Scholes fitness boost

August 08, 2007

Paul Scholes

PAUL Scholes could make a quick return to action following an exploratory knee operation after he was named in the Manchester United squad to face Dunfermline in a friendly tonight.

The 32-year-old former England midfielder was expected to miss the start of the new Barclays Premier League season after flying home early from United's tour to Asia last month.

However, following the minor operation Scholes will join the United party heading north, with another team from Old Trafford due to face Glentoran in Belfast tonight.

If he plays some part in tonight's game at East End Park, he looks set to take a place on the bench for Sunday's opening game of the season against Reading at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, manager Sir Alex Ferguson will not attend either match tonight after his wife told him to help move house.

"I told Cathy that I had a match tonight but she wasn't having any of that. She said it was a friendly and that I had to help her," Ferguson said.

Carlos Tevez will also not be available as his complicated transfer from West Ham has not been completed yet.

How do you think the United team will line up against Reading? Have your say.

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Andy P, Wythenshawe, Manchester (08/08/2007 at 08:51)

Absolutely briliant news, this lad is our best player and we are not the same team without him no matter what the stats say !!!!

bobbydazzler (08/08/2007 at 09:10)

he is our conductor and dictates the tempo of our game long may he reign. by far and away the best player to emerge from the 92 bunch

Zeph, Singapore (08/08/2007 at 09:12)

What fabulous news! This is the best news that i've heard this month. Better than Tevez's transfer being okayed in principle, better than United winning the Community Shield ! Welcome back Scholesy. You are our true ace.

RMK016, Derry (08/08/2007 at 09:59)

Pure genius.

DC, Amsterdam (08/08/2007 at 10:00)

bobbydazzler, do you consider Giggs in the class of '92? For me, he is the only one that can rival Scholes.
It's an interesting comparison, I mean judging their entire careers against each other, for me, it's hard to claim one has been better than the other. I guess it's just been our privilege to watch them play their entire careers at our club, so that we haven't had to make comparisons.

Demo, Glossop (08/08/2007 at 10:08)

the quicker the ginger lad is back the better! would be nice to have him for against reading!

annoying to read that tevez cant play tho! come on PL pull your head out from ya a**e and sign the deal off

Gerry, Glastonbury (08/08/2007 at 10:11)

If he gets an hour tonight what odds on him starting on Sunday? I'd rather he plays for the first 60 - 70 minutes on Sunday and then has a rest.
I think he must be pretty fit as he has had a few pre-season games and I'm sure they wouldn't comtemplate playing him unless he was pretty much there in terms of his fitness.
They be telling us next that Saha has a clean bill of health and is chomping on the bit to get out there...... well, ..... perhaps that's stretching things a bit too far!

ChrisMUFC9000, Dublin, Ireland (08/08/2007 at 10:29)

great to have him back, but start him on sunday and then take him off, ive seen united over the years throw away points not startin top players and puttin them on with 20 mins to go... start scholes and then he can rest.... great to have him back, best news all week...
Il be watchn the Dunfermline game 2nite

manc abroad, OT (08/08/2007 at 10:59)

The Ginger Ninja back earlier than expected. Great news. With the new signings and resting him more I expect Scholes to have a better season than last, and last season he was outstanding.

Mick, Dublin (08/08/2007 at 11:05)

Good news about Scholesy.

The Tevez thing is interesting actually. We can't field him in a competitive game because he's not registered to the club. It should be possible for him to play in a friendly thhough. You often see "special guests" turning out for teams they don't usually play for in testimonial games and the like.

I don't see why Tevez can't play tonight as a "guest", providing both teams are happy with the arrangement.

BLUE MONKEY, STH MANCHESTER GHETTO (08/08/2007 at 11:13)

Over the hill.....Finished come to mind...Injury prone ....!!!!!

bobbydazzler (08/08/2007 at 11:21)

dc giggs broke through a little earlier. scholes has reached his potential and more. giggs has had an amazing career but i still feel there could have been more from him. had same problem in sixties looking at best law and charlton.

edinburgh red, edinburgh (08/08/2007 at 11:21)

Great news but hopefully he's not rushing back too soon,i'll be in dunfermline tonight so hopefully a good game and no injuries.

Demo, Glossop (08/08/2007 at 11:34)

interesting point there mick and you might be right. Then again i wouldnt be suprised if the PL have made a rule up to stay united are not allowed but everyone else can!

Eric Gibbon, Altrincham (08/08/2007 at 11:41)

You're right Mick, you often see 'trialist' on team sheets for friendlies. I have also noticed 'trialist' come up as a scorer on the SkySports Soccer Saturday results/goals service thing, so surely Tevez can play tonight?

Duncan, London (08/08/2007 at 12:20)

Glad he's back. On Tevez I would think that maybe they are looking not wind up the PFA by preempting their decision bearing in mind they are looking for a speedy resolution to his registration.

SukhothaiRed, Sukhothai Thailand (08/08/2007 at 13:03)

Good news for Manchester United. No less a player/manager than Johan Cruijff rated Scholes as 'The world's most complete player' last year. Johan, unlike Pele, knows what he's talking about. I hope he plays even better this year, though judging from the stats, this is well-nigh impossible.

Paul Nolan.....Super Leeeeeds, Manchester (08/08/2007 at 13:22)

Scholes is past it these days.

bremen red (08/08/2007 at 13:42)

why do all these envious immature people have to visit our site and make derogatory remarks about pure class??

great news, glad he`s back so soon!!

salfordite (08/08/2007 at 13:42)

Scholes best days may be behind him but what he still has to offferis better than most midfielders in the EPL. Ps. are Leeds still involved in football?

P'boro Blue, Peterborough (08/08/2007 at 14:05)

With news in the Daily Telegraph that the Glazers attempts at re-financing the highly leveraged debt have failed any interested fan should re-read this article written by a supporter one year ago. The situtation has just got worse as witnessed by the fact that Tevez is being "hired" not bought.
www.unitedrant.co.uk/archives/2006/05/takeover_one_ye_1.html

SukhothaiRed, Sukhothai Thailand (08/08/2007 at 14:48)

Hi P'boro Blue,
Try a recent take in the Thai press about yer new leader...
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/08/01/headlines/headlines_30043230.php
Then get orff our site!

ged (08/08/2007 at 15:05)

well said SukhothaiRed---- can you imagine glazer setting up a gigg in the centre manchester and then telling everyone to stand to attention for the american national anthem , what an outcry that would make.

that is exactly what city fans did last week for the thai guy

anglo-saxon rcfc, North Carolina (08/08/2007 at 15:49)

Suk Thai:

you might want to explain why you are taking the word of a military controlled press and why it is that 25% of any assets stripped from Dt T *and* his supporters are slated to go...to the military.

Perhaps you'd also like to explain links between the Thai military and drug running / production in Thailand (irony is that the US has been complaining about this for decades, even whilst utilzing it when needed), the suspicions that extra-judical killings were politically-financially motivated by rogue elements in the police and military to do two things: a. discredit the war on drugs by the deliberate killing of the innocent (agent provocateurs) and b. killing competitors and those ready to blow the whistle on the military and police.

Perhaps you'd like to explain the attitude of the upper class in Thailand to this upstart of Hakkense (Chinese) descent.

Well?

SukhothaiRed, Sukhothai Thailand (08/08/2007 at 15:50)

Sorry, Ged, it's the beer Chiang!

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