QUINTESSENTIAL SCHOLES

When Sir Alex Ferguson was asked to describe the most amazing piece of skill he has ever seen in United's training ground, the Scot went on to recall how Paul Scholes once landed a ball on the head of Gary Neville who was taking a pee at the other end of the pitch, following an argument with team mates that he couldn't do that. Scholes has mastered the art of 'pot pass' to perfection, more that any other English player of his generation. But that is certainly not his only attribute going into his 17th season in Manchester United's senior squad. He is as a complete midfielder as you can get.


When the ginger-headed midfield whiz missed the second half of the 2005/06 season with a nagging eye ailment, it was feared his glittering career could be drawing to a premature end. But he got over that and went on to establish himself as the best central midfielder in the Premier League. Amazingly this is a player that began his career as an attacker.

Scholesy, as he is fondly called by his team mates and fans, has shown a remarkable run of form in recent seasons. This prompted Fabio Capello to make a bold attempt at persuading him to recant his international retirement in order to play for England in the 2010 World Cup. True to his principle, Scholes rejected that overture, and after England's dismal show in South Africa, Capello confessed that the absence of a ball winner and passer in the mold of Paul Scholes has hampered their performance at the World Cup.

Recently one of the most decorated players of this generation, Zinedine Zidane, described Scholes as "the greatest midfielder of his generation" and said he regretted not ever playing in tandem alongside him. Zidane is one of many to have extolled the virtues of a player who in May 2009 hinted he may quit the following year. United legend, Sir Bobby Charlton described his as "an embodiment of all that I think is best about football".

His form at the beginning of the 2010/11 season-less that three weeks to his 36th birthday-would probably rubbish that suggestion. He seems to have ample more to give in subsequent years to come; as the proverbial wine, he gets better with age.

Following his masterful display in the Community Shield victory over Chelsea on August 8, Sir Alex eulogized him as "incredible footballer", noting that "it's a phenomenon that he goes out there and becomes man of the match approaching his 36th birthday".

Eight days after the Community Shield triumph, Scholes went on to inspire United to saw off Newcastle in their opening Premier League game, prompting more expressions of admiration from a manager normally economical with praises on one individual: "He proved again he is a master of his trade", said the gaffer. "Everyone who goes to that age and retains that appetite is blessed with something special".

The postponement of Schole's retirement appears to have yielded dividends. A day after extending his contract last April, Scholes headed a 93rd-minutes winner to stun the mega-rich noisy neighbours, Manchester City at Eastlands-and he has not looked back since. He finished last season with 1,497 attempted passes of which 89.7% were completed-making him the Premier League most accurate passer. In the match against Newcastle, he hit 104 passes.

Paul Scholes has been in the books of United since 1991, winning nine Premier League titles, three FA Cups, two League Cups, two Champions' League titles and has won 66 England caps.

England skipper, Rio Ferdinand once confessed that Sir Alex has one time or the other unleashed his hair-dryer temper on all United's players except Paul Scholes. When asked why, Rio's answer was: "Scholesy is too good". Paul Scholes has an impressive down-to-earth persona. Despite playing a pivotal role in the successes of one of the greatest football clubs in the world, and unlike his old buddy David Beckham, he make sure he removes himself from public glare. He has been married to his childhood sweetheart, Claire, for 16 years, with whom he has three children, and chooses to stay at home with his family, after training or match, than mingle with the media conducting interviews, or with fans signing autographs.

Such is the United legend in the making. Born and bred in Salford, Greater Manchester, he is Manchester United personified. Right from his initial recruitment as a 16-year old trainee, he bowed to play for no other club but United. His greatest praise to date came from ex team mate, Norwegian Hening Berg (winner of two Premier Leage titles, one FA Cup and the 1999 Champions' League title with United): "He has a fantastic football brain-he reads the game, reads the opponents, knows which space to drop into to get the ball and has an amazing touch".
The former United defender went on to say: "He knows where to pass (the ball), if he should use one touch or two, he can camouflage his passes, make through-ball and, of course score goals. He sets the pace of the midfield and makes sure the rhythm of the passing and play is what United want it to be".

How England could have benefited from such elusive qualities during the World Cup in South Africa. He did confessed, after the World Cup, that he could have considered Capello's invitation has it been made earlier.

After seeing him score a back-breaking goal in the league against Fulham on August 22 to wrap up his 150th senior goal for United in 646 games (4th in the all-time appearance list) for United, Ferguson conceded that replacing Scholes would probably be "impossible". In my own opinion, ludicrous as it might sound, and as I have earlier written in my twitter page, United has to clone Scholesy to get a replica. Finding the like of him is improbable.