A Goodbye To Paul Scholes

What can I say about Paul Scholes that has not already been said? Everything about the man has been covered in the hours and days since he announced his retirement.

Instead, I have a better question – what could I say about Paul Scholes that would do the man justice? Simply put – nothing.

Yet here I sit trying to collect my thoughts and emotions as I prepare to say farewell to my favorite player. As fans of Manchester United, the greatest club in the world, we are fortunate to be spoiled by a wealth of success and trophies.

While this is most certainly the case, I would argue that we were perhaps gracedwith gifts superior even to that. For 17 years, we had the honor and privilege of watching Paul Scholes play week inand week out. That, without a doubt, is one of the greatest experiences this club has ever provided to its fans; none of his contemporaries could ever match what Paul Scholes gave us. In fact, as all of his fellow professionals have stated time and time again, he is the greatest midfielder of his generation.

I can give no praise that will ever match the words of Zinedine Zidane, Xavi, Sir Bobby Charlton or the countless others who salute our Ginger Prince. To be described as the greatest by some of the sport’s finest stars of past and present is the ultimate endorsement a player could ever receive. However, as an avid fan of Scholes, I simply cannot stand by and watch my favorite player retire without saying goodbye and paying one final tribute to a legend.

My admiration for Scholes was such that I would spend hours talking about him to anyone who would let me. I cannot imagine how annoyed my girlfriend must have gotten with all of my talk of the magic that Scholes produced on the pitch as I forced her to sit through countless videos of the midfield maestro in action. Although she has grown to support United, I imagine the announcement of Scholes’ retirement must come as some relief to her, if only it means that I will mention his name a few less time when we’re together. My appreciation is endless for the brilliance he allowed us to witness.

Of course we will never forget the spectacular goals he scored while wearing the red of United. Although his scoring tally decreased in the later seasons of his career, he certainly made up for lack up quantity with sheer quality. With the wounds still open after defeat to Barcelona, it is Paul Scholes who provides us with our last joyous memory against the Catalan giants. No one can forget his screamer against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final three seasons ago. The way the ball just fell to him and he took it on the half volley, blasting it past Victor Valdes to send us to the Final. Never have I yelled as loud. Such was my excitement, that neighbors from other floors came to check if I was alright. In more recent times, there was Scholes’ perfectly timed run to head in the winning goal during the Manchester derby two seasons ago. Taking a trip through time, there was his volley against Bradford, which Scholes struck so perfectly off of David Beckham’s pinpoint corner. My favorite, though, came at Villa Park in 2007. As a corner kick was cleared from the box, suddenly from off screen Paul Scholes ran into view and smashed the ball from 25 yards. It was hit with such perfection, that it slammed off the bottom of the cross bar and over the line. If you try to tell me that shot was anything but unstoppable, then I will declare you a liar, for that was as close to perfection as you will ever see. I could go on for ages, but with 150 goals to his name, I simply don’t think I have time to appreciate each and everything single one of them… although I would love to.

While Scholes has certainly produced an entire highlight reel worth of extravagant goals, there was one aspect of his game that made him superior to any other player in the game. And no, I’m not talking about his tackling. There is nothing more majestic about Paul Scholes’ game than his passing. As fellow Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton once proclaimed, “Paul is always so in control and pin-point accurate with his passing — a beautiful player to watch.” He was the complete midfielder in a generation where they were a dying breed, but the one thing that truly set him apart was his ability to pick and execute the perfect pass, a quality which only improved with each new season. Although his goal return slowly diminished with age, those were perhaps the best seasons to watch the maestro in action. With growing experience and improving ability to read the game, his passing became one of the greatest joys to behold in a star-studded Manchester United side. Scholes had the superb vision to pick out a team mate and the technical ability to deliver a pin-point pass. Few players can stake claim to a completion rate on the level of Paul Scholes, not only because he could put the ball where he wanted with relative ease, but also because he had the footballing brain to consistently pick the smart pass. Years from now, it will be this trait the fans still remember above all else. Passing is an art, and Paul Scholes was the Leonardo da Vinci of the football world.

As if his ability on the pitch was not reason enough to love the Ginger Prince, he also endeared himself to fans as the model professional. He was always one to shun the spotlight, as all he wanted to do was simply play the beautiful game. In an age of footballer-cum-celebrities, it was refreshing to see a player like Scholes focus only on the game and his family. It was often said that Scholes routine was simply to wake up, go to training, and then spend time with his wife and kids. Though the most impressive part of Scholes’ history is that he never had an agent. There was no need to try to get more money from the club; never was negotiation or agent tactics an issue. It was once said that when he was ready to sign a new deal, he would simply walk in and put pen to paper. Simple. Along with ability, it is actions like that which will set him apart for years to come.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and the end came on Tuesday when Scholes announced his retirement at the age of 37. To say I shed a tear is perhaps the understatement of 2011. Luckily, Article 41 of The Bro Code states: “A Bro never cries. Exceptions: Watching Field of Dreams, E.T., or a sports legend retire.” So at least it seems my manhood remains intact, but that does not change the terrible feelings of watching a true legend walk away from the game. In all of my years of watching the beautiful game and supporting United, I have never experienced a season without Scholes. I mean, I was six years old when he made his debut! While the past few days have undoubtedly been emotional, I’m not sure it will fully hit me until next season when Scholes is nowhere to be seen on the team sheet. It is still a very raw and surreal feeling to think of such a thing.

My admiration for Scholes knows no limits. Even now part of me is worried that I have failed to provide a tribute fitting of my one of my greatest heroes. It is somehow devastating to think something written in honor of Scholes would be anything less than perfect. To value a footballer so much that you worry about the quality of a piece they’ll likely never read would seem crazy to most, but for me that simply shows how highly I regard Scholes. He was one of the greatest to ever grace the game, and in my eyes he was a hero.

It has been an honor and a pleasure. To Paul Scholes, thank you for all of your contributions to this illustrious club and most importantly for all of the memories. May you long enjoy you well-earned retirement, and good luck on your new endeavor as a coach. Football will most certainly miss you.