I remember the day he tore us apart at Old Trafford..

[Tktd]

It's to this very day the most insane performance I've seen from a footballer live.

He was truely an inspiring player to watch and I think it's a testament that soo many top pros in management and other fields of the game rate him so highly.

Below is a link to find some of the quotes. Remarkable the respect he commands.

http://www.redcafe.net/f6/quotes-about-paul-scholes-211745/

[The Bronsons]

Clearly a great player, but has a nasty streak too. Every time I've seen him he's chopped one of ours inside the first five minutes.


So I have much respect, but little love for the man.

[nevzter]

I echo my colleagues, he was a fantastic player.  17 years or whatnot at Manchester United, and all of the trophies, are nothing at which to scoff.  Still, I enjoy this:  paul scholes handball vs Fulham

Somebody please translate for our amusement.

COYW

[HatterDon]

excuse me if I don't tear up over a thuggish little redhead who plays for a team I don't support.

[sipwell]

excuse me if I don't tear up over a thuggish little redhead who plays for a team I don't support.

Must be an English thing, Mr. Don. I don't get thrilled either. Haven't seen anything that truly impressed me yet. He probably was a good footballer though.

[leonffc]

Yeah I always liked him as a player Tkt'd, especially when Cantona was guiding him.
But if you're on about the time he destroyed us midweek 2 or 3 seasons ago in the 3-0 defeat I lay the blame at hodgson, not Scholes brilliance. We played so deep, getting ready to double up on ronaldo etc that Scholes had the freedom of old Trafford that night. Of course he had to play the passes but he had time to pick them

[AlFayedsChequebook]

excuse me if I don't tear up over a thuggish little redhead who plays for a team I don't support.

Sorry he is one of the all time greats and deserves our respect.

Up there with the Zidane's and Platini's of this world.

[richie17]

excuse me if I don't tear up over a thuggish little redhead who plays for a team I don't support.

Sorry he is one of the all time greats and deserves our respect.

Up there with the Zidane's and Platini's of this world.

definitely. 

The Football League has been running for over 120 years now, and in that time Manchester United have won 19 league titles. Liverpool have won 18. Arsenal have won 13. Ryan Giggs has won 12. Paul Scholes has won 10. Everton have won 9. Aston Villa have won 7. Sunderland have won 6. Chelsea, Newcastle and Sheffield Wednesday have won four each.

That's amazing to me.  Incredible player for a very long time.

[richie17]

excuse me if I don't tear up over a thuggish little redhead who plays for a team I don't support.

the love of the game of football is not irrelevent to these discussions is it?  Dunno, we all watch the English leagues every week for most of our lives, Scholes is one of the best players we've seen. 

[The Equalizer]

I don't think it's possible to sneer at any player who has played in the very top level of professional football for 18 years and has one the following:

Manchester United

    * Premier League (10): 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11
    * FA Cup (3): 1995–96, 1998–99, 2003–04
    * Football League Cup (2): 2008–09, 2009–10
    * FA Community Shield (5): 1996, 1997, 2003, 2008, 2010
    * UEFA Champions League (2): 1998–99, 2007–08
    * Intercontinental Cup (1): 1999
    * FIFA Club World Cup (1): 2008

International

England U18

    * UEFA European Under-18 Football Championship: 1993

England

    * 1997 Tournoi de France

Individual

    * Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year (1): 1992–93
    * Premier League Player of the Month (4): January 2003, December 2003, October 2006, August 2010
    * PFA Team of the Year (3): 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07
    * Premier League 10 Seasons Awards (1992–93 to 2001–02): Domestic & Overall Team of the Decade
    * English Football Hall of Fame Inductee: 2008

[sipwell]

excuse me if I don't tear up over a thuggish little redhead who plays for a team I don't support.

Sorry he is one of the all time greats and deserves our respect.

Up there with the Zidane's and Platini's of this world.

Mr. AF, I mostly agree with you but this time I wholeheartedly disagree with you. You have named THE best players out there (who accidentally also won the International Player of the Year Award). Sure Scholes has a C.V. to applaud him for and possibly many Englishmen will smile when you say "Paul Scholes" out loud in their vicinity, but that does not place him on the same level of two demi-gods of European football.

Nevertheless, I think Scholes would be very pleased to know he has such a large non-United fan base. And as they say: no smoke without fire.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

excuse me if I don't tear up over a thuggish little redhead who plays for a team I don't support.

Sorry he is one of the all time greats and deserves our respect.

Up there with the Zidane's and Platini's of this world.

Mr. AF, I mostly agree with you but this time I wholeheartedly disagree with you. You have named THE best players out there (who accidentally also won the International Player of the Year Award). Sure Scholes has a C.V. to applaud him for and possibly many Englishmen will smile when you say "Paul Scholes" out loud in their vicinity, but that does not place him on the same level of two demi-gods of European football.

Nevertheless, I think Scholes would be very pleased to know he has such a large non-United fan base. And as they say: no smoke without fire.

Scholes is a classic player who is rated massively by his peers but not by many fans who prefer 'flashier' players:

Zidane: My biggest regret was not playing with Scholes
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."
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."
Zinedine Zidane : "Scholes is undoubtedly the best midfielder of his generation."
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."

Xavi also referred to him as his 'reference point' for his career.

Some big praise from some big players. Can't really argue with that.

[richie17]

and as noted above, in the history of british football only Ryan Giggs has won more titles.

Scholes has won more league titles than most league clubs combined.  Unless you think he was just lucky to be around at the right place in the right time, that's staggering.  Must be one of the best few players the English leagues have seen.  Put another way, how can he not be rated as such, given the above?

[sipwell]

and as noted above, in the history of british football only Ryan Giggs has won more titles.

Scholes has won more league titles than most league clubs combined.  Unless you think he was just lucky to be around at the right place in the right time, that's staggering.  Must be one of the best few players the English leagues have seen.  Put another way, how can he not be rated as such, given the above?

Football remains a team sport, doesn't it?

But I can see the weight of the fellow footballers' comment (especially when done in tempore non suspecto).

[richie17]

and as noted above, in the history of british football only Ryan Giggs has won more titles.

Scholes has won more league titles than most league clubs combined.  Unless you think he was just lucky to be around at the right place in the right time, that's staggering.  Must be one of the best few players the English leagues have seen.  Put another way, how can he not be rated as such, given the above?

Football remains a team sport, doesn't it?

But I can see the weight of the fellow footballers' comment (especially when done in tempore non suspecto).

Right, and the two constants in this extraoardinary team dynasty are Scholes and Giggs.

[sipwell]

Correlation does not imply causation ;-)