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FA has opened up a can of worms: Redknapp on Rooney appeal

December 10, 2011 08:49 IST

Harry Redknapp and David Moyes became the latest Premier League managers to round on the English FA on Friday in the aftermath of their appeal against Wayne Rooney's Euro 2012 ban.

Redknapp said the FA's stance had "opened up a can of worms" while Moyes described his experience of the governing body's appeals process as a "kangaroo court".

Wayne RooneyKenny Dalglish said on Thursday, that the FA had failed to set an example in appealing the England striker's suspension.

Rooney, who was banned for kicking out at Montenegro's Miodrag Dzudovic in a qualifying match, had his three-game suspension reduced to two by UEFA on Thursday following a successful appeal from the FA.

"For them to get it from three to two, it opens up a can of worms," Tottenham manager Redknapp said.

"There will be clubs appealing against bans and they will want to know why they aren't getting it cut from three to two for similar situations.

"People will look at it and think, 'Hang on, the FA have gone and appealed against his red, why can't we?'"

Everton manager Moyes contrasted the Rooney situation with his experience of appeals to the FA.

"You should see us when we try to appeal -- it's absolute murder," he said.

"I've got to say, the times that I have been in front them, it's like a kangaroo court, you've got no chance."

In response to Dalglish's criticism, the FA released a statement defending their decision to appeal on the grounds that UEFA's disciplinary system was different to theirs.

"The FA's system allows clubs to make a claim of wrongful dismissal -- to reduce a sanction to zero -- or appeal the severity of a sanction, both of these processes are dealt with prior to the player's next fixture," the FA said.

"UEFA chooses to operate a different process for European matches, based on a sliding scale, under which each sanction is determined individually by a disciplinary panel."

Source: REUTERS
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