The idea that this could have been an ‘orange card’ tackle is wrong.
Referee Martin Atkinson was absolutely right to dismiss Charlie Adam; his studs-led lunge was out of control and could have caused serious injury.
However, the idea of a new disciplinary sanction has been suggested many times, with the FA’s ‘law man’, former referee David Elleray, an advocate of the sin-bin option.
Rugby enforces the temporary exclusion of players for certain offences and I would encourage a trial along similar lines in football, but not for the type of tackle Adam committed on Rooney.