Scholes retires

[Christmas Tree 4858]

http://www.express.co.uk/football/view/249...acking-his-bags

 

PAUL SCHOLES has told Manchester United he is retiring after 17 years in their first team.

His appearance as a 77th-minute substitute in the Champions League final at Wembley on Saturday was his 676th and last competitive outing for the club.

 

Midfielder Paul Scholes is understood to have made up his mind after United clinched their record 19th Premier League title at Blackburn a fortnight ago and wanted to make his decision public after the final home game against Blackpool last weekend.

But Sir Alex Ferguson asked him to delay the announcement to avoid any distraction for the team ahead of the Wembley match. The manager still hopes to persuade him to accept United’s offer of a year’s extension, but Scholes, who will be 37 in November, has told his family and close friends that he is finished.

 

It would have been great to go out on a win but it didn’t happen

Edwin van der Sar

He has made no secret that he does not enjoy being a squad player and does not want to go through another season spending most of his time on the bench.

Scholes, who made his debut in 1994, is fourth on United’s all-time appearance list.

He dropped a big hint that he is hanging up his boots when he revealed recently he is organising a testimonial in August and is also writing his autobiography, which will be published in the autumn.

Ferguson is lining up a bid for Tottenham’s Luka Modric to replace him.

Edwin van der Sar’s career has also ended with the painful defeat.

Edited May 30, 2011 by Christmas Tree

[Tom 14020]

Get in.

[LoveTheBobby 1]

always had a lot of time and respect for him as a footballer and person.

[Sonatine 11601]

Great player, dirty bastard too mind. Fair few red cards and it should have been a lot more.

[Tooj 17]

The best Englishman in his position since Gascoigne.

[Barney 0]

Goodnight, sweet prince.

 

[Tooj 17]

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."

 

Jose Mourinho : “Scholes? Fantastic! Why isn’t he playing for England? It is crazy. Only in England. Scholes is a great, great player. So experienced and still, for me, one of the best in the world in midfield. Manchester United are lucky to have him.”

 

Micah Richards : "He's always in the right position, always seems to be at the end of the box when the ball drops in. The complete midfielder - when he's fit, he's the best. Some go missing but he's in the right place at the right time. He's my favourite player of all-time, unbelievable. If you give him a chance it's a goal, isn't it?"

 

Glenn Hoddle : "There isn’t a player of his mould anywhere else in the world."

 

Terry Venables : "He’s the best one- or two-touch passer in the country. He sees the game unlike any other player."

 

Alan Shearer : "If you ask footballers to pick out the player they most admire, so many of them will pick Paul Scholes. He can tackle, and his passing and shooting is of the highest level. He’s the most consistent and naturally gifted player we’ve had for a long, long time."

 

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."

 

Edgar Davids : ""Every one of us (midfielders) is just trying to become as good as him. Everyone can learn from Paul Scholes."

 

Edgar Davids : "I'm not the best, Paul Scholes is."

 

Tony Adams : "I really rate Paul Scholes, because he hasn't got the high profile of many of the Manchester United players, he doesn't get too much attention, but he is one very good player. He is an intelligent player, he works hard and he scores some great goals. He is not flamboyant and is a quiet lad off the pitch but he is a tremendous asset to Manchester United and to England. He has already got my vote as player of the year."

 

Cesc Fabregas : "He is the one whose level I aspire to. He is the best player in the Premier League."

 

Patrick Vieira : "The player in the Premiership I admire most? Easy - Scholes."

 

Thierry Henry : "I can't understand why Scholes has never won the player of the year award. He should have won it long ago. Maybe it's because he doesn't seek the limelight like some of the other 'stars'."

 

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

 

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

 

Sam Allardyce : "There is not a better midfield player in the world."

 

Kevin Keegan : "What United have got that Chelsea haven't is Paul Scholes. I think he is different to anything else in English football."

 

Marcello Lippi : "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. Scholes is a player I have always liked, because he combines great talent and technical ability with mobility, determination and a superb shot. He is an all-round midfielder who possesses character and quality in abundance. In my opinion, he's been one of the most important players for United under Sir Alex."

 

Ray Wilkins : "I'm saddened because I think we as spectators, not only in this country but right through out Europe and the rest of the World, will be missing one hell of a footballer."

 

Gordon Strachan : "Paul Scholes has been the best England midfield player for 30-odd years. You'd probably have to go back to Bobby Charlton to find someone who could do as much as Scholes. When the ball arrives at his feet he could tell you where every player on that pitch is at that moment. His awareness is superb."

 

Veron while at Chelsea being asked in an interview who's the best english player : "Paul Scholes."

 

Peter Schmeichel : "People say he is a great player, but you have to define what a great player is, For me, it is a player who has a bottom level that means his worst performance is not noticed.If he is having a bad game, a team-mate might feel Paul Scholes is not quite on his game, but a spectator wouldn't notice. Scholes, of all the players I have played with, has the highest bottom level. His reading of the game is unsurpassed.He has an eye for a pass, for what the play or the game needs at that precise moment, that I have never seen anyone else have. He controls and distributes the play and the game better than anyone I have ever seen."

 

Peter Schmeichel : "Still the best player in that United midfield."

 

Laurent Blanc : "Scholes is the best English player. Intelligence, technique, strength... all the attributes are there. At Manchester United I saw what he could do on the training field. Phew!"

 

Michael Carrick : "Paul Scholes is just fantastic. When you play alongside him, you realise what a special talent he is."

 

Michael Carrick : "He is a legend and he's going to be remembered for a long time. Just to play alongside him and learn from him has been an absolute pleasure. I think he is a footballer's footballer; he has been at this level for so long. As long as he is part of us we always feel we have a chance. We appreciate the way he goes about his business. I have never met a character like Scholesy; certainly not someone who is that good."

 

Park Ji Sung when asked by the club’s official home page which United player he would like to see in the red shirt of the Taeguk Warriors : “It has to be Paul Scholes.”

 

David Beckham said that, among his teammates at Real Madrid, which included Zinedine Zidane, Raúl, Ronaldo, Luís Figo and Roberto Carlos, Scholes was the most admired opponent : "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 to have that respect from some of those players is great."

 

Brian Kidd : "Paul Scholes had the best football brain I'd ever seen in a kid. Let's face it. Paul Scholes is in a class of its own."

 

Rio Ferdinand : "I can honestly say Paul is the best player in the England squad. For me he is the complete player."

 

Rio Ferdinand : "For me, it's Paul Scholes. He'll do ridiculous things in training like say, "You see that tree over there?" - it'll be 40 yards away - "I'm going to hit it". And he'll do it. Everyone at the club considers him the best."

 

Phil Neville : "Paul, for me, is the best player in the England team. It worries teams. Speak to any other international team and they will single Paul out as England's key player. For me, he doesn't get the full credit that he deserves. He is a world-class player and deserves to be up there with the likes of Zidane and Figo."

 

Gary Neville : "I wouldn't swap Paul Scholes for anybody. He is quite simply the most complete footballer I have ever played with. He is the best."

 

Gary Neville : "Paul Scholes is the best player I've ever played with. There's talent in every part of his game."

 

Steve Bruce : "He's the best player in Britain in my opinion and he has to get himself fit just before we are due to play at Old Trafford. I cannot pay Paul a bigger compliment than to say that he's the most complete footballer in the country. The best bar none."

 

Roy Keane : "An amazingly gifted player who remained an unaffected human being."

 

George Best : "To be honest I think England have lost their best player. Certainly he's the most consistent and naturally gifted player we've had for a long, long time."

 

Sir Bobby Charlton : "I am sorry for England because they don't have any player like him. You can talk about others but there is no one else like him. He is the best technical player England has without any question. He could have had a lot more caps if he had carried on. And if I was the manager he would have ended up with more than I did – easy"

 

Sir Bobby Charlton : "He’s always so in control and pinpoint accurate with his passing – a beautiful player to watch."

 

Sir Bobby Charlton : "Paul Scholes is my favourite player. He epitomises the spirit of Manchester United and everything that is good about football."

 

Sir Alex Ferguson : "Very few players can do that, but Scholes is one of them - and I knew he was one of them. That's why, without question, I think Paul Scholes is the best player in England. He's got the best skills, the best brain. No one can match him."

 

Sir Alex Ferguson : "He has an awareness of what’s happening around him on the edge of the box which is better than most players. As a kid he always had a knack of arriving in the penalty area just at the right time, but he’s proving just as effective from outside the box because he’s using his experience in the right way. It doesn’t matter who I am thinking about bringing into my midfield, Paul Scholes will be included, as he would in any side in the world."

 

Sir Alex Ferguson : Sir Alex Ferguson gave evidence in court on behalf of one of his former trainees and listened to the prosecution barrister's list of United's top players.

[Barney 0]

Kevin Keegan : "What United have got that Chelsea haven't is Paul Scholes. I think he is different to anything else in English football."

 

Scum. Sub-human scum.

[manc-mag 1]

I like the way he kept himself to himself and never courted the media spotlight and fair play to him for that but frankly, as a red, he can fuck off now and good riddance.

[NJS 4411]

Thought he always wanted to finish at Oldham - maybe the prospect of getting kicked and making "cheeky mistimed tackles" without red shirt rules didn't appeal.

 

Canny player though.

[carrolll40th 0]

Great player, dirty bastard too mind. Fair few red cards and it should have been a lot more.

+ 1

[Happy Face 29]

Great player, dirty bastard too mind. Fair few red cards and it should have been a lot more.

+ 1

 

Henry Winter was going on about what a great role model he was on Twitter yesterday. I Had to remind him that Scholes is the third most booked player in the Premier League (after Bowyer and Kevin Davies, level with Robbie Savage) and the most booked player in the champions league (3 more than Gattuso).

 

Also got 10 red cards which is double Joey (Bad Boy) Barton.

 

Great player. No need to rewrite history though.

[Giraffidae 0]

can never be a true ‘great’ because of one major flaw in his game, a central midfielder who can’t tackle to save his life.

 

absolutely exceptional player when his team has the ball though.

[tinofbeans 91]

Not bad. needs to work on his left foot. oh....

[Deano 0]

Good. I always hated the ginger fuck.

[NobbySol 7]

IMO the best technically gifted player to grace the premier league bar Bergkamp.

 

Absolute cunt in a tackle though

[Deano 0]

IMO the best technically gifted player to grace the premier league bar Bergkamp.

 

Absolute cunt in a tackle though

 

Bergkamp, Cantona and Beckham before him but definitely up there.

[The Fish 10977]

I rated him until I saw the Allardyce quote.

[McFaul 35]

Mind that stat about him he scored more league goals at SJP than Kieron Dyer did.

 

Also scored the first England goal I saw in the flesh. Nothing but respect for him.

[Kid Dynamite 7191]

Thats cos Dyer was pony despite some peoples memories of him on here

[McFaul 35]

Thats cos Dyer was pony despite some peoples memories of him on here

Dyer was one of the most gifted players we've ever had when he was fit. His finishing wasn't great though.

 

Wonder what value a 20 year old Scholes would be worth now.

[@yourservice 67]

He dropped a big hint that he is hanging up his boots when he revealed recently he is organising a testimonial in August and is also writing his autobiography, which will be published in the autumn.

 

Can't wait.

[Kid Dynamite 7191]

Thats cos Dyer was pony despite some peoples memories of him on here

Dyer was one of the most gifted players we've ever had when he was fit. His finishing wasn't great though.

 

Wonder what value a 20 year old Scholes would be worth now.

 

He really wasn't. He could run fast with the ball but he couldn't shoot from distance, finish from close range or pass a ball more than 10 yards. Add that to the fact he had glass legs and an alleged habit of drugs/gang bangs/WWF shows and he was probably the biggest waste of wages we have had at the club in a long time. Cemented by the fact that he has managed 15 starts in West Hams last 152 league games.

[Billy Whitehurst 937]

Thats cos Dyer was pony despite some peoples memories of him on here

Dyer was one of the most gifted players we've ever had when he was fit. His finishing wasn't great though.

 

Wonder what value a 20 year old Scholes would be worth now.

 

He really wasn't. He could run fast with the ball but he couldn't shoot from distance, finish from close range or pass a ball more than 10 yards. Add that to the fact he had glass legs and an alleged habit of drugs/gang bangs/WWF shows and he was probably the biggest waste of wages we have had at the club in a long time. Cemented by the fact that he has managed 15 starts in West Hams last 152 league games.

 

Don't agree. I always thought we looked a different team with Dyer in it, he made a big difference. We played with a lot more urgency with him in the team, he also linked brilliantly with Solano.

 

He was a waste of money as he never played anywhere near enough but I thought he was a class player, albeit an utter knob.

[McFaul 35]

Thats cos Dyer was pony despite some peoples memories of him on here

Dyer was one of the most gifted players we've ever had when he was fit. His finishing wasn't great though.

 

Wonder what value a 20 year old Scholes would be worth now.

 

He really wasn't. He could run fast with the ball but he couldn't shoot from distance, finish from close range or pass a ball more than 10 yards. Add that to the fact he had glass legs and an alleged habit of drugs/gang bangs/WWF shows and he was probably the biggest waste of wages we have had at the club in a long time. Cemented by the fact that he has managed 15 starts in West Hams last 152 league games.

 

Don't agree. I always thought we looked a different team with Dyer in it, he made a big difference. We played with a lot more urgency with him in the team, he also linked brilliantly with Solano.

 

He was a waste of money as he never played anywhere near enough but I thought he was a class player, albeit an utter knob.

Pretty much spot on, fantastic player. J69 killed his own point by mentioning something irrelevant his injuries. Nothing to do with his ability.