With yesterday’s clash against Chelsea postponed, Saad Noor instead gives us the reasoning behind his five favourite United players…
Paul Scholes – The ginger ninja who scores goals galore is without a shadow of a doubt my all time favourite player. He’s everything a footballer should be.
For most people, the lifestyle of a footballer is a dreamland that could only be reached by the purchase of a winning Lottery ticket. But Paul Scholes cannot wait to see the back of it.
Always a reluctant superstar, Scholes ended his international career at the age of 29, with 66 caps to his name, in order to spend more time with his young family and less within the confined atmosphere of a travelling football team.
Scholes’ ability to dictate a game from the centre of midfield is unrivalled and despite recently turning 36 he continues to dominate at the very highest level.
His absence from United’s 2005-06 season due to an eye injury saw his side finish out of the top two for the first time in the Premier League era which speaks volumes.
Hes not perfect though. Over his career, Scholes has received 84 yellow and 4 red cards in the Premier League, making him the fifth most booked player in Premier League history. He has also been booked 26 times in the Champions League, more than any other player in the competition.
When asked whether he’d miss his job once he calls time on his illustrious career, Scholes in typical fashion responded: “The only thing I will definitely miss is the football, not the general life of a footballer.”
Scholes is not one of life’s great smilers. A shrug of the shoulders or a shake of the head are his favoured currency of expression, but his participation in United’s Champions League final victory over Chelsea in Moscow two months ago will allow him to squeeze out the odd grin when he reflects on his career.
Although he was awarded a winners’ medal following United’s triumph against Bayern Munich at the Nou Camp in 1999, suspension robbed him of the opportunity to play against the Germans, so the box marked “Champions League winner” remained unticked in Scholes’ mind.
Moscow secured redemption, but Scholes admits that he and United should not have waited quite so long to get their hands on the European Cup once more.
Another typical Scholes statement on his suspension from United’s 1999 Champions League final: “I got a medal in 1999, but I don’t view myself as a double Champions League winner. You’ve got to play in the final for it to count.”
‘Scholesy’ as he is intimately known as by his fans and colleagues alike has drawn great compliments over the years.
Arguably the greatest player to ever live Zinedine Zidane, said of Scholes: “My toughest opponent? Scholes. He is undoubtedly the greatest player of his generation”, whereas Thierry Henry said “Without any doubt the best player in the Premiership has to be Scholes… He knows how to do everything.”
When asked about Paul Scholes Manchester United and England hero Bobby Charlton lauded him, “Paul is always so in control and pin-point accurate with his passing—a beautiful player to watch.” Whilst Marcello Lippi remarked that Scholes is “an all-round midfielder who possesses quality and character in abundance.”
BBC football pundit and former Liverpool F.C. defender Alan Hansen has described him as “one of the top three to five players to have ever played in the Premier League” and commented “his passing, movement and technique set examples to everyone.”
Need I say anymore?