Paul Scholes has admitted at Christmas last year he thought he would have retired by now.
The veteran Manchester United star is currently one of the most talked about players in the Premier League.
Fabio Capello tried - and failed - to talk him out of international retirement in order to play a part in England's ultimately dismal World Cup campaign and successive man-of-the-match performances in the Community Shield and opening day Premier League win over Newcastle confirm the 35-year-old is on top form once more.
Yet, while 2010 will go down as one of Scholes' best years as a professional, in his eyes, 2009 was one of the worst.
And, in a special interview for MUTV with former United European Cup winner Paddy Crerand, Scholes acknowledged things were so bad, he was seriously considering whether to hang up his boots.
"At Christmas last season I did not think I would be playing in this one," he admitted.
"I wasn't playing well enough.
"The season before last I had an injury for three months and then from Christmas onwards my form wasn't brilliant. Leading up to Christmas last year it still wasn't great.
"I wasn't playing as much as I would have liked but you need to be playing well to get into the team.
"I set myself high standards. I want to feel as though I am contributing to the team. If I am not doing that what is the point of being here."
Fortunately, Sir Alex Ferguson had other ideas.
Ferguson input
The United boss reassured Scholes he was still making a valuable contribution to the Red Devils cause and after taking the club to within a point of what would have his 10th Premier League title, Capello made his move.
Scholes has already admitted he regrets saying no to the under-fire England chief.
However, the summer break does mean he is fresh at the moment and ready to make a positive impact when his appearances start to get rationed as the games mount up.
"The manager has handled me, Ryan and Gary the same way for the last couple of seasons and I am sure this season will be no different," he said.
"If I am playing well enough, maybe I will play 25 or 30 games.
"You want to play every game but at our age, you can't."
Scholes has now sidelined any talk of retirement and intends to keep going as long as he legs can carry him.
Ferguson recently spoke of the possibility United's ageing heroes could maintain a career at the highest level until they were 40.
Yet even that date is not too far away, leaving the Salford-born star to contemplate what lies ahead.
"I want to stay in football," he said.
"I started my coaching badges towards the end of last season. Hopefully I can get the first part done at some point this year."
What do you think? Have your say.
Tweet
Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
The Trawler, Stockport (03/09/2010 at 15:43)
Red-Brit-in-It (03/09/2010 at 15:58)
It is understood that the Athens club would be prepared to do business in January if a deal to then loan him back for the rest of the season could be agreed.
Inter had previously competed for the midfielder, though it is not known if new head coach Rafael Benitez will follow up Jose Mourinho's interest."
It's probably true that United will try to get through this season with th midfield as it is.
redindian (04/09/2010 at 08:59)
Eric's Seagull, Whitefield (04/09/2010 at 23:37)
Vodka's best taken first thing in the morning . (03/09/2010 at 16:03)
BALL AND BAT, ALL OVER (03/09/2010 at 16:18)
Monkey tennis? (03/09/2010 at 16:30)
Gilly, Belgium (03/09/2010 at 16:37)
gary davies (03/09/2010 at 16:37)
respected by so many foreign players and managers,he,in my eyes,is one of the most technically gifted guys this country has seen in years.
your right trawler,he MUST be kept at utd as a coach of some description.
I saw Duncan Edwards play, Walton Le Dale (03/09/2010 at 18:58)
United 'til I die!
Fred C Dobbs (but you can call me Fredo), Tick...............................Tock (03/09/2010 at 20:35)
Jokerman, Atlantis (04/09/2010 at 11:23)
Algernon Blabbermouth, eccles (03/09/2010 at 19:45)
You tend to run out of superlatives to describe the bloke..Awesome player!
Gerry, Glastonbury (03/09/2010 at 19:52)
I’ll probably get ribbed again for this but Scholes wasn’t playing that badly before Christmas last season! I got a lot of stick for saying that at the time! People said I was totally blinded by my love for a fantastic footballer – but hay, who was right and what’s happened since then? He’s been out of this world – Am I right or am I right?
I think sometimes Ginge plays a bit on his popularity in his interviews!!! BUT he can't fool Urchie!
Ancient Fan, Mount Dandenong, Vic, Australia (03/09/2010 at 22:34)
He will always be my favourite and I do enjoy reading anything about him but I just can't understand why he seems to have suddenly put himself in the limelight.
Raju, Katmandu (04/09/2010 at 15:29)
Fred C Dobbs (but you can call me Fredo), Tick...............................Tock (03/09/2010 at 20:34)
ROYTON BLUE (03/09/2010 at 21:52)
I saw Duncan Edwards play, Walton Le Dale (04/09/2010 at 10:45)
United 'til I die!
Jokerman, Atlantis (04/09/2010 at 11:25)
big blumer, sydney (04/09/2010 at 12:27)
Royton mate - whats your secret??? i tried to pay scholes a complimet and got royally slagged off for it, albeit illiteraly which was a little strange. it went a little something like this
Me - "Scholes is one of the top 3 midfielders ive seen live in the premier league - fair play"
2 semi-literate Utd fans that didn't think i was welcome round these parts - "oh so he's only second in your top 3 is he!!!!! well i think you are a $%&%$* etc etc wah wah wah wah"............
strange nes pas..................
big blumer, sydney (04/09/2010 at 08:04)
When super-syrup stevie ireland failed to track him and he nodded in (yet another) last minute winner against us the pain was slightly numbed by the fact it was scholes that had scored it - he's that respected that i think most Blues would say if anyone had to do it then fair enough if its him. If it had been Neville, for instance, i think id still be led on the floor of that bar staring at the ceiling....................
bobbydazzler (04/09/2010 at 09:56)
Khalad Mahmood, Silet, Bangladesh (04/09/2010 at 11:25)
Keane is the greatest Premiership midfielder ever. Scholes is top as is Gerrard. Ya Ya Toure is a lumbering donkey in comparison. Only a deluded bitter would put him in the "top 3" class. What about ex City player Michael Brown? Surely he should be in the top 3? Or Gelson Fernandez, he was better than Bryan Robson surely?
big blumer, sydney (04/09/2010 at 12:18)
wow - you try and pay a UTD player a compliment and what do you get back, an illiterate load of bile. i like your stutter at the start as well. so (k) keane is the greatest yet scholes and gerrard are also top - make up your mind mate who is it??? oh and imagine my nerve at suggesting yaya toure will be a top addition to the premier league. if you'd bothered to read what i said i was basing my opinion (they key word there being "my") on players i have seen live - not on MOTD, im sure you got to Old Trafford many times in your private jet from Bangladesh...................i didnt even put yaya in my top 3, even though we know your lot would have loved to sign him...........learn to read as well as spell............
bobbydazzler (04/09/2010 at 09:56) - awwwwwww, im sorry mate - i should have consulted you before i mentioned that i thought scholes was only the second best midfielder id seen live after Viera (in his Arsenal days) - well imagine my embarrassment.
p.s - learn to spell and how to string a sentence together............
redindian (04/09/2010 at 09:00)
danny, WILMSLOW (04/09/2010 at 09:12)
Watching the England game showed one thing,Rooney should play in our midfield,his thrre asists are what we lack,he also had the speed of Defoe to make use of his passes.
United should play 4.3.3 Ronney should be in midfield and Berbatov Hernandez and Kiko should all play up front Hernandez is very quick like Defoe and could get onto Rooneys passes Kiko is also very strong around the box and Berbbatov could be the craftsman to help put things together.
Jokerman, Atlantis (04/09/2010 at 11:28)
Al (04/09/2010 at 13:49)
red (04/09/2010 at 14:43)
manc abroad, OT (04/09/2010 at 09:17)
Long may he play for United. As I have said before he is not interested in just picking up a pay cheque, Paul will know when it is the right time to retire. Then I hope United keep him in the backroom staff showing the youngsters how to play.
Playing Legend !!!
danny, WILMSLOW (04/09/2010 at 10:04)
Ed from Davyhulme, Manchester (05/09/2010 at 17:38)
captain Balotelli's mandolin , manchester (04/09/2010 at 10:49)
Ramblas Rebel 99, Manchester (04/09/2010 at 12:52)
Ha, ha, you keep loving the debt, and we'll keep winning the trophies which is what football is about is it not? Why am I asking you????
Jokerman, Atlantis (04/09/2010 at 15:11)
Keep strumming your mandolin,cocker,you will need new strings before you see a trophy.
Ed from Davyhulme, Manchester (05/09/2010 at 17:38)
Aggressive Walking,, Corby (04/09/2010 at 14:13)
51%er, denton (04/09/2010 at 16:46)
but as i have said in the past football is all about confidence and nothing could boost the ginger wooliebacks confidence more than knowing theres absoloutly no chance of getting dropped due to lack of funds to replace him.
a previous article states that the oldham sheep worrier will still be at it in 5 years. well if man yoo are still a going concern after the bonds mature and theres no cash to pay up i think that he and giggsy will be the first names on the team sheet. so well done paul and my moneys on you patrolling that swamp midfield for another 15 years at least.
I'm just like Stewie Griffin, Fictional Quahog, Rhode Island (04/09/2010 at 23:33)
What on earth are you going to do when all your garbage is proved wrong again.
Ed from Davyhulme, Manchester (05/09/2010 at 17:35)
Duncan, London (06/09/2010 at 12:14)
Roy (04/09/2010 at 20:59)
I am GOD, manchester (05/09/2010 at 09:32)
EmmYouEffSee99 Blackley RED (05/09/2010 at 11:49)
DOBBS=DoOneBertieBlueScum
M J O'Connor (05/09/2010 at 12:13)
Duncan, London (06/09/2010 at 11:20)
manu expert (05/09/2010 at 15:22)
:alarm bells should should be ringing at old trafford, what is going on there? we spend 20m on hargreaves who didnt have leggs to stand on?
: we spend 32m on berbatov when it was obvious he didnt have the pace or workrate to suit us?
:spend 18m on one leg valencia when we already had a better right sided winger in nani?
:and now we paid over 7m for a guy no-seen him play?
:let t,cleverly go out on loan but keep gibson who's nowhere near united quality?
i could go on fo ever but some needs to tell us whats really going on at old trafford.
I saw Duncan Edwards play, Walton Le Dale (05/09/2010 at 17:03)
United 'til I die!
Doc Savage (05/09/2010 at 17:15)
Ed from Davyhulme, Manchester (05/09/2010 at 17:31)