The little ginger genius has decided to hang his boots up today. Appreciated much more around the world than in his native country but nevertheless, one of the best of his generation. Expect to read a load of bullshit in the papers over the next few days by journalists saying how great he was, the same journalists who demanded Lampard and Gerrard play in the middle for England which left Scholes out on the left wing No wonder he fucked England off! The England team should have been built around him for a decade at least.

Five Barcelona players asked for his shirt on Saturday at Wembley.

I'll take the word of these people before the London press. This has all been said over the years, not just because he has retired:


SAF: "One of the greatest football brains Manchester United has ever had."

Roy Keane: "No celebrity bullshit, no self promotion - an amazingly gifted player who remained an unaffected human being."

Sir Bobby Charlton: "I love watching little Paul Scholes, he’s so in control of what he’s doing and is always so accurate and pinpoint with his passing – it’s just beautiful to watch."

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

Rio: "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."

George Best: "England have lost their best player."

Laurent Blanc: "I tell anyone who asks me – Scholes is the best English player."

Micah Richards: "I think we were all disappointed because we all know what he can do. 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?"

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 teammate 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. 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. These days he doesn't get into the box too many times, which is where you can see his age, but he has developed tactically. He controls and distributes the play and the game better than anyone I have ever seen."

Edgar Davids: "Everyone of us should emulate him. We can all learn from Paul Scholes."

Zidane: "My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder. Scholes is undoubtedly the greatest midfielder of his generation."

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. An all-round midfielder who possesses quality and character in abundance."

Thierry Henry: "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."

Rooney: "He's unbelievable - he's one of the greatest of all time." [17]

Sir Bobby Charlton: "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."

Zidane: "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."

Jose Mourinho: “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.”

Xabi Alonso: "Fans in Spain rate him very highly and I admire him a huge amount."

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. And he can beat a player too, plus he loves to nutmeg you! He's unbelievable."

Arsene Wenger: "“He did not get completely what he deserves as a player because he’s not a “media lion”. He’s not one who runs after the media to be in the papers. I respect that."

Ian Holloway: "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." (I personally love this one!)

Ryan Giggs: "I’d go for Scholesy as the club’s greatest ever player. I’ve seen him do things that no other player can do. The way he can control the tempo of games, and his range of passing, are both incredible. We’ve seen over the years that players just haven’t been able to get near him. And you can’t forget his goals either."

Alan Hanson: "He is 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, not just younger players."

Xavi: "To me Paul is a role model. He is the best midfielder I’ve seen in the last 15 or 20 years."

Cesc Fabregas: “For any football player in the Premiership, Scholes is a player you want to emulate. One player does not make a team but there is no doubt that the presence of some players add extra motivation and confidence. Scholes is a player with character and is capable of transmitting that mental strength to his team-mates."

Credit to the sport, amazing player, could pick a pass from anywhere one of the very few who stayed loyal to one club.

Great little right up there chap.

It is time he called it a day, the little mole can hardly see!

Was a superb player in his heyday, and one of the only players left who hasn't shagged about.

Cheers for the memories Paul, and all the best.

Easily the best player in that position in England over the last 2 decades. Vastly better than Lampard and Gerrard and it's a shame he retired from England so early. The only player of his generation in that position I believe was better was Zidane. He could ping a ball wherever he wanted and scored some crackers as well (remember vs Bradford 99 perhaps?). One of my favourite players and a top top player. And this is all from someone who hates Man Utd.

When zidane xabi & all the others rate him so highly ,nobody can argue, maybe his tackling was his weak spot but up there with the very best.
The worst thing England every did was to move him wide to make way for Gerrard or Lampard. Who was the manager then?

If he'd appealed to birds and sponsors I've no doubt he'd have been englands number 1 central midfielder, as said above he has it all. Great work ethic and a credit to the game. Not many of his ilk left

a complete star and a gentlemen..really bad tackler. But makes up for it with his killer volleys and passes..lost a great character in football today..

Zitat von Wwfc 67

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When zidane xabi & all the others rate him so highly ,nobody can argue, maybe his tackling was his weak spot but up there with the very best.
The worst thing England every did was to move him wide to make way for Gerrard or Lampard. Who was the manager then?

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That dopey Swede, Sven. But if you remember it was the London press screaming for Lampard and Gerrard to be the two central midfielders. No wonder Scholes said "fuck it" when he was put out to pasture on the left wing.

Like I mentioned earlier about five Barcelona players wanting his shirt last Saturday here is what Marcotti has tweeted about it.


"After the final whistle on Saturday, Xavi, Messi, Pedro, Iniesta and Busquets all wanted to swap shirts with Scholes, so they drew straws and Iniesta won and got to swap with him. There is a lot of talk about him retiring so they were feeling like it could be the last time they play against him.

Also, the same story says that Busquets had hung on to the match ball and gave it to Scholes. For players like the 5 mentioned, and the esteem people hold them in, to take time out of their celebrations says a lot. It shows the class and humility of the Barca players for starters. But it also says a lot about the esteem that Scholes is held in amongst his peers and those who have played against him.

Xavi's quote earlier this year backs that up too:

"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."

one of my favourites. A true red.

For me also B. ! Excellent player with good passes and volley's..... Manchester United will miss him on the pitch!

Very good post Vasque. No great love for Man U as a club but I know a quality player when I see one. Perhaps the most gifted England midfielder of his generation. Gained even more admiration from me with the way he adapted his game over the past few years when his legs were slowing up (something a certain Frank Lampard could take note of) and became even more of a thinking footballer and that's saying something. Technically brilliant with a great footballing brain. A throwback to an era when footballers genuinely felt privileged to be professional footballers and had a genuine rapport with fans. No bullshit, no heat magazine exclusives just a very good footballers and a modest one to boot. I believe he still watches Oldham Athletic when he gets the chance. Has been a delight to watch the man play football the past twenty years.

Yes a great player & a gentleman.Only downside to his game was he cannot tackle to save his life!

One of the Premier Leagues finest passers of the ball - and as said , could never tackle worth a frigg ...

Thanks for the memories Ginger Prince, from your debut against Port Vale until your last match against Barca. Hope your coaching position can deliver half of what you achieved on the pitch. Paul Scholes True United Legend.

Scholes one of the finest passers to grace the football generation in england.
Volley

Unbelievable Strike.

Always had respect for Scholes, even though he's scored some fucking belters against us.

Model professional, went about his business with a touch of class, yes he had that bite about him but this was more through his enthusiasm for the game than anything malicious.

Will go down in history for those goals against Scotland in that Euro playoff.

i reckon their shagging

Giggs certainly has been - where he shouldn't of .. naughty boy !

Zitat von avfc_Loyal

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Scholes one of the finest passers to grace the football generation in england.
Volley

Unbelievable Strike.

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This beats it mate.

Easily the best england player of his generation. I hate man u but Scholes was a joy to watch. Except for his two goals against us at hampden. Didn't whore himself to the media and all he wanted to do was play fitba and go and watch oldham in his time off. As i said in the champions league final thread I reckon that out of the whole man u team Scholes in his pomp would have got a game for them that's how good he was. As for his tackling, i don't think scholes made a bad tackle he didn't mean to make if you get my drift. A true fitbaain genius.

Scholes was a great attacking midfielder for Man Utd and scored many great and important goals.
After Roy Keane probably most valuable player Utd has had in last twenty years IMO.

But hes still a dirty Ginger C**t.

The best player of the EPL I think.

Zitat von alan_the_casual

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The best player of the EPL I think.

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No Way.
Could name a few in front of him.

Zitat von RVP's Left Foot

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Zitat von alan_the_casual

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The best player of the EPL I think.

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No Way.
Could name a few in front of him.

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All round player?