----------------------------------Rooney----------
--------------------------------Carroll----------------------------------
4-5-1:
---------------------------------Hart----------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
--Johnson----------Cahill---------------------Ferdinand--------Baines--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------Gerrard--------------------------------
--A. Johnson---------Parker------------------Wilshere--------A. Young-
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------Carroll/Bent/Rooney--------------------------
and Lampard shouldn't even be on the bench.