Scholes officially retires staying on as a coach

No but do you get a thread discussing how some player from blackburn played for them throughout their career and retired?

Scholes was a great player, no doubt about that but praising him for being loyal? his not the only player thats been loyal.

Scholes was a fantastic player, achieved lots of success at united. why move from that?

He gets paid well at united and wins trophys almost every year. cant get any better then that.

Agreed.

This is no slant on the guy himself, but Scholes stayed at United simply because he would have been better paid than any offers that I presume would have come for him.

It's why I don't get that players that do emerge from the youth ranks of the most financially able clubs are called loyal if they stay there for long periods of time. If they emerged from a poorer club, they'd have eventually been bought by an aforementioned club. People called Raul loyal to Madrid, but when a better offer came along he went to Germany.
 
I didn't see the shirt swapping but this was from the manutd.com site. interesting that all those players were after his shirt if true

Barcelona’s players certainly recognised his worth on Saturday. Stood, clad in Iniesta’s sweat-drenched shirt, Scholes had to disappoint Messi, Xavi, Busquets and Pedro by informing each that he had already surrendered his jersey. For all their modern mastery of the football, Barcelona’s pass-poppers recognised that they were in the presence of the greatest little maestro of his generation.
 
Agreed.

This is no slant on the guy himself, but Scholes stayed at United simply because he would have been better paid than any offers that I presume would have come for him.

It's why I don't get that players that do emerge from the youth ranks of the most financially able clubs are called loyal if they stay there for long periods of time. If they emerged from a poorer club, they'd have eventually been bought by an aforementioned club. People called Raul loyal to Madrid, but when a better offer came along he went to Germany.

nail in the head.
 
Agreed.

This is no slant on the guy himself, but Scholes stayed at United simply because he would have been better paid than any offers that I presume would have come for him.

It's why I don't get that players that do emerge from the youth ranks of the most financially able clubs are called loyal if they stay there for long periods of time. If they emerged from a poorer club, they'd have eventually been bought by an aforementioned club. People called Raul loyal to Madrid, but when a better offer came along he went to Germany.

never used an agent for any contract situations with the club, never tried to artificially engineer a higher salary. That I imagine is pretty rare in this day and age.
 
One of the best players of his generation by a good distance. Two of the worlds greats have said on many occasions (Xavi & Zidane) that Scholes was the best, so who are we to argue. Oh to have a 23 year old 5ft odd midget like Scholsey breaking into our team now.
 
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Scholes actually told Fergie he wanted to retire a few weeks ago but SAF asked him to announce it after the final.

Sound to see him go but we all knew it was coming. His last season wasn't the best of seasons to end on. Hope they have a Giggs & Scholes testimonial at the end of next season... thats if Giggs does retire which is more than likely.

I really hope we can get Modric for next season. He is no Scholes replacement but plays in his role.

EDIT: Heads up. Paul Scholes 100 goals is on MUTV tonight.
 
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One of the greatest English midfielders of all time, yet was royally shafted by England manager after England manager to accommodate lesser players in the middle. Can only be grateful that they helped prolong his club career. As previously mentioned, the numerous endorsements from the true greats of the game speak volumes of his ability and legacy.
 
But, Joey Barton is better! ;)


Scholes is a legend, he will be missed by the English game. If I could, I'd personally thank him for his service to football.
 
Fantastic player and part of the best midfield the Premiership's ever seen along with Keane, Giggs and Beckham.

One of the greatest English midfielders of all time, yet was royally shafted by England manager after England manager to accommodate lesser players in the middle.
Perhaps if he didn't go missing so regularly he wouldn't have been moved ;)
 
Not sure who made that HD tribute but they need to be told to lay off the bloody effects. Looks like someone got given a "My first edit suite" and applied every crappy effect they could find.

Would love to see it with just the footage as the actual content is great.
 
One of the best players of his generation by a good distance. Two of the worlds greats have said on many occasions (Xavi & Zidane) that Scholes was the best, so who are we to argue.
Yeah but Pele thinks El Hadji Diouf is one of the greatest 100 players of all time, and many many failed managerial careers have shown us that being a good player doesn't necessarily make you a good judge of talent. ;)
 
Paul Scholes probably has the highest respect-of-peers:media-hype ratio of any player in British football. Typically low-key off the pitch, yet some of the biggest names in the game have lavished praise on him. Here's some quotes:

Some players said:
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 WTF?, 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."

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!"

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'?

edit: Also found this a good read from Xavi, he not only discusses Scholes but also the English game in general (great to see Le Tissier was noticed by him too): http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...ew-Paul-Scholes-best-midfielder-20-years.html
 
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Best English midfielder I have ever seen play - and I was lucky enough to watch him live a good number of times.

Very sad to see him go, but probably the right time (arguably a season too late, with a few more reds to his name this season) - really glad to know he will still be within the club though.

Him and VDS especially will be sorely missed in the coming seasons (I know Red Nev officially retired too, but he hasnt really played that many games for a few seasons, so this is less of a blow - and with Rafio ready and waiting RFB is less of a concern positionally as well).
 
As a Birmingham fan I can truly say he is a true midfield great and I have never seen a better midfield player - if he had of been born in Brazil, Spain or somewhere like that he would be more highly regarded than he is. Man Utd will be a poorer team without him but also the game of football will be poorer without him. Stayed loyal to Man Utd and did not seek the bright lights in Italy or Spain and it was fitting to see him play his last few minutes against a team that understood how the game should be played like Scholes did. A great player who always knew what he was doing even when he slid into the opposition 10 minutes too late - I am shocked people think he didn't know how to tackle he knew how to tackle and how to stop an opponent in their tracks if that was what was required. England should have built a team around him.
 
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