OFFICIAL: Nani announces he is leaving Orlando City after three seasons.His highlight reel was special 🤩(via @MLS)pic.twitter.com/kEvhzziRZ0— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 26, 2021
Was that during covid lockdown? It sounds like the stadium was empty. All the best to Luis Nani if this is retirement.
He was something else alright. It's a pity the team around him in the 80's were nowhere near his level.
Apparently announced after the game that Carrick is leaving the club! https://www.manutd.com/en/news/deta...rick-leaves-manchester-united-2-december-2021 Sounds like his own decision?
Speaking to Amazon (who are showing on tv in the uk) says is his own decision. Says he promised his family some time given went straight into coaching after playing. Says he will still be seen around the place (not sure what he means by that). Also said he wanted to go out on a high. Says he has only just told the players, but his mind was made up before.
Only 3 games, but to get us into the CL knockout stages and back into the fight for 4th place against tough oppo when we were in the run of form we were, was a big achievement in the circumstances. Credit to Carrick for the job he did in those three games: stopped the immediate rot & has given Rangnick something to work with. Four pts from Chelsea & Arsenal means they are now 3 pts off 4th - could have been a lot worse - and already into the CL knockout stages https://t.co/I8XGwHHsLi— James Ducker (@TelegraphDucker) December 2, 2021
Think it does beg the question as to why he's decided to leave. Did he think perhaps that the caretaker job should have been his? Don't know if we'll get that answer anytime soon. Bottom line, we've got a good one at the helm now. Again, he's done well in those 3gms following Ole's departure: grateful for that and for all he's done over the years at the club. Does feel more and more like a new day though and that is something to look forward to.
For me, career-wise, I'd want to stay and learn a new system and philosophy. He may not have been willing to take whatever menial role Ragnarock was offering him. He might be leaving for pride, not honor.
Good decision. Glad he didn’t cockroach it, though. I don’t want to overstate what he did in three games. Remember when Ole took over. Thank you for the good times, MC.
1️⃣5️⃣ years a Red ❤️We can't thank you enough for your service, Carras — a bona fide club legend 👏#MUFC pic.twitter.com/qWyIcdIsVY— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 3, 2021
Kieron Dyer on Paul Scholes. pic.twitter.com/hGWYgJdX5U— 90s Football (@90sfootball) December 10, 2021 Paul Scholes scored this hat-trick for Manchester United against Newcastle United in 2003 ⚽️🔴 #MUFC pic.twitter.com/6ANfPSHjKb— Football Remind (@FootballRemind) December 17, 2021
Name us a more iconic moment: ______2️⃣5️⃣ years ago today, King Eric wrote his name into United folklore forever ✍️👑#MUFC | #OTD pic.twitter.com/P0CcdHykti— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 21, 2021
Great goal. United were well in the lead by the time he scored this, so Cantona was having a bit of fun. It was very windy that day and that's what made the goal all the more audacious because usually a shot like that would get windswept, but Cantona wanted to clown on the goalkeeper for Sunderland. They had been teammates in France, but the keeper ignored Cantona's friendly gestures in the tunnel right before this game and that drove Cantona to show him up on the pitch. This goal reminds me always of Maradona's second against England with the way he toys with the two defenders in the center of the park.
Love this goal; 15 years ago today, Paul Scholes scored THAT goal at Villa Park 🚀 #MUFC pic.twitter.com/rY4XK5Yj9j— UnitedReds (@UnitedRedscom) December 23, 2021
The best midfielder England ever had? I'd say so, although his tackling was a borderline criminal offense and at best a red card waiting to happen. The one thing that held him back at bit was his asthma. That tended to reduce his involvement when United or England played in humid conditions.
There's a discussion to be had at least, that much is certain. Looking at United CMs alone, there are valid arguments to be made for Robson and of course, Sir Bobby... Scholes is one of the ATGs, no doubt. How alot of his contemporaries (and greats in their right) speak about him, says enough.
Sir Bobby is an interesting one because he was a midfielder, but he was also understood to be a deep-lying center-forward. For a while he held the goal record for England and United. And MOTD usually listed him front and center. Remarkably Robson and Scholes share very similar career stats for goals and appearances. Robson and Charlton had a tendency to do everything on their own, but Scholes was more about the team. He, for me, is the closest thing England ever had to Cruyff or Xavi.
Best to look at the other midfielders they played with - I think people tend to see too much 4-4-2 when they look at old english games, when the systems were actually more subtle in many cases than that and dictated by the other midfielders. With Stiles and Crerand often playing as DMs for example, Sir Bobby was essentially often a free attacking central midfielder in what was often more like 4-3-3 or 4-1-3-2. Personally I don't see much value in comparing across generations. I see Sir Bobby, Robbo and Scholes as generational talents. Unfortunately for Robbo he was around at a time that both England and United were pretty poor. For example looking at generational DMs they played with there was Crerand and Stiles around for Bobby and Keane and later Carrick around for Scholes. Owing to the state of both England and United, Sir Bobby was internationally recognized at the time - up there with the likes of Pele and Beckenbauer. Robbo was well recognized in the UK but never so much abroad - as England / United were just not winning anything. Scholes at least had a bit of recognition with United, but similar story with England (plus the exceptionally poor management of midfield by England managers given what they had available). Sir Bobby / Robson / Scholes were just all three outstanding all round players with truly exceptional talent. Generational.