Scholes: I hated the ginger ninja, but he was quality...

The title says it all really. This is an Arsenal blog, but today called for this.

Paul Scholes has retired, and the English game has lost it's most naturally gifted players on the last 20 years.

He epitomised the Manchester United under Alex Ferguson; plenty of talent combined with a 'never say die' attitude, a thirst for winning and a knack of getting the job done.

A player who perhaps called time on his international career 2-3 years early in order to prolong his club career, was never labelled a 'Judas' by the media for doing so (unlike Jack Wilshere this summer) because he had been (the lone) truely world class player for his country. When players like Xavi refer to a player like Scholes as their role model, you know the player in question is just a little bit good.

He had it all, an exemplary timing off the killer pass, vision on the pitch comparable to our Cesc, hopeless at tackling but ahd the balls to get stuck in, and the rather annoying knack of scoring REALLY important goals against The Arsenal. The ginger bastard had the lot.

For that reason I hated him so much, probably more so then any other United player (prior to Ruud Van Horseface), yet he was the one player I would have taken from United and put in 'my' Arsenal team. What we could have done with a Paul Scholes these last 6 years. We most certainly wouldn't have had the late-spring collapses we've become accustomed too.

Paul Scholes: What a prick, but what a player. He'll be sorely missed by United (not by Arsenal fans).