My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder.
Nobody else in the world can play the way Scholes does. The passes he produces all over the field and the way he changes the game is brilliant. Every manager would like him. But luckily he is here and playing with us. Paul practices that all the time. When he has finished training he always goes out and shoots.
Scholes is very influential for England at international level.
In the last 15 to 20 years the best central midfielder that I have seen - the most complete - is SCHOLES
I can't understand why Scholes has never won the player of the year award. He should have won it long ago. Maybe it's because he doesn't seek the limelight like some of the other 'stars'.
I'd say Carrick has the qualities of a Scholes, Andrea Pirlo and Sergio Busquets.
He is a very complete, spectacular footballer. He always fights for the ball and tries to lose his marker to help his team-mates - either to defend or to have a shot on goal. For any football player in the Premiership, Scholes is a player you want to emulate. I would happily end my career with the medals that Scholes has. I am young and I hope that I will be able to surpass him - but it is not going to be easy.
If you look at the top midfielders in the past for England, like Lampard, Gerrard, and Scholes, they were always on the scoresheet.
I have no hesitation in putting a name to the embodiment of all that I think is best about football. It's Paul Scholes. In so many ways Scholes is my favourite.
