PAUL Scholes has emphatically quashed fears that his career could have been ended by the eye problem he has been suffering.
And the United star has vowed to return next season - even if the vision in his right eye is not 100 per cent.
Scholes has ringed July 3 on his calendar - the date when Sir Alex Ferguson's non-World Cup players report back for pre-season training.
He then expects to be on United's plane to South Africa 10 days later for their summer tour, before kicking off the new campaign in August.
Speaking for the first time since he was ordered to curtail his season in late December and rest completely, Scholes has told M.E.N. Sport exclusively that he is on his way back.
"I am getting better," he said. "I still have a bit of blurred vision in my right eye but I am starting to step up training and I just want to get myself ready for next season.
"I am aiming to take part fully in our first session of pre-season. Hopefully, I will get through that and I will then be ready to start the season.
"Obviously you are concerned originally when you are told it is serious and you have to rest. But in my own mind I was always confident I would be back playing again. I know that is not definite yet but I am pretty sure it will happen.
Nightmare
"The specialists wouldn't let me play on as it was, but it has started to get better and I now feel I will be okay for next season."
Scholes's nightmare - caused by blocked vein in his eye - started just after Christmas when his sight mysteriously began to blur.
He played against Birmingham City three days before New Year but then disappeared from United's team.
Eventually Sir Alex Ferguson revealed that the 31-year-old had an eyesight problem sparking wild rumours about the seriousness of the condition.
The Reds then officially announced that Scholes' season was over and that he had been ordered to rest.
"I felt a little bit of blurred vision before the Birmingham match in my right eye," he said. "I told the medical staff after the match and then I went to see a specialist. He told me it was a quite serious condition and I had to take some time off and then hopefully in time it would get better.
"I had bleeding in the eye and the vision was blurred.
"A small vein was blocked behind the eye and that was causing the problem.
"They assured me it would get better but they didn't know whether it would be three months, six months or whatever. I was just ordered to rest.
"I didn't train for the last three months but in the last four weeks I have been doing three days a week. Yesterday I did my first bit of football and that was okay.
"I don't know whether the vision in the eye will be completely clear ever again but whatever vision I have left in the right Ieye I would still be able to play. It is not clear but I can see enough to play football - I hope!"
How important is Scholes to United's title chances next season? Have your say.
Tweet
Comments
Login or Register to comment
He is world class and it will be fantastic to see him back in a red shirt next season.
It seems harsh but here is another great servant of UNITED reaching the twilight of his career.He know longer seems to consistently have an influence. I don't think he will play any major part in UNITED's push for honours.Squad player now.What a player he has been,as I say it's harsh.
If he may always have blurred vision how will he be able to play?
United have been playing exceptionally well without him, but he remains one of the club's best-ever players.
Hopefully, Fergie will bring in two central midfielders in the summer (Riquelme and Diarra? Please!) and, considering his age, that could limit Scholes' appearances.
It will be a sad day when he hangs up his boots.
People have always spoken of his professional, shy-guy approach, but unfortunatley that threatens to take away from something else: He is the best midfielder of the Premiership era.
George i think that is a little harsh as at this moment in time he is still the best creative midfielder we have at the club, he may not be as consistent in the last two years as he was in the past but generally when scholes played well united played well. i do think he needs competition for his place brought in the summer but i am not ready to write him of just yet.
Forget talk of replacements etc. Let's use this forum to reflect on Paul Scholes and his achievements so far and wish Paul a speedy recovery and hope he pulls on the Utd shirt again. He is a great servant for the club, one of the best creative midfielders in the current generation of footballers and recognised as such by his peers both domestically and internationally. Best wishes Paul!
Considering that we lost Gabby, Ol' Ginger head and Smudger for most , if not all of this season, I am pretty amazed that we are where we are. Makes me feel pretty optimistic for next season.
How's this for a (4-3-3) lineup:
VDS, Gabby, Vidic, Rio, Neville
Giggs, Scholes, New Guy
Rooney, Saha Ronaldo
(4-2-2)
VDS, Gabby, Vidic, Rio, Neville
Park, Scholes, New Guy, Ronaldo
Rooney, Saha
We aren't far away boyz.
Gaz Northstand, you might be right.The signing of Evra and Vidic as sharpened up the back four whether they play or not.It pains me to criticise our players.(or be honest) We've got the VAN the man situation.The guy has scored 150 goals but I think it's time for him to leave.When we beat Liverpool in a cup final a few years back.I said to my brother before the match if Bruce plays tomorrow we've lost.Bruce didn't play we won.It's horrendous to see these players decline and leave Hughesy,Schmeichel,Ince everyone who thrilled us to bits in a UNITED shirt.What can you do? It's the way it is.SAF does at least have the courage to say times up.That's why he's been successful.
Iv always thought scholsey to be one of the greats not just for man utd but also in terms of world football. People lord over franky Lampard but scholes has been putting in those sorts of performances for almost a decade. I still believe he has alot to offer this club. I dont care what anybody says losing Scholes was a bitter blow, come back soon ginger prince we miss you
Might not necessarily start every game next season, given Giggsy's move infield, but he'll be there, don't worry. Especially pleasing now that the abortive 4-5-1 nonsense has been shelved. I don't think it's any coincidence that United look better, having been forced to play 4-4-2, and, lest we forget, this fella was the hub of it all when we won the lot...
In my view Scholesie with one eye is better than Riquelme with two. Save us from another Veron disaster.
I think Scholesy will be back - it depends how much his eye will affect his future performances but just before he was injured he was back to his best so if he can reproduce that form next season I see another couple of seasons left in him. In any case you need stalwarts like Scholesy and Giggs to remind any newcomers, especially the youngster, of the expected standards.
Hope you get better soon Scholesy but you need to fight for your place with the likes of a Riquelme and Giggs... we have to keep this competition for places going! Scholes had his worst season ever this season and was a liability... would love to see him back to his best though!!!
Best wishes to paul. If he remembers watching Nobby Stiles from the Stretford End, he'll remember that Nobby had blurrred vision in both eyes but it didn't stop him doing his job!
I still remember the evening spent At Old Trafford with the groundstaff and several of the first team combing the grass trying to find a contact lens Nobby had lost in the match! Scholesey will be back and when the time comes I hope that there is a coaching job for him at Old Trafford !
I doubt he does Pendleton red since he was born in '75, and supported Oldham!
Great news, as it was looking that it could be the end. With 4 months off, good pre-season he'll be back to his best. Still 2 good more years left in Scholesy yet!
Great news after many thought that could be it. Another 2 months off and a good pre-season = Scholesey back to his best. You have to believe there is still another 2 good years and numerous trophies left in him yet!
khaled isnt scared to face the truth. SCHOLES IS FINISHED. playing with blurred vision in one eye? do me a favour! you have to have precise split second timing in the prem. scholes has been poor for 3 years anyway, this added dissability means he will NEVER be the player he was. 99% of the people on here would have solksjaer and scholes in the team for the next 10 years. face it, their time has gone, just like keanes. the last stalwarts of the great 90's team are fading. the only player of that magnificent team still performing fantastically is gary neville, better than ever if anything (but 2 years down the track he will be fading too). you can beat anything, apart from time. ole will never score the winner in the champions league final again, it is down to rooney, ronaldo and people like that to achieve these feats now. living in the past will hurt the team. our midfield is a joke because we didnt replace the ageing players like scholes and keane with younger players of equal ability. i watched real madrid against arsenal and it just proved a point. zidane and ronaldo, once the worlds 2 greatest players, were pathetic. old and overweight respectively, they never threatened to score in 2 legs. a name doesnt make you great, performances do. sentiment has no place in football, not if you want to win things at the highest level, and sell out a 76,000 seater stadium every week.
Derrick wot are you talking about. Riquelme is ten times better than Veron and he will slot in perfect in our midfield. He is a player that can turn a game with one little bit of magic like Ronnie And Rooney!! A MUST BUY!!!
Khaled, I think he can still judge and control with blurred vision it's the athletism which will have gone.I agree with your remarks on sentiment.But mature is not always bad.Look at what a fantastic contribution Sheringham played in the treble season.Cool headedness seems to desert the young.Sunderland result! Sheringham scored the opener and was named MOTM in the 99 FA Cup Final and equalised and got the nod on for the winner in the CL Final.HE'd be 33 then!
Our midfield is in shmbles and to strengthen it back up, we need scholes back as well as a great transfer. Get rid of smith and fletcher.
Khaled I agree with a lot of what you say but George has a great point and one that I reflected on myself during the Sunderland game. We were crying out for guile and an experienced head with composure. For all Rooney and Ronaldo's abilty you cant buy experience and both were guilty of trying too hard to score the goal themselves instead of being patient and opening up the defence. Have to say wasnt impressed with SAF decision to throw Rio up front. We should be better than that. Scholes presence in the sqaud next season will only be bad if he plays every week without performing. Other than that welcome back Scholesie possibly my favorite all round United player ever.
Khaled, given that last post, Scholes has better vision in his damaged eye than you have in both! Scholes has had a dodgy couple of seasons (not 3) but the last few games he played prior to his injury (notably against Bolton) were top drawer and he has a couple of decent seasons in him. You probably said the same about Giggs and he has been excellent in the last few matches. IMO
Red Devil. With respect you have not thought this through. The history of Requime is of a guy who has failed to cut it whenever, like at Barcelona, the whole of the remaining 10 team members were not made to play around him. On the two occasions then this was done, [one when he was still young in South America], and with a couple of servant-grafters in midfield doing the hard work for him, he has flattered. But trying to build a team around this little princeling in our EPL would be a disaster of Veronesque proportions.
I loved Scholesy when he was a great player almost every week.
He isn't now - he is good maybe 1 in 5, so why do so many think he will make such a difference if he comes back next season?
Reds, this sentiment has nearly destroyed United since 2001!
For God's sake, look at the facts and let's move on!