Paul Scholes in action
Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes retired today at the age of 36. A player I have long admired for his creativity, precise passing and his uncanny ability to score big goals, Scholes has none the less defied a proper rating. Maybe it was his shyness, perhaps it was because he played for only one team. Some thought he was one of the best midfielders ever, others wondered if he would have been so great if he’d played on one of the great teams of Italy or Spain.
Well, here are some samples of what some thought of Scholes:
Zinedine Zidane: ”My toughest opponent? Scholes. He is undoubtedly the greatest player of his generation.”
Thierry Henry: ”Without any doubt the best player in the Premiership has to be Scholes… He knows how to do everything.”
Bobby Charlton: ”Paul is always so in control and pin-point accurate with his passing—a beautiful player to watch.”
Marcello Lippi: ”An all-round midfielder who possesses quality and character in abundance.”
Alan Hansen: ”One of the top three to five players to have ever played in the Premier League…his passing, movement and technique set examples to everyone.”
Nani: ”He’s the best midfielder I’ve ever seen. He can pass, score goals with his left, right, his head – he can do anything.”
Wayne Rooney: ”It’s hard to sum up Scholesy because he’s changed his game since he was younger…He’s like a quarterback now, getting it in the middle and spraying it around the field…He’s unbelievable – he’s one of the greatest of all time.”
Xavi: ”A role model. For me, and I really mean this, he’s the best central midfielder I’ve seen in the last 15, 20 years. He’s spectacular, he has it all, the last pass, goals, he’s strong, he doesn’t lose the ball, vision. If he’d been Spanish he might have been rated more highly. Players love him.”
So – there you have it – high praise from many respected people in the game.
Interesting what Xavi points to though – that Scholes might have been rated higher, if he’d played elsewhere. I wonder what exactly that means? Is there still a lack of respect for English football or do players now need to play and prove themselves in more than one country and more than one competition to be truly considered great? Consider for instance the reluctance of Argentines to think of Messi as being better than Maradona until Messi wins a World Cup.
Paul Scholes has a cabinet full of winners medals from his triumphs with United but didn’t achieve anything with England. Is that his failing or England’s?
I suppose that History will decide where Scholes eventually ranks among the best players of all-time.
All I know just now is that I will miss the way he ran that United midfield with the control of an orchestra conductor and the way he could dissect opposing defences with his visionary and precise passes.
Paul Scholes – retired but never to be forgotten.
{ 1 comment }
