James Robson

August 10, 2010

Paul Scholes admits he never thought he’d play at Wembley again. A masterful display in United’s 3-1 Community Shield victory over Chelsea on Sunday was the veteran midfielder at his vintage best.

Even amidst the younger legs of Michael Essien, Frank Lampard and Jon Obi Mikel, the 35-year-old still rose head and shoulders above the rest to orchestrate United’s first piece of silverware of the season.

But the truth is Scholes wasn’t supposed to be gracing the Wembley turf once more.

He wasn’t supposed to still be wearing the red of United or his famous No. 18 shirt.

Instead he was supposed to be spending more time with his family, whiling away Saturday afternoons playing club cricket and drifting into the life of anonymity he so desires.

The problem for Scholes is that his is a talent so rare that he could never be anonymous.

A talent that has made him a legend at Old Trafford and one of the greatest players of his generation.

A talent that convinces Sir Alex Ferguson that he remains a vital cog at United despite his advancing years – and one that prompted his manager to talk him into prolonging his career for one more year at least.

The closest Scholes has ever come to being anonymous is when he ghosts into the box to crash yet another ball into the back of the net – much like his injury-time Eastlands winner against City last April.

It was moments like that – and an impressive season overall – that convinced him there was still life in the old dog yet, though he does admit that he thought his time was up.

“I did go through last season thinking ‘this might be the last time I play against this team’ or stuff like that,” he said. “I didn’t expect to be still touring. I thought at 35 that would be it.

“From being young and first getting into the squad I think you just presume everyone would finish at 35. Whatever you do after that is a bonus.”

Scholes’ enduring form has certainly been a bonus for Ferguson.

The United manager has had the thankless task of trying to find a successor for the “Ginger Magician” for the past three years and has so far come up empty-handed.

He has taken a long, hard look at Germany World Cup star, Mesut Ozil, this summer and could yet swoop before the close of the transfer window.

But given Scholes’ imperious display at Wembley, it seems clear that the midfielder is far from ready to be put out to pasture.

Another season like last and perhaps he will be convinced to sign yet another new deal – but he insists he has no idea when he will call it a day.

“My performances will decide when I finish,” he said. “When I physically cannot play any more in this team, I know that will be it and I will have enjoyed my time playing.

“Every time you play well, you think it might be the last time you do it. You do enjoy them a bit more.

Scholes thoughts

“At the end of last season I felt OK. Hopefully this season I will do as well.”

A return to club cricket would be typical Scholes, who used to play before concentrating on a career in professional football.

The man who quit England to spend more time with his family has never been a lover of the celebrity trappings of being a superstar.

Despite being one of the most decorated players of all time, winning nine Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues and three FA Cups, his lifestyle has never gone hand-in-hand with that of the modern-day footballer.

Which is why it would be no surprise if he walked away from the sport for good when he eventually retires.

Ferguson, however, maintains hope that he can be convinced to continue in some sort of capacity even when he hangs up his boots.

He is willing to offer coaching roles to each of his golden oldies, Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville.

Scholes admits he has already made moves into coaching.

“My wife’s cousin runs a soccer academy in America,” he said. “He has been asking me to come over for years and I agreed to do a week as a favour.

“I have started doing my coaching badges with Andy Barlow from the FA.

“There are five or six of us doing it together. We will just take it from there.”

And he admits it helps having fellow veterans Giggs and Neville still at the club.

“Do we feed off each other? I suppose so a little bit,” he said. “The three of us know we have to look after ourselves maybe more than we have done in the past.”

Scholes made his debut for United in 1994.

Having been converted from a striker to a midfielder he was part of Fergie’s Fledglings, who won the double two years later.

He has gone on to make nearly 650 appearances for the club, scoring 149 goals.

His continued stature in the game was evidenced by Fabio Capello’s last-minute SOS before this summer’s World Cup.

He pleaded with Scholes to come out of the retirement, but the United man revealed the call came too late to convince him to head to South Africa.

And how England could have done with his ability to retain possession and add a calming influence in midfield.

England’s loss might be United’s gain with a full rest this summer perfectly preparing him for the bid to regain the title from Chelsea this season.

While Scholes expects Carlo Ancelotti’s side to pose the main threat he is also curious about Liverpool, with Roy Hodgson at the helm after he replaced Rafael Benitez.

He said: “It just depends on how they start with a new manager. You always have to be wary of Liverpool.

“The season before last they were really close to making a major challenge. Last season for whatever reason it did not work out for them.

“It is much the same group of players with Joe Cole added to it as well. I am sure they will be a good team.”

August 10, 2010

For Ryan Giggs it has been a summer to forget. Not because at 36 the rigours of yet another pre-season are beginning to catch up with him, but because he has had to live with that unfamiliar feeling of failure.

“Failure” is, of course, relative.

It’s not as if Giggs or United went empty-handed last season.

The Carling Cup was a 22nd major trophy in his gloriously enduring career, while a three-year hold on the Premier League was relinquished by a solitary point.

But such is the exalted level at which Giggs and United operate.

Anything less than the very best is tantamount to failure, which is why no-one at Old Trafford will be cooing too much about Sunday’s Community Shield victory over Chelsea.

More significant, however, was the manner of United’s performance – and an immediate sign of their determination to reassert their dominance over last season’s Double winners.

The Community Shield may be a glorified friendly, but Giggs saw it as the first opportunity to relieve the frustrations of a miserable close-season.

“The challenge is there for us to win the Premier League,” said the Welshman. “There is always that hunger, even if you are defending it.

“But there is probably that added bit of determination that you don’t want to go through another summer like this one again where we did not win the league.

“You go into every season determined, but when you do not win the league, it is always hard.

“Everybody was disappointed to lose out by just one point last year and now we have to improve on that.

“If the squad stays fit and we get that bit of luck, then we always fancy ourselves.”

Wembley provided some much-needed cheer for everyone concerned at United.

Failure to clinch a record fourth successive title only compounded frustrations among fans over the controversial ownership of the Glazers that has plunged the club into £700m of debt.

Add to that the lack of a major summer signing while rivals, City, continue to spend like Lottery winners, and supporters have been left fearing United’s period of rule is set to come to an end.

But amid the swirling discontent surrounding the club, within it the message has been one of unity and confidence.

Evergreen Giggs

And Giggs continues to sing from the same hymn-sheet as his manager and chief executive, David Gill, by insisting United are from a diminishing force – a contention he believes was only endorsed by the 3-1 win over Chelsea.

“I felt we controlled the game,” he said. “Chelsea are a good team and at times we made them look ordinary. It is always nice to win in this manner and that is what we will take out of it.

“I don’t think it has too much bearing on where the league goes, but we have beaten one of the teams who will be contesting at the top, so it is nice to get the result.

“It does send out a marker, especially when you look at the people we had on the bench. The strength of the squad is looking good this year. Hopefully we won’t have the injuries we had last year and we can go through the season with a strong squad.

“You look at the lads on the bench and the ones who didn't even make it. There are others, like Rio Ferdinand and Anderson, who didn’t travel, so it is looking really strong.

“We are confident, our pre-season has gone well and we topped it off with a really good show.

“We know that the real business starts against Newcastle and if we play like that, then we have a chance.

“We saw last year a number of teams competing for fourth place – now there is City with their money.

“It is going to be interesting, but I still think if we finish above Chelsea we will have a great chance. I am excited about the new season. We were disappointed with how the Premier League went last year and what we did in the Champions League. We want to do better. Pre-season has gone well. The lads are definitely sharp. We cannot wait.”

And what about that 21st pre-season?

With the greying flecks at his temples and deepening lines on his face, Giggs has officially hit the veteran stage. With each season that passes there is the knowledge that this could be the last.

It will be a sad day when he finally hangs up his boots. An ever-present in the Premier League era, he is the only player to score in every season since its inception.

He is also the one common denominator in Ferguson’s 11 title-winning teams, making him the most decorated player in English football.

A player of the year award 2009 was evidence of his incredible powers of endurance, while his Sports Personality of the Year award last December was a measure of the respect he commands from the world of sport.

As yet he insists he has no plans to retire and talks over another contract extension will depend on his performances in the coming season.

But as for the punishing demands of preparing for yet another campaign, he says nothing has changed.

“I dreaded pre-season when I was 17,” he said. “You just look forward to the season. Every player hates pre-season because it is all friendly games. You just want the real games to start.

“I feel good after pre-season and played the majority of the games in America. The aim of pre-season is to get through with no injuries, but obviously you want to win games as well.

“But I’m like everyone else, I just can’t wait for the season to start.”

James Robson

August 10, 2010

He's the man who’s single-handedly got half of Manchester speaking Mexican. Before Javier Hernandez’ £7m arrival at Old Trafford the average United fan’s knowledge of his native tongue wouldn’t have stretched much farther than chilli con carne.

But since his stunning impact in four pre-season games, “Chicharito” – meaning the Little Pea – is the word on everyone’s lips.

It could soon be a word that opposition defenders come to dread, with the 22-year-old suggesting he could be an instant hit in his first season in English football. Sir Alex Ferguson believes Hernandez has saved him a fortune, comparing him to United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

But such has been his strike-rate, with four goals in as many games for his new club – including his bizarre “header” in the Community Shield victory over Chelsea on Sunday – he could be the deadliest finisher since Ruud van Nistelrooy.

The Dutchman scored three goals in his first two competitive appearances for United when arriving in a £19m deal from PSV Eindhoven in 2001, going on to score 36 that season.

Hernandez is unlikely to get the same number of opportunities in his first campaign, but if he continues to score at such an astonishing rate, Ferguson may have no choice but to throw him in at the deep end.

Like van Nistelrooy, he scored on his competitive debut in the Community Shield, even if it did come in bizarre circumstances.

In contrast to his previous goals – a 20-yard lob, a drive from the edge of the area and a classic poacher’s finish – his Wembley strike was described as everything from “peculiar”, by Ferguson, to a “goalscorer’s goal” by Ryan Giggs.

Either way it has only added to the impression that United have unearthed a special talent in the man from Guadalajara.

“Javier is a goal poacher,” said Giggs. “His overall movement and his ability to find space is really good. Hopefully he can get a lot of goals this year.

“He has started pre-season really well. He has looked sharp. I am sure he will be a great player for us.

“He has the extra quality that makes the difference. He runs in behind and makes it difficult for defenders when they are on the ball. He finds space. He has shown that in glimpses so far and has scored three goals for us. He has scored against us as well, so he is in good form.

Goalscorer

“His goal against Chelsea was a goalscorer’s goal. They seem to go in off any part of the body.

“He was in the right position, which is the most important thing.

“Probably towards the end of the season we needed that player who could come off the bench and change the game. Now we have strengthened in those positions and hopefully that will give us an edge.”

How United could have done with Hernandez when the wheels began to come off their title challenge last season. An ankle injury suffered by Wayne Rooney in the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Bayern Munich in March robbed them of their leading scorer and the man who was almost single-handedly driving them towards a fourth title.

The England striker had scored 34 goals to that point, but failed to strike again for club or country in the remainder of the season or at the World Cup.

Ferguson believes the 0-0 draw with Blackburn in April ultimately cost him the title, with Dimitar Berbatov at his most lacklustre and Rooney and Michael Owen both ruled out with injuries.

But in Hernandez he looks to have found the “value” he’s been so desperately looking for in the market.

Having balked at the £40m it would have taken to sign Spain striker, David Villa, he refused to go above £25m to land long-term French target, Karim Benzema, who instead headed to Real Madrid last summer.

Wolfsburg’s Edin Dzeko was another consideration, as was Uruguayan hitman, Luis Suarez.

But instead it was the unheard-of Mexican who tempted him into the market, rushing to snap him up before the World Cup in the fear of seeing his price triple on the back of a good tournament in South Africa.

That proved to be a smart move, with goals against France and Argentina making him one of the brightest sparks of a largely dour tournament.

“We were lucky we identified him before the World Cup and got the deal done,” said Ferguson “If we’d have waited until after the tournament, he could have cost us maybe two or three times the money and I think a lot of teams would have been after him.

“It was good work by our scouting department.”

Ferguson believes Hernandez has brought a depth of strength to his striking department that was found lacking last season.

“We are pleased with the strikers we’ve got – so much so that we’ve let Danny Welbeck and Mame Diouf go on loan,” he said. “Hernandez has tremendous pace and positioning. He’s had a good start and he is an intelligent player.

“The Mexican league is a good league, so we’ve no problems signing someone from there.”