Paul Scholes admits he nearly quit football last year
Manchester United veteran Paul Scholes seems to have a ritual which sees him undergo or take part in a 'season review' based on his performances almost immediately after he has a phenomenal game or two. It's done just so that Scholes can make it clear to the world that he is quite easily one of the greatest midfielders to have ever played the game.
However this time around, the 35-year-old footballer had something different to say as his speech was slightly more serious than expected. The player admitted to have come dangerously close to retiring near Christmas last year, following a slump in form which eventually saw him fall down the pecking order at Manchester United.
Scholes was reported to have told the clubs official web site:
“I haven’t made any decisions yet [about retiring at the end of this season] but last Christmas, as far as I was concerned, I wasn’t going to be playing on in 2010/11 as I wasn’t playing well. Luckily things improved towards the end of the season. You need to be playing well to get into the team. I always set myself high standards as I want to feel that I am contributing to the team. If I’m not doing that then there is no point being here.”
Manchester United’s management and fans would greatly appreciate the fact that the player does not pull the axe on his club career. The reason being that Scholes, who although is quite old, is possibly one of the best passers of the ball in the world. He also has one of the most lethal right foot strikes, which he can unleash at almost any moment during a game. Furthermore, Scholes is arguably one of the best players to have ever volleyed a football. The midfielder has scored a number of long range goals that players would wish and hope to do once in their entire career.
Scholes began training with Manchester United when he was just 14 years old. Since then, he hasn’t looked back even once, only managing to cement his position in Manchester United’s folklore.
He began playing as a striker, when he was made to fill in for Eric Cantona as the French man picked up serious injuries. As the season progressed, Scholes realised that his true calling was in the midfield.
Paul made it to the midfield once Roy Keane suffered an injury that saw him sit out for an entire season. Scholes performances were so brilliant that they gave him a permanent spot in United’s midfield.
He soon became one of the very few Manchester United players to have played over five hundred games for the club. He has also managed to score in every season that he has played with the Red Devils since the 1994 season.
Scholes has also had unprecedented success at the club. He won 9 Premier league trophies with the team, 3 FA Cups, 5 Community Shields, 2 Football League Cups, 2 UEFA Champions League trophies, 1 Intercontinental Cup and 1 FIFA Club World Cup. He even managed to make the English football Hall of Fame in 2008.
Scholes is quite possibly one of the greatest players to have ever played the game of football and his presence has been crucial for Manchester United over the years. He is a player who would be greatly missed by the team if he does decide to depart from Old Trafford eventually.
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