Paul Scholes Appreciation Thread

flahavaj

Surprised theres no thread yet.

Confirmed his retirement today. The finest English footballer of his generation and will go down in United history as one of the club's truly iconic players. We may have players as good as him again, but few if any will be better.:(

SlickRic

the fact the entire Barca midfield pretty much idolise him says a lot.

the fact Zidane called him the best says a lot.

the fact Bobby Charlton heralds him as the best of the modern era says a lot.

i think you could pick out any midfield player of the last 20 years, ask them who the best is, and who they'd want in their team, and it would have been Paul Scholes.

the best English midfielder of the last 20 years - it could be ever, it's just i'm not old enough to make a judgment call.

he could control a game, shoot with either foot, dribble, head the ball, make late runs into the box, could do just about everything bar tackle

as i say, if you have Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets trying to swap shirts with you at the end of your swansong, rather than concentrating on celebrating one of the finest victories of your career, then, well, you've achieved something.

dahat

The great man has retired,what a sad day..

We have lost Neville,VDS,Scholes in one season,i am saddened but all 3 done the right thing.
Scholes will be missed greatly,definately one of the best i have seen in the jersey.

flahavaj

LOL, I may have jumped the gun here, not officially confirned yet but either way he deserves out appreciation.:pac:

Peps's compliment to him after the game sums it up really.

v3ttel

An absolute legend of the game and an example to all professionals. A truly great player.

He will rightly go down as one of the best midfielders to ever play for MUFC.

Boskowski

I don't know what ye are all on about. He's grand, good player but what's with all the over the board praises? he is not thjat fkn good or ever has been.
Or is there something I fail to see?

That_Guy

Quality midfielder. His passing range was just immense.

That_Guy

Boskowski wrote: »

I don't know what ye are all on about. He's grand, good player but what's with all the over the board praises? he is not thjat fkn good or ever has been.
Or is there something I fail to see?

Yes obviously.

Professey Chin

Boskowski wrote: »

I don't know what ye are all on about. He's grand, good player but what's with all the over the board praises? he is not thjat fkn good or ever has been.
Or is there something I fail to see?

Id say something you fail to see since the best managers & players in the world have sung his praises repeatedly

Kess73

He has to be one of the finest players to play in his position in the English game, bit like how Giggs was one of the best ever in the English game in his position.

SlickRic

Boskowski wrote: »

I don't know what ye are all on about. He's grand, good player but what's with all the over the board praises? he is not thjat fkn good or ever has been.
Or is there something I fail to see?

i think you're missing something.

i fail to see what you're unimpressed with.

he could do everything.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKFuBWky3xU

J. Marston

Boskowski wrote: »

I don't know what ye are all on about. He's grand, good player but what's with all the over the board praises? he is not thjat fkn good or ever has been.
Or is there something I fail to see?

It's not your fault, you just don't know much about football.

dahat

Boskowski wrote: »

I don't know what ye are all on about. He's grand, good player but what's with all the over the board praises? he is not thjat fkn good or ever has been.
Or is there something I fail to see?

Ask Xavi,Inesta,Pep Guardiola,Zidane,Capello.........list is endless

steelcityblues

My favourite player of the last 20 years.

What a fine career - well done Scholesy!

Johnny Utah

Hey, what happened to my thread?

Yeah, anyway, as I said earlier, Scholes is probably the single most overrated footballer in world football, no joke. The RTE panel (the same pundits who don't even rate C Ronaldo, LOL) consider Scholesy to be up there with Pele & Maradona! :rolleyes:

Also, what has he ever achieved at international level?

Kess73

Johnny Utah wrote: »

Hey, what happened to my thread?

Yeah, anyway, as I said earlier, Scholes is probably the single most overrated footballer in world football, no joke. The RTE panel (the same pundits who don't even rate C Ronaldo, LOL) consider Scholesy to be up there with Pele & Maradona! :rolleyes:

Also, what has he ever achieved at international level?

About as much as George Best, Roy Keane, Liam Brady etc etc

RasTa

Boskowski wrote: »

I don't know what ye are all on about. He's grand, good player but what's with all the over the board praises? he is not thjat fkn good or ever has been.
Or is there something I fail to see?

Yes, in fact you should stop watching football.

“Paul Scholes would have been one of my first choices for putting together a great team - that goes to show how highly I have always rated him. He would have been one of the first players I’d have bought, given the chance”

Marcello Lippi

I tell anyone who asks me - Scholes is the best English player.
o Laurent Blanc.

* I'm not the best, Paul Scholes is.
o Edgar Davids.

"He knows how to do everything, and he is the one who directs the way his team plays. "On top of that, he has indestructible mental strength, and he is a genuine competitor."

Theirry Henry

Pep Guardiola : "Out of everyone at Manchester United, I would pick out Scholes - he is the best midfielder of his generation, I would have loved to have played alongside him."

Eidur Gudjohnsen : "I'm more an admirer of Paul Scholes than I am of Ronaldo. Ronaldo is a fantastic player, but he has 10 other great players around him every week...Scholes is one of the most complete footballers I've ever seen. His one-touch play is phenomenal. Whenever I have played against him, I never felt I could get close to him."

Zinedine Zidane : "My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder."

Zinedine Zidane : "Scholes is undoubtedly the best midfielder of his generation."

dahat

Johnny Utah wrote: »

Also, what has he ever achieved at international level?

One man does not make a team,England as a nation have struggled at world level since 1966 so to suggest he failed at international level is wrong.
Wonder if players like Messi will succeed at international level?either way international achievements do not make or break a player

parker kent

Boskowski wrote: »

I don't know what ye are all on about. He's grand, good player but what's with all the over the board praises? he is not thjat fkn good or ever has been.
Or is there something I fail to see?

He clearly is that good. Well he was that good anyway in his pomp.

tommyhaas

Always admired Paul Scholes, both for his ability on the pitch and modesty off it

He's one of those players who's contribution can't be measured just by his own performance, but should also be measured by the improvement in that of others as he brings them into play. What he adds to the side is immense

I know he's an Oldham fan, IIRC he's talked before about playing for them before. Do you think there's any chance he could leave Utd and go there for a year?

flahavaj

The fact that Capello begged him to come back last Summer when his best days were well behind him, because even then he was still a better passer than any otehr Englidh plyer shows how unique he is/was in the current generation.

Johnny Utah

Kess73 wrote: »

About as much as George Best, Roy Keane, Liam Brady etc etc

You've lost me?

Keano dragged a mediocre team single-handedly to the World Cup in 2002, despite being a group of death containing Holland & portugal!

Liam Brady, probably the most skillful player ever to play for Ireland!

Seriously, Scholes doesn't even come close to any of these players, especially on international level!

Keano

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 speaking about Scholes in a recent interview

steelcityblues

Kess73 wrote: »

About as much as George Best, Roy Keane, Liam Brady etc etc

George Weah, JP Papin, Samuel Eto'o and so on!

dahat

Johnny Utah wrote: »

You've lost me?


Liam Brady, probably the most skillful player ever to play for Ireland!

Scholes n England the same,his passing and arriving late in the box were immense at his pomp.

RasTa

Johnny Utah wrote: »

You've lost me?

Keano dragged a mediocre team single-handedly to the World Cup in 2002, despite being a group of death containing Holland & portugal!

Liam Brady, probably the most skillful player ever to play for Ireland!

Seriously, Scholes doesn't even come close to any of these players, especially on international level!

This coming from the man who said Gerrard or maybe James Mccarthy should replace Pedro and Busquets at Barca :rolleyes:

flahavaj

Johnny Utah wrote: »

You've lost me?

Keano dragged a mediocre team single-handedly to the World Cup in 2002, despite being a group of death containing Holland & portugal!

Liam Brady, probably the most skillful player ever to play for Ireland!

Seriously, Scholes doesn't even come close to any of these players, especially on international level!

As Unitedv fan i can honstly say I hold Scholes in just as high, if not higher esteem than Keane.

If Brady is one of the most skilful to play for Ireland then Scholes can make a similar claim about England tbh.

I remember him scoring lots of goals for Englan over the years as well, the way you talk he was useless for them which is pure boll*x. He had a very good international career and Capello would still have had him back despite his being clearly past it last Summer.

You're talking rubbish in short.

Johnny Utah

Kess73 wrote: »

About as much as George Best, Roy Keane, Liam Brady etc etc

Geez, it's like a United love-in here!

SlickRic

Johnny Utah wrote: »

Liam Brady, probably the most skillful player ever to play for Ireland!

Seriously, Scholes doesn't even come close to any of these players, especially on international level!

you do know Liam Brady did fúck all at international level?

what has Gerrard done at international level?

Lampard? Shearer? Terry? Ferdinand?

a ridiculous argument.

Scholes is anything but underrated.

i have no problem if some may not think he was Maradona or Pelé re-incarnated (though i see nobody claiming he is), but if you can't see he was absolute top quality, then you should probably give up watching football, or, your judgment is clouded by the poor imitation you've seen for the vast majority of the last 2/3 years.

or you're simply looking for a rise, in which case, be very careful.

S.R.F.C.

Has he retired or what?!

PHB

Legend.

TheTownie

Johnny Utah wrote: »

Geez, it's like a United love-in here!

The fact your thread was removed should tell you your opinion is incredibly wide of the mark!

SlickRic

Johnny Utah wrote: »

Geez, it's like a United love-in here!

you can have great respect for a club and its past greats, while still having a healthy dislike for them.

Ulysses Gaze

Johnny Utah wrote: »

You've lost me?

Keano dragged a mediocre team single-handedly to the World Cup in 2002, despite being a group of death containing Holland & portugal!

Liam Brady, probably the most skillful player ever to play for Ireland!

Seriously, Scholes doesn't even come close to any of these players, especially on international level!

Given that three top class Champions League winning coaches who are not English rate Scholes so highly (Lippi, Capello and Guardiola) I think you are missing something......

parker kent

Johnny Utah wrote: »

Geez, it's like a United love-in here!

What has Liam Brady got to do with United? People are looking beyond one eyed loyalties and praising a man who has been the top English midfielder of his generation.

Johnny Utah

parker kent wrote: »

What has Liam Brady got to do with United? People are looking beyond one eyed loyalties and praising a man who has been the top English midfielder of his generation.

I never mentioned Liam Brady, Kess73 did!

Bad comparison, I'd agree!

Sgt Pepper 64

Always hated him, dirty cheating fecker

OctavarIan

Don't let the troll ruin this thread.

Really looking forward to Scholes' autobiography later in the year, should be a cracking read.

I do think he is right to retire now. He can't bomb forward anymore and it was always obviously his favourite part of the game. Although as a Utd fan there's a feeling of "now what..." with regards to midfield

101001

is there any truth to the rumours that he might be taking up a coaching position within United?

No doubt he's a ridiculously clever player, do youse reckon he'd make a decent manager. Or maybe even a replacement for Sir Alex?

Sgt Pepper 64

OctavarIan wrote: »

Don't let the troll ruin this thread.

Really looking forward to Scholes' autobiography later in the year, should be a cracking read.

I do think he is right to retire now. He can't bomb forward anymore and it was always obviously his favourite part of the game. Although as a Utd fan there's a feeling of "now what..." with regards to midfield

Dont call me a troll lad.
Its well known he is, at best, a "bad" tackler, arsene wenger and Sergio Busquets agree!

http://thisisfutbol.com/2011/03/blogs/the-premier-leagues-worst-tackler

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W66JLyOAt7g

Yes he has his passing, but tackles and bad sportmanship reduce him in my eyes from Giggs for example

JimsAlterEgo

Johnny Utah wrote: »

Hey, what happened to my thread?

Yeah, anyway, as I said earlier, Scholes is probably the single most overrated footballer in world football, no joke. The RTE panel (the same pundits who don't even rate C Ronaldo, LOL) consider Scholesy to be up there with Pele & Maradona! :rolleyes:

Also, what has he ever achieved at international level?

shut up!! This is an appreciation thread!

tommyhaas

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

Always hated him, dirty cheating fecker

Cheating? What's that about?

Yea he's put in a fair few bad tackles, but he's a hard tackler, its inevitable that that sort of player will be guilty of a few bad tackles

parker kent

Johnny Utah wrote: »

I never mentioned Liam Brady, Kess73 did!

Bad comparison, I'd agree!

He said "About as much as George Best, Roy Keane, Liam Brady etc etc". Pointing out the obvious fact that players recognised as greats have not always won international competitions. You quoted that post saying "Geez, it's like a United love-in here!". So you clearly referred to Brady as being part of a United love in.

Anyway, this nonsense shouldn't ruin a thread marking the career of a great player. The video of his best goals is a cracker. The Villa goal can be watched over and over.

Essien

If you don't fully appreciate a player of such immense ability, then you don't fully appreciate football. He was/is an awesome player.

He spent 2 decades doing the simple fundamental stuff right and making the sublime seem effortless. He really was the complete midfielder.

Ulysses Gaze

101001 wrote: »

is there any truth to the rumours that he might be taking up a coaching position within United?

No doubt he's a ridiculously clever player, do youse reckon he'd make a decent manager. Or maybe even a replacement for Sir Alex?

Would he want the limelight it brings given his character?

I'd see him more as an Assistant Manager tbh. If he translated the tactical acumen he had on the pitch to a coaching role.

pbowenroe

dahat wrote: »

Ask Xavi,Inesta,Pep Guardiola,Zidane,Capello.........list is endless

All those are better than Scholes was, with the exception of Capello and maybe Guardiola.

The Recliner

It had to happen eventually but it is sad to see

Scholes was an excellent player and managed to prolong his career by being a smart one and altering his role to suit his physical capabilities

He never really did get the hang of tackling though but it was part of what made him interesting to watch

Football will be a poorer place without him on the pitch but I am sure if he has an interest in it he will make a fine coach

JimsAlterEgo

SlickRic wrote: »

you do know Liam Brady did fúck all at international level?

what has Gerrard done at international level?

Lampard? Shearer? Terry? Ferdinand?

a ridiculous argument.

Scholes is anything but underrated.

i have no problem if some may not think he was Maradona or Pelé re-incarnated (though i see nobody claiming he is), but if you can't see he was absolute top quality, then you should probably give up watching football, or, your judgment is clouded by the poor imitation you've seen for the vast majority of the last 2/3 years.

or you're simply looking for a rise, in which case, be very careful.

time to invoke that new rule

Victor McDade

A few thoughts on Scholes

-I got the impression he had almost lost interest in the game towards the end of the season, it's probably the right time to go.
-Genius of a player, was bloody good at most things and exceptional at the rest.
-I reckon he'll disappear off the scene completely, such is his dislike of the spotlight.
-With him and Keane in their prime, United were unmatched in midfield IMO, even the great Arsenal midfield of the early 2000s weren't even close.

Thanks for the many, many memories Paul.

(As a United fan) Crap, what now?? :eek:

IvySlayer

I really hope Scholes gets a coaching role at United.

SlickRic

ok, folks, it's Monday, i really don't want to resort to handing out infractions and bans, i'm not arsed...so here is your official warning.

1. this is an appreciation thread - the topic is what is liked about Paul Scholes. you can highlight his tackling as a weakness, but any mad tangents villifying the player will not be tolerated.

2. STOP CALLING PEOPLE TROLLS. next one to do so gets banned. i warned the Liverpool thread a couple of weeks ago; now i'm doing the same again in here. IT'S AGAINST THE CHARTER.

any muppetry will not be tolerated from here on in.

the Champions League Final thread, in general was a delight, and well done to everyone (which is why i'm exercising lenience for the minute); don't everyone ruin it all by being muppets now and making us throw out infractions and bans, but WE WILL IF IT CONTINUES.

read the charter again if you need to, and cop on.

*EDIT: i'm leaving a lot of posts in, as a lot of you dealt with stuff maturely, and i don't want to delete everything. but from here on in, just stay on topic.