Rooney: Time for support or the stocks?

Fabio Capello’s controversial selection of Wayne Rooney seemed justified in last night’s Euro 2012 qualifying victory over Switzerland, with the Manchester United forward scoring and finding himself restored to the back as well as front pages with a man-of-the-match performance.

The most pertinent question for football fans related not to his actions as a man, but concerned the potential impact such a media circus may have had on Rooney as a player, not to mention the remainder of his dressing room. Should the sporting, public and media spheres permit Rooney the opportunity to demonstrate, on and off the pitch, some of the pugilism he has consistently displayed since emerging as a promising schoolboy?

Is the PFA doing enough to educate these young - often naïve - testosterone-fuelled WAG-magnets about the hazards of their profession? Or is it really down to the player, regardless of the numerous conscientious parties offering a helping hand, to avoid a path narcissism and thoughtless self-indulgence?

Do Wayne Rooney and the like deserve another chance? Should his private life remain private, permitting him to re-offend and keep his England place so long as he maintains his form on the pitch? Or is it time we condemned stars like Rooney, sidelining them both publicly and professionally, in favour of more suitable role models?