Harry Redknapp slams 'silly boy' Wayne Rooney

Rooney could miss the FA Cup semi-final (GETTY)

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp tonight slammed Wayne Rooney for the foul-mouthed rant that followed his hat-trick against West Ham and insisted that the Manchester United striker fully deserved his Football Association charge.

The FA announced this afternoon that Rooney has been charged with "use of offensive, insulting and/or abusive language" following his expletive-ridden celebration at West Ham on Saturday.

The England striker issued an apology after the Red Devils' 4-2 win, but that may not have been enough to save him from a ban that could see him ruled out of United's FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City in two weeks' time.

Redknapp joined the long line of pundits and ex-officials who condemned the rant tonight, insisting that the 25-year-old deserved to be charged.

"I haven't heard what he said as I was driving back from Wigan but I've read what's been reported in the papers," Redknapp said at a press conference ahead of Spurs' game against Real Madrid.

"I don't know why he did that. I don't remember Bobby Charlton doing that when he used to smack goals into the top corner from 35 yards.

"Why do these young players have to be so angry with the world? I don't know why. They are getting hundreds of thousands of pounds a week.

"I respect him (Rooney) as a player but he is a silly boy for what he did and he shouldn't have done it."