Manchester United's England international midfield player is unhappy about his role in the team this season and has expressed his concern to the manager, Sir Alex Ferguson. United have changed their playing formation, especially in Champions' League matches, following the signings of Ruud van Nistelrooy and Juan Sebastian Veron. With Veron the first choice to play alongside Roy Keane in central midfield, Scholes has been asked to play in a new role as a withdrawn striker behind Van Nistelrooy, but has struggled to find form.Scholes' decision to raise the issue with Ferguson has surprised those who know him, as he is one of United's most quiet and shy players. The fact that he is such an Old Trafford stalwart, who was brought through from the youth team by Ferguson, is likely to be of particular concern to the manager.The affair came to a head when Scholes was left out of the team beaten by Liverpool in the Premiership on Sunday. It is understood he then asked not to be picked for the "reserve" team that played Arsenal in the Worthington Cup 24 hours later. United and Ferguson yesterday refused to discuss the situation, with the manager said to be furious it had become public.While Scholes may have put his place in the United side at immediate risk, it seems inconceivable that such an important player would be allowed to leave. However, after Sunday's match Ferguson speculated, without naming names, that some senior players may have been at the club too long.Scholes is said to be concerned both about his club role and the possible harm to his England career. His reluctance to play at Highbury was probably connected with the fact that he is with the England squad this week for Saturday's game against Sweden.However, Sven Goran Eriksson said yesterday that Scholes would definitely be in Saturday's starting line-up.
The England coach said he was not aware that United had wanted Scholes to play on Monday and added that he had been in good spirits during England training.When asked about his current form, Eriksson said that all players went through good and bad spells. As for his display against Greece last month, Eriksson said a number of England players had under-performed.. Some years ago, the tenant in this toy shop had the happy experience of learning at first hand how a cornered fox feels when the hunt has closed in and the hounds are circling, snapping, leaping and yelping just outside the lair. Some years ago, the tenant in this toy shop had the happy experience of learning at first hand how a cornered fox feels when the hunt has closed in and the hounds are circling, snapping, leaping and yelping just outside the lair. It was during a World Cup, not long after some comments had appeared here regarding inhabitants of commentary and press boxes who, without any significant games-playing experience, can perch on a cloud and confidently inform listeners and readers that the coach is a mug and should seek alternative employment.These experts – which is how they saw themselves – were furious.
They closed in at the bar in some hotel or other, yapping that they could too tell a dud when they saw one, even if the hounded coach had the respect of his peers and it might be all that the game's greatest minds could to improve the team's performance.In sport today it does seem that a little learning is a dangerous thing. Thinking back, I remember the former West Ham and England manager saying that an assumption of expertise in football roughly coincides with the last time a ball was kicked even if only in the school playground.This is borne out by calls made to relentlessly fatuous radio programmes presented by people who are as illogical as the callers themselves. Thus, Sir Alex Ferguson, after guiding Manchester United through the most successful period in its history, has fallen victim to arrogance. Peter Reid has lost the plot at Sunderland and should at least clear out the coaches working under him. Presumably on the basis of recent home results and rotational selection, Ars? Wenger in the eyes of some Arsenal fans no longer knows his backside from his elbow.The complaint of West Ham's manager, Glenn Roeder, that most of the pressure he feels is media-inspired was ridiculed by the opinionated BBC Radio football commentator Alan Green and indeed on these pages by my colleague Mike Rowbottom But Roeder may have a point.
