| By Nicholas Spiller
Rarely does a player come about who dominates the proceedings on the pitch quite in the manner of a Paul Scholes. The England and Manchester United star had one of the most decorated careers in Premier League history and has drawn praise from all the world’s greats. Barcelona star, Xavi, widely touted as the world’s best midfielder, said that Scholes was the best player of the last two decades. French great, Zinedine Zidane, expressed one of his supreme regrets in football was never playing alongside the Englishman. Defenders across England thought they were finally safe when Scholes retired last May. Terror must have struck through their hearts when the Ginger announced his return for the second half of this season! Paul Scholes enjoyed the rare luxury of being a one club man. Joining the youth side of Manchester United at the age of 14, Scholes developed into one of the most dominant midfielders ever. After making his breakthrough to the first team in 1994, he came to anchor the heart of the attack in Manchester. Since that time, he has amassed over 600 appearances for the club and has won ten Premier League trophies, two Champions Leagues, and three FA Cups. During those games, defenses have been abused and embarrassed by the brilliant player. Paul Scholes has all the skills necessary for success in the middle of the park. He has great awareness about the flow of the game, always making runs towards the path of play. His vision is second to none as he directs long balls across the field with ease and power. His short passing game resembles artistry while he forces defenders to struggle and chase him down during smart one-two’s with his team mates. Off the field, Paul Scholes is the model citizen. He is said to be rather shy and rarely speaks to the media. He has been happily married and fathered three children. Unlike other brawling, attention seeking, and pub-crawling English football stars, Scholes enjoys the peaceful life his profession allows him. He has stated that his ideal day involves, “train in the morning, pick up my children from school, play with them, have tea, put them to bed and then watch a bit of TV.” His manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, referred to Scholes as one of the easiest players he has ever managed. Although Scholes moved onto coaching with Manchester United following his grand career, apparently he couldn’t bear to keep off his boots. His return in January was greeted by enthusiasm from the fans as one of their favored icons had returned for a lap of honor. The player now gives Manchester great depth and leadership in the midfield. The club is currently in a tight race with cross-town rivals and very rich rivals Manchester City for the Premiership title. Barring any unforeseen and miraculous drinking from the fountain of youth, this should be the final stretch for Paul Scholes. He will be back in a manager’s suit soon and will likely never truly leave the game behind. He is a living legend for Manchester United. During his time, the club enjoyed magnificent success. Please enjoy some of the finest goals courtesy of the one and only Paul Scholes. Nicholas Spiller is a freelance soccer writer and can be reached at: nrspiller@gmail.com. |