We were a decent team until Scholes retired. The results weren't really any better, but we were a really entertaining side to watch. Ever since Scholes left the vast majority of England matches have been absolutely turgid. Oh to have another player like him. We didn't notice his value till he was long gone.
Rose tinted glasses, the myth of Scholes lives on. Aside for a period in the late 90s when he scored a load of goals his contribution to England wasn't that great. I remember his generally indifferent play in the World Cup in 2002.
Problem with Scholes is we didn't have a sufficiently good DM to play with him regularly. Ince was in decline by the time Scholes broke through and only Butt having a good run of form in 2002 came close to that level.
No, Trevor Sinclair was on the left. Scholes only went left when Lampard started getting games. The midfield was Sinclair--Scholes--Butt--Beckham. This is why the whole thing about Scholes being wasted on the left and retiring is a straw man. He had plenty of time in the centre and aside for a period under Keegan and Hoddle he didn't look that spectacular. It's all down to him playing well for his club, England having a few major low points in the last four years or so and the fact that he doesn't play for England that results in his international 'stock' being at an all time high. The thing is for all the rhetoric about Scholes in an England shirt it will never be tested so the hype machine can work overtime. Could you imagine if Lampard had retired from international football at 29? We'd be faced with the same situation.
One of his best tournament performances was in Wold Cup 2002, being one of the most competent midfielders.
Tell you something though, you'd never catch Scholes throwing away possession in the same way that Gerrard and Lampard have so far in this world cup. He might not make dynamic, direct contributions to the attacking cause, but what he doesn't do is undermine the defensive one, by gifting possession to the opposition when we're already under pressure.
It's dribblers, people who can go past players with the ball that we need, although of course Scholes sitting deep would be nice. Currently, only Johnson looks capable of running with the ball but he, like the rest of the team, seem paralysed by the fear of making a mistake against Algeria. This is why Joe Cole is needed.
t's not just Cole's ability that we need, if you ask me. It's his confidence to play as he's required to. As you say, the others seem paralysed with fear of making a mistake. Cole doesn't play with a monkey on his shoulder. He does what comes naturally to him, and I think this would help everyone else to relax and follow his lead.
We have a few at Liverpool but they need to play first team football more. Hopefully with the new FA/Premier League they'll come through. Everton has Rodwell and a few others, too; Baxter and Gosling spring to mind. There is no shortage of players-- the real question is whether they are given chances to play in the first teams of the top clubs.
Mark Davies at Bolton is a 21 year old who's comfortable in possession, just a shame he's a sicknote.
Morrison has all the talent in the world, but there are serious doubts about his attitude. Will Keane is a United youth team striker who is very technical. He has shown good for for England u17s (I think). He lacks physical ability, though, but that may develop.
Since he came back, regarding his attitude, he has been a different player from what I have seen and heared. He seems way more mature than he has been earlier in his career.
wilshere and mceachran are better than scholes was at 18-19 years old......scholes wasn't even playing first team at this age.........so to the question i will reply england don't have technical players like ginger paul.....but better than him.
i couldn't disagree more. Paul Scholes is one of the best players of his position to ever grace the pitch. 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. "You've missed Paul Scholes - and he's my best player," Ferguson chided her.
paul scholes was (is) great with manchester , one of the best english playmaker there is no doubt about it......but manchester ain't england.......he never made something relevant with the national team. From my point of view scholes like many english players is overrated.