Paul Scholes Interview

First Published: Nov 12, 1999

Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has promised to behave in the derby game with Scotland at Hampden Park tomorrow.

Scholes returns from suspension to start the game in midfield and gave this press conference yesterday afternoon.

Paul, seeing as it's the first time, to go back a little bit, we've had a chance to speak to you since the Wembley game, can you just talk a little bit about what went through your mind then and how really you've come back from it and overcome it?

"The Sweden game?"

Yes.

"Well, I was disappointed to be sent off. It was two silly tackles, and at the end of the day I deserved to be sent off. I don't know, I've just got on with it since. I know I've got a lot of stick, but, you know, there's no point dwelling on it. You know, I've got to forget all about it, really."

Did you take a lot from that? Did you go away, take stock, and think, "I've got to do this differently, I've got to change that in my game"?

" Yes, I think I knew I had to calm down a bit. I think I was running around like a headless chicken most of the time, so I knew I had to calm down a bit."

Are you worried at all you might get too hyped up for this game, because this game is even sort of -- there's even more at stake now?

"Yes, there is, but I think I've learnt my lesson from last time. I'll still be going in hoping to win but I don't think I'll be like last time."

Do you think that the sending off surprised a few people, because obviously they know about you, your goal scoring ability, but they don't always see that other sort of, like the tigerish aspect of your game. Would that have surprised people, do you think?

"Yes, I think it would have surprised some people, yes. I surprised myself in some ways, because I know that's not the type of player that I am, but, you know, unfortunately I mistimed a couple of tackles and I paid for it."

Has that ever happened to you before in your career, when you've got so caught up in a situation like that?

"I don't think so, no, not that I can recall, anyway. As you know, I've been booked a lot of times, but I think I've managed to restrain myself after the first one."

Do you think the Scottish players might have seen what happened to you against Sweden, and also do you think they will be wound up and they might target you in some way?

"Who knows? You never know. I wouldn't have thought so. It's only happened once, and, you know, if they do that, it won't work anyway."

It's a fine line, though, isn't it, the fact that you're playing mid-field more often than not, you don't want to lose that side to your game?

"No, I think that was maybe part of the problem maybe, from centre forward back into mid-field, that I wasn't used to tackling as much, and unfortunately I mistimed them a few times."

Do you think it was actually any sort of follow-up from scoring the hat trick the previous game? Was that all part of it, coming in having scored the previous game?

"Yes, it could be, thinking that I've got to, you know, produce something again, and maybe I was trying to do too much."

Is that the pressure on England players, Paul? Obviously the huge spotlight that's always on you, once you've done something outstanding like you did against Poland, there's always the fear that you might not be able to sort of match up to those expectations?

" Yes, you are always thinking that any game, you know, if you played well afterwards. You know you've got to keep up to them standards and if you don't, you're disappointed and you're going to get some stick for it."

Isn't one of the things Alex says is make your first tackle count?

"Yes, I think any manager says that, you've got to make your first tackle count and let them know that you're there."

He's never asked you to sort of hold back at all?

"No, he never will do. I think I've even been sent off once for United, and I didn't deserve that."

So how can you be careful about things you do in this game, when it's not in your nature to at all, it's not in Manchester United's nature at all?

"What can I do?"

How can you be careful, how can you stop yourself going in for 50/50?

"I won't stop myself, I'll still be tackling. If I mistime one and I get booked, then I'll have to be more careful."

Do you enjoy getting stuck in? I remember speaking to Paul Ince and he absolutely relishes the first tackle, setting an example, whereas you're known for your goal scoring and your runs. Is tackling part of the game you enjoy, or you'd rather be sticking the ball in the back of the net?

"I enjoy tackling. I think if you make a good tackle it gets the crowd going maybe as much as a shot in goal does. I do enjoy more scoring goals than making goals, obviously, but if tackling is part of the game, you know, if you're playing mid-field, it's got to be done."

Was there something about the build-up to the Sweden game that was different for you, because when you got out there, you did look like a man on a mission?

" No, I don't think so."

Was there team talk beforehand? Was Kevin telling you to get stuck in?

"Not get stuck in, no. He was telling you to, you know, just express yourself. He didn't tell me to go out there and boot people."

Didn't he tell you to go and drop hand grenades?

"Yes, but not in that way. Yes, he says drop hand grenades, but that's obviously to just go and score goals and make goals and stuff, cause problems, not to boot people."

Which hurt you most, being sent off for England or missing the Champions League final?

" It's hard to say. It was very, very difficult missing the Champions League final, obviously. It was horrible getting sent off for England, but I couldn't separate them, really. Except for I got a lot of stick for being sent off, against Sweden, with me being suspended for that game."

When you talk of learning lessons at the back end of last season, are those two things that -- the ones that most readily spring to mind?

"Yes, definitely, especially the Sweden one."

Did anyone say anything to you about the red card that still sticks in your mind? Did Keegan say anything, or Beckham, or anybody, like Roy Keane?

"No."

You should have done it earlier, I expect he said.

"No, not that I can think of, no."

The adjustment you've had to make in the last couple of years with moving back mid-field, is it something you prefer to maybe get yourself out of that area and play forward, or to go back to how you used to play.

"No, I've enjoyed playing mid-field. It was -- that probably is the main reason I've been booked so many times, is playing centre forward, where you don't make many tackles and going back to mid-field. That's probably the main reason why."

Does that mean you're not a good tackler?

"I can be. Sometimes it goes wrong."

For others who do try and tackle, we've seen it with Dennis Bergkamp time and time again, he doesn't do it very well?

"He's a different player from me. He doesn't tackle often. I tackle more than him."

How do you learn to become a good tackler, how do you learn that timing, and stuff like that?

"I don't know. I suppose you have to watch people like Roy Keane and Paul Ince, people like that, David Beckham. You have to watch them, I suppose."

Do you find yourself doing that, when you're watching games, do you find yourself watching those sort of players more than you did before?

"Not really, because tackling isn't the main part of my game. I concentrate more on the attacking part. I have to -- I know myself, I have to be more careful at tackling. I think I have been lately."

When you were coming through, and you obviously scored a lot of goals at this level and played upfront, you were obviously trying to be -- you were obviously working towards being a striker, how difficult has it been to have to kind of, you know, change your whole game basically, because now you're playing mid-field?

" When I was in the U team I did play quite a lot in mid-field, I mean played centre forward, there wasn't that many centre forwards and the U team always wanted me to play mid-field, he always thought I would be a mid-fielder and that's the way it turned out."

From the outside you've been seen as an Eric Cantona's understudy, that kind of player. Suddenly you're being asked to get in mid-field and play like Roy Keane.

"Yes, there is a lot of talk about being like the predecessor to Eric, but it just never worked out that way. I don't know why, it just didn't."

Before the hat trick against Poland, a Scotsman called Wat Nichols came here and gave the players a pep talk. I remember him saying afterwards that you were particularly hooked on everything he said, you seemed to be sitting in front, hanging on every word. Was he a major factor behind your hat trick? Craig Brown doesn't seem to think so.

"I don't know, he might have helped a bit. I don't know, I did listen to him, but as soon as the game comes round, it's forgotten about, isn't it, really?"

Does missing the European Cup final have any effect on you this season? For instance, have you got more of a hunger for United to do it again, because you missed it?

" No, I think I'd be wanting to play anyway, to do it again. I don't think -- we don't just want to win it once. We want to prove that we can win it again, and that we are one of the best teams in Europe."

What do you put your terrific goal record at international level down to, because you settled very quickly, didn't you, started scoring goals? Is it a confidence thing, feeling that you can deliver at this stage?

"Yes, I suppose so. I was fortunate enough to score very early on, and I think that helps. I think a lot of players -- I don't know, it takes them a while to score a goal but, as for me, I scored very early on, and I just went on from there, really."

What has Alex Ferguson been saying to you about this game before you left?

"He didn't say too much, really. I think he just wanted the United lads who are playing to play well, but Scotland to win, obviously."

What is your experience of games against Scottish teams?

"Testimonial, Celtics, East Five, friendly, pre-season friendly, that was it."

Would it be very different from an ordinary international in those terms, playing essentially British players in a Premiership game?

"Obviously we'll know a lot more about them, we know what they're capable of. Apart from that, I don't really know until Saturday."

What are Scotland capable of, do you think?

"I think they're very strong defensively, and in the big games they always seem to play well. So it will be a tough game for us."

Who of them do you know and worry about, or do you worry about any of the players?

"I don't know I'll worry about any player. I don't know them, no. I know of them, but I don't know them."

In terms of the loss of Paul Lambert and the position that he plays, who would likely have come in direct contact with you, what sort of bloke do you think that is what Scotland needed against England?

"I don't think that is that much, really. I think Barry Ferguson is another player who's just the same, and, you know, he can do a good job, if not better."