Thursday, April 18, 2013

Quiet farewell for the quiet man... but will we see Scholes in a United shirt ... - Daily Mail

It was a routine victory over Fulham at Old Trafford. A 4-1 win on January 26, 2013. Nothing spectacular, but more than enough to put Manchester United in the FA Cup fifth round.

For a man who likes to shun the spotlight, Scholes is certainly making sure it is a quiet farewell this time around.

United have six games remaining this season, starting with West Ham away tonight. Scholes is again missing from the squad.

After the trip to Upton Park, United's fixtures run like this: Aston Villa (h), Arsenal (a), Chelsea (h), Swansea (h), West Brom (a).

Scholes has been sidelined by a knee injury since that cameo against Fulham three months ago, but his absence has gone under the radar in United's pursuit of a 20th title.

It may be his second 'retirement' (that is yet to be confirmed, but he does turn 39 in November), but it is a remarkably different departure in comparison to his final game in 2011 - the Champions League final defeat against the mighty Barcelona at Wembley.

That was the night when Scholes wanted to go out on the ultimate high - beating Lionel Messi and Co on the way to lifting the European Cup.

He didn't want the fanfare surrounding his final game, but he craved a third Champions League medal to sit alongside his ones from 1999 (when he was suspended for the Final) and 2008.

This time feels rather odd, though. Ryan Giggs, that evergreen United hero who will step out again next season, has had plenty written about him this season - as well as receiving a standing ovation at the Bernabeu when he came on as a substitute against Real Madrid.

He started United's first game of the season - almost inevitably picking up a booking in the 1-0 defeat at Everton - and was regularly used by Ferguson up until January, although his contribution of just one goal is well below his usual standard.

At least he's racked up enough appearances to bag a winners' medal when the Premier League trophy is handed over (barring a miraculous turnaround by Manchester City).

Of course, none of this affects the reputation of one of United's favourite sons – a player admired by fans up and down the country, and by stars from around the world.

When the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Cristiano Ronaldo and Xavi (he squared up to the latter in the Wembley final two years ago) are naming you among the game's greatest ever players, you can sit back in the knowledge you've done something right.

Given the fanfare that accompanies David Beckham's every appearance, the coverage given to Scholes – arguably twice as talented as his old United team-mate – is microscopic. And that's exactly how Scholes will like it.

He's a man who rarely gives interviews. He has no interest in the limelight. He'd rather be in the stands at Boundary Park watching his beloved Oldham than turning up on a red carpet at the launch of a trendy Manchester wine bar.

Scholes is a throwback to a footballer from the 60s. Playing is simply his job. Work hard, stay out of trouble and go home to your family.

When the then England manager Fabio Capello considered asking him to come out of retirement for the 2010 World Cup, Scholes was the big story on the back pages of the national newspapers.

When he eventually spoke after the finals to reveal that he would have said yes if he was asked earlier, it was in an exclusive interview that he gave to the Oldham Chronicle.

Scholes has only ever had one falling out with Ferguson, which is pretty impressive given he's spent 20 years at Old Trafford.

Glory boys: United youth coach with Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt, David Beckham, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Scholes and Terry Cooke

He refused to play in a League Cup match alongside the kids against Arsenal in 2001. He should have known he wouldn't win that solitary battle.

'I had been left out of the Liverpool game. We were playing Arsenal the night after and you knew it was just the reserves, basically, that was going down to Arsenal.

'I just got a bee in my bonnet that I wasn't happy with it and thought "I'm not going". A silly thing to do, I know that. But I had reasons for it. Stupid, really.'

A sensible head on a body with extraordinary feet. No wonder that Ferguson has had so little trouble from him since the day he made his debut – scoring both goals in the League Cup win over Port Vale in September 1994.

He can proudly boast a bulging trophy cabinet – Premier League (x10), FA Cup (x3), League Cup (x2), Champions League (x2), Intercontinental Cup (x1) and Club World Cup (x1).

So, will we see Scholes play again? The knee is healing but he's running out of time. Let's hope he runs out one more time.

Yet, what is certain is that all this won't bother Scholes – a man who lives in the shadows and will happily slip away unnoticed next month.

Cristiano Ronaldo: 'When we were in training, I used to do a lot of tricks which hardly any players at club could do.

'Once I was showing my skills to Scholes. After I finished it, Scholes took a ball and pointed towards a tree which was about 50m from where we were standing. He said I'm going to hit it in one shot. He kicked it and hit the tree.

Xavi: 'Paul Scholes is 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.'

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

Luis Figo: 'I'm star-struck when I see Paul Scholes because you never see him. On the pitch you can't catch him. Off the pitch he disappears.'

Socrates: 'Good enough to play for Brazil. I love to watch Scholes, to see him pass, the boy with the red hair and the red shirt.'

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