Random bump for a long forgotten bit of Scholes (and Ole) magic! (It's timestamped to the move, you don't need to watch the whole match)
How good was Paul Scholes?
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
Zinedine Zidane has called him "the greatest of his generation". Xavi hailed him as "the best central midfielder of the past 15 or 20 years".
So pretty good, I reckon.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2011/may/31/paul-scholes-manchester-united-retired
So pretty good, I reckon.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2011/may/31/paul-scholes-manchester-united-retired
The most over rated under rated player of all time.
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Him and Beckham are my favourite players ever and the reason I started playing football.
Also had an immense amount of respect for Zidane, Ronaldo, Del Piero, Ricardo and Roberto Carlos. What a team that would have been.
Also had an immense amount of respect for Zidane, Ronaldo, Del Piero, Ricardo and Roberto Carlos. What a team that would have been.
Damn, that's a great sequence of moves. The goalkick, Solskjær's raid, Scholes' chip and Ruud's nutmeg and pirouette. Deserved a goal at least!
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90s to late 2000s was kinda the wilderness years of football sandwiched between the greatness of maradona and and modern dupoly with football transitioning more and more into it's modern commercialized state but damn if I don't love that group of players.
I guess United dominating didn't hurt either.
The season with Ruud 
No timestamp when I click on it. Can you post the time for me please?
Was at this match but it was a long time ago
Anyone else prefer the young Scholes who played as a second striker, he was brilliant for both club and Country, the amount of goals he would score with his head during that period for such a small guy
Intelligent player with excellent finishing abilities and an excellent passer of the ball.
I like the 1995 - 2001 player the most.
Post 2001 he was twice the player though, especially when he started to dictate games..
I like the 1995 - 2001 player the most.
Post 2001 he was twice the player though, especially when he started to dictate games..
The best midfielder in my 50 years following the team. A different player to Keane and Robson who were both brilliant in their own right. A superb master at controlling a game whilst being a playmaker and goal scorer.
wont mention his tackling. Whilst i was alive when Charlton played i was to young to appreciate.
wont mention his tackling. Whilst i was alive when Charlton played i was to young to appreciate.
My kind of a player, i love players like Scholes, Xavi, Iniesta and Modric these are the players who make the game for me and i enjoy watching them the most.
Scholes is the best United player i have seen to put bluntly a man who could do most things and was pretty nasty as well the perfect player.
Scholes is the best United player i have seen to put bluntly a man who could do most things and was pretty nasty as well the perfect player.
How many other players have successfully and so smoothly transitioned from starting out as a great goal scoring second striker to then becoming a great deep lying playmaker?
Solskjaer looks especially nifty on the right there.
What they said about Scholes .....
“There is no doubt for me that Paul Scholes is still in a class of his own. He’s almost untouchable in what he does. I never tire of watching him play. You rarely come across the complete footballer, but Scholes is as close to it as you can get. One of my regrets is that the opportunity to play alongside him never presented itself during my career.” – Zinedine Zidane
“I’m star-struck when I see Paul Scholes because you never see him. On the pitch you can’t catch him. Off the pitch he disappears.” – Luis Figo
“In the last 15 to 20 years the best central midfielder that I have seen — the most complete — is Scholes. I have spoken with Xabi Alonso about this many times. Scholes is a spectacular player who has everything. He can play the final pass, he can score, he is strong, he never gets knocked off the ball and he doesn’t give possession away. If he had been Spanish then maybe he would have been valued more.” –Xavi Hernandez
“At Arsenal me and Patrick (Vieira) didn’t want to face Scholes. We would avoid him.” – Emmanuel Petit
“When he passes the ball it stays passed. The ball goes exactly where he wants it to. I have always loved him for that. I played against him once or twice and he is an absolute genius. He is a role model for anyone who wants to play football. He is a joy to watch. In fact, I wish he was 21, then I could see his career all over again.” – Ian Holloway
“I have no hesitation in putting a name to the embodiment of all that I think is best about football. It’s Paul Scholes. Many great players have worn the shirt of Manchester United. Players I worshipped, then lost with my youth in Munich. Players like Denis Law and George Best who I enjoyed so much as team-mates and now, finally, players I have watched closely in the Alex Ferguson era. And in so many ways Scholes is my favourite. I love his nous and conviction that he will find a way to win, to make the killer pass or produce the decisive volley. When a game reaches a vital phase, these qualities seem to come out of his every pore. He’s always on the ball, always turning on goal. He’s always looking to bring other people into the action and if he loses possession you think he must be ill.” – Sir Bobby Charlton
“He’s always one of those people others talk about. Even playing at Real Madrid, the players always say to me ‘what’s he like’? They respect him as a footballer and see him as the ultimate.” – David Beckham
“Without any doubt the best player in the Premiership has to be Scholes. He knows how to do everything, and he is one who directs the way his team plays. On top of that, he has indestructible mental strength and he is a genuine competitor.” – Thierry Henry
“I want to pass like him. Who taught him how to do that?” – Ronaldinho
“He’s the phenomenon.” – Ronaldo – The Brazilian one
And finally, as a bonus quote, and my personal favourite, when Zinedine Zidane was once asked in an interview, “What does it feel like to be the best player in the world?” The Frenchman replied, “I don’t know, ask Paul Scholes”
“There is no doubt for me that Paul Scholes is still in a class of his own. He’s almost untouchable in what he does. I never tire of watching him play. You rarely come across the complete footballer, but Scholes is as close to it as you can get. One of my regrets is that the opportunity to play alongside him never presented itself during my career.” – Zinedine Zidane
“I’m star-struck when I see Paul Scholes because you never see him. On the pitch you can’t catch him. Off the pitch he disappears.” – Luis Figo
“In the last 15 to 20 years the best central midfielder that I have seen — the most complete — is Scholes. I have spoken with Xabi Alonso about this many times. Scholes is a spectacular player who has everything. He can play the final pass, he can score, he is strong, he never gets knocked off the ball and he doesn’t give possession away. If he had been Spanish then maybe he would have been valued more.” –Xavi Hernandez
“At Arsenal me and Patrick (Vieira) didn’t want to face Scholes. We would avoid him.” – Emmanuel Petit
“When he passes the ball it stays passed. The ball goes exactly where he wants it to. I have always loved him for that. I played against him once or twice and he is an absolute genius. He is a role model for anyone who wants to play football. He is a joy to watch. In fact, I wish he was 21, then I could see his career all over again.” – Ian Holloway
“I have no hesitation in putting a name to the embodiment of all that I think is best about football. It’s Paul Scholes. Many great players have worn the shirt of Manchester United. Players I worshipped, then lost with my youth in Munich. Players like Denis Law and George Best who I enjoyed so much as team-mates and now, finally, players I have watched closely in the Alex Ferguson era. And in so many ways Scholes is my favourite. I love his nous and conviction that he will find a way to win, to make the killer pass or produce the decisive volley. When a game reaches a vital phase, these qualities seem to come out of his every pore. He’s always on the ball, always turning on goal. He’s always looking to bring other people into the action and if he loses possession you think he must be ill.” – Sir Bobby Charlton
“He’s always one of those people others talk about. Even playing at Real Madrid, the players always say to me ‘what’s he like’? They respect him as a footballer and see him as the ultimate.” – David Beckham
“Without any doubt the best player in the Premiership has to be Scholes. He knows how to do everything, and he is one who directs the way his team plays. On top of that, he has indestructible mental strength and he is a genuine competitor.” – Thierry Henry
“I want to pass like him. Who taught him how to do that?” – Ronaldinho
“He’s the phenomenon.” – Ronaldo – The Brazilian one
And finally, as a bonus quote, and my personal favourite, when Zinedine Zidane was once asked in an interview, “What does it feel like to be the best player in the world?” The Frenchman replied, “I don’t know, ask Paul Scholes”
As an old timer I'm going to go against the grain here. He was a brilliant player, world class in his prime, but perhaps a little overrated by many United fans.
Technically excellent, 360° vision, laser accurate short and long-range passing, superb shooting. But he really had no physicality whatsoever, no defensive ability, no leadership qualities and was very slow. Which meant he sometimes struggled against fast fluent midfields. You needed a Keane next to him and a Rio and Vidic behind him to allow him to do his thing.
Keane was a much better all-rounder, and Robson was pure inspiration, they were two all-time greats that could get into United's best ever 11. Scholes, as superb as he was, would just about get on the bench.
Technically excellent, 360° vision, laser accurate short and long-range passing, superb shooting. But he really had no physicality whatsoever, no defensive ability, no leadership qualities and was very slow. Which meant he sometimes struggled against fast fluent midfields. You needed a Keane next to him and a Rio and Vidic behind him to allow him to do his thing.
Keane was a much better all-rounder, and Robson was pure inspiration, they were two all-time greats that could get into United's best ever 11. Scholes, as superb as he was, would just about get on the bench.
I liked "comeback from retirement" Scholes a bit more
We wasn't as good all-round of course, but I remember making a point when I watched him live of paying special attention to him. Seeing him make space to receive the ball, knowing what he wanted to do with it before he received it, one touch pass, one touch pass.
Perhaps things that sound simple and won't win you MOTM, but so effective and beautiful to watch.
We wasn't as good all-round of course, but I remember making a point when I watched him live of paying special attention to him. Seeing him make space to receive the ball, knowing what he wanted to do with it before he received it, one touch pass, one touch pass.
Perhaps things that sound simple and won't win you MOTM, but so effective and beautiful to watch.
This is such a myth made only because he was shit at tackling. There is so much to midfield defensive game than just being able to tackle players, his defensive movement was actually ridiculously good simply because he was intelligent and knew how to read the game.
For example Rooney was great 1 on 1 defensively, but he is terrible when it comes to reading the game and defensive movement, just like someone like Mctominay, and for that alone our midfield looked better when Scholes was 37 in comparision with Rooney there who was good individually but he didn't make good midfielder in general.
Scholes biggest problem is that our style never fitted his style of game, IMO, he would be recognised as much better player if he was playing outside England.
Didn't he once kick Ronaldo at a tree?
He played in a midfield 2 with Keane and Carrick for most of his career of course he had this
I put him above Giggs honestly, when United lost Scholes we lost the pendulum and control of our games.
He was the most important United player in our title winning sides IMO.
He was the most important United player in our title winning sides IMO.
No timestamp when I click on it. Can you post the time for me please?
Was at this match but it was a long time ago
1:02:56
Yes he really excelled in that position that season, to the point that he kept Becks out of the team for some big games
Wow you forget how sharp Ruud was too, just watched a load of that match. What a team that was.
I’d have absolutely loved to have seen him play in that Barcelona team with Xavi and Iniesta. One of the only players that could’ve improved that team. You wouldn’t be able to get the ball from them three together
Very underrated during his playing days and massively overrated after retirement.
His 02/03 and 06/07 seasons will take some doing to beat and not a single midfielder in our team has come close to that level since then.
His 02/03 and 06/07 seasons will take some doing to beat and not a single midfielder in our team has come close to that level since then.
It's bemusing why pundits and sports journos and even so many ex England players will rave about Rooney, Gascoigne or foden as generational talent for England but ignore Scholes who could do something none of these players could do and what england have missed sorely and that is pull the strings of the team and control the tempo of the match and can't even remember in my life time any English midfielder being able to do that on his level.
My controversial opinion is that you could swap Xavi out for post-eye issues Scholes in that classic Pep-era Barça midfield and they'd barely miss a beat. It's a testament to the guy's ability that he was able to shine in Fergie's dynamic, all action style of football where his physical limitations would normally have been a big weakness.
Really don’t think post-2007 Scholes had the stamina to take Xavi’s place in that Barca side.
This is the biggest argument for Scholes over Lampard & Gerrard - once their physical levels waned, they were literally half the player. Whereas Scholesy was still bossing games from deep in his late 30s up.
That's true, I almost put ", on the ball at least" on the end of that sentence but decided against it
Did that last one really happen? It is identical to Hendrix being asked how it feels to be the best guitarist in the world and suggesting the interviewer ask Rory Gallagher.
I never really felt we controlled games. More pinged it out wide for Becks to cross it in. Keane was more of a general and in his later years was the player who our defender offloaded to.
Michael Laudrup
I always find these quotes amusing because they always picked players ahead of him when it came to awards/accolades
This
Scholes never had that impact at the highest level (England/Champions league). He's more a premier league legend.
For a half season/bit part role. In his late days United struggled to get ahold of midfield even vs teams like Norwich but Carrick and RVP bailed us out.
Probably because all awards are based on an individual season, whereas their comments on him are across his career.
I wouldn't take any individual season of Scholesy over Beckham or Giggs' peak seasons, but I'd say he was the more talented footballer of all the 92 crew.
Players who run at pace and beat players always the more exciting, eye catching players, so are more likely to get the generational talent flag.
I really can’t think of a title winning season where he was our most important player.
I hear you. personally I'd go with Becks but its not an unreasonable train of thought
Thank you1:02:56
Yes he really excelled in that position that season, to the point that he kept Becks out of the team for some big games
I can’t even remember which years we won it and who was in the team, not with any certainty. But I do remember the feeling I had through all those years and it was that we were significantly better with Scholes in the team.
So probably most years when we won (and also when we didn’t) he was our most important player, to me, because of the way we played with him in the team.
He became my favourite player after he changed his game. The Bobby Charlton quote sums up my feelings on Scholes.
To me, it is a truism to say he was our most important player because he was the best.
Well without breaking it down season by season, I’d argue that after he broke into the first team in 1994, our most important players were - Cantona (94-96), Keane (96-02), RVN (02-06), Ronaldo (06-09), Rooney (09-12) and RVP (12/13).