Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, believes there is much to admire in what Rooney does on and off the pitch.

“If you are talking about role models, he has been a role model for achievement and what he has done at a very young age,” Taylor told the Press Association.

“You would hope he would be encouraged by the English Schools FA, rather than this action being taken.

“That’s their choice but one that I do not approve of.

“I am sure those young lads would love the chance to train with Wayne Rooney.”

Rooney, the PFA’s Young Player of the Year, was booked to appear as a guest of honour at an under-13s Coca-Cola Cup semi-final at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium next Monday.

But football chiefs made alternative plans after the recent row over Rooney’s tirade of expletives during a crucial Premiership clash and various allegations over his private life.

Last month, Rooney’s lawyers issued legal proceedings over a newspaper story claiming he slapped his girlfriend Coleen McLoughlin in a nightclub in Alderley Edge, Cheshire. Rooney denies the allegation.

On the pitch, Rooney was caught on camera in February shouting the F-word at referee Graham Poll 20 times during Manchester United’s game against Arsenal at Highbury.

Taylor said: “He is a winner and at times things may well boil over. That happens to all people.

“You have to remember he is only a young man. He cannot be expected to have an old head on young shoulders all the time.

“You speak as you find and I have always found him extremely respectful.

“He is always willing to pay tribute to the people who helped him get to where he is.”

ESFA chief executive John Read told Sky Sports News: “We just feel there are better role models at the moment for schools football.

“The first thing is that Wayne wasn’t a schools player, he is from the new set-up of academies and hasn’t actually played for his school.

“Secondly, we see a lot of bad behaviour these days on the field and we just feel it’s not a good example for all those young schoolchildren out there.”

Of Rooney’s bad language at Highbury, Read added: “That has been seen by millions of children on the TV and there is no excuse for that.

“(The decision to drop Rooney) was made by us and supported by Coca-Cola.

“We agree that he is a fantastic player and if any club at all can help him with his behaviour on the field it’s Manchester United.

“There’s no doubt about his skill as a player but there’s also no doubt about some of his antics on the field and we should explain to children why we don’t like that.

“The very young ones especially will copy him but at the end of the day somebody has got to make a stand about the current behaviour on the field.”

The player’s spokesman Ian Monk said: “We have no comment to make at all.”

Rooney has publicly backed London’s bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games.

He said: “Having the Olympics in Britain would be great for getting kids involved in sport.

“Seeing the world’s best athletes in action would be really inspiring and anything which encourages children to be more active gets my support."