Rio, Giggs & Scholes - 6 months left on their deals

Originally Posted by borsuk

think that's a bit of a myth tbh. unless players become disruptive in some way it's far more common for fergie to show enormous loyalty imo.

McClair, Bruce, Irwin, Keane etc. would all agree with you tbh

Originally Posted by forwardirektion

33 and 32 for a 38 and 39 year old. Don't want Rio to start struggling for us, go build #5 brand in the US or China

Lampard would be a useful player for United, but I'd rather Scholes just started pulling the trigger a bit more often instead tbh...

Fletcher and Anderson (and Hargreaves before he left) are the problem, not Scholes and Giggs imo

Originally Posted by dunk

McClair, Bruce, Irwin, Keane etc. would all agree with you tbh

doesn't make sense










in anticipation of a daft smartarse fail reply, the point stands

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

doesn't make sense










in anticipation of a daft smartarse fail reply, the point stands

Ferguson didn't ruthlessly chop them either. Ferguson showed them loyalty and utilised them for as long as possible. I'm guessing that they would agree that the idea of SAF ruthlessly chopping older players is a myth.

Originally Posted by dunk

Ferguson didn't ruthlessly chop them either. Ferguson showed them loyalty and utilised them for as long as possible. I'm guessing that they would agree that the idea of SAF ruthlessly chopping older players is a myth.

true. same with neville and others. his ability to build and balance a squad is probably the thing that sets fergie apart from everybody else, one of the reasons he's able to go on and on constantly reinventing the side.

Originally Posted by dunk

Ferguson didn't ruthlessly chop them either. Ferguson showed them loyalty and utilised them for as long as possible. I'm guessing that they would agree that the idea of SAF ruthlessly chopping older players is a myth.

oh okay, thought you were imparting sarcasm


anyhoo, I'd say that the difference between those 4 and the two maestros now is that they were all past being good enough whereas the current pair aren't - or at least Giggs still has plenty to offer and Scholes was excellent in the 2nd half of last season, outshining far younger talents like Silva and Mata imho... both have struggled this season a bit with their form but Giggs at least is back in fine touch right now. I agree with Ramone fully that Scholes will probably call it a day for good sooner rather than later to save himself the frustration...

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

Lampard would be a useful player for United, but I'd rather Scholes just started pulling the trigger a bit more often instead tbh...

Fletcher and Anderson (and Hargreaves before he left) are the problem, not Scholes and Giggs imo

Agree with that. Been saying for the last 3 £#%&!ing years that they need retiring/selling and replacing. If we'd had just 2 reliable players instead of those 3 since 2008, the possibilities were endless..

I admire United's loyalty to players, but they could do with being a bit more ruthless in these situations. Hargreaves especially.

Scholes will retire, once again. Giggs will play next year as well. And, Rio will go to the MLS :/

Need new recruits for sure, this summer.

Originally Posted by dunk

Agree with that. Been saying for the last 3 £#%&!ing years that they need retiring/selling and replacing. If we'd had just 2 reliable players instead of those 3 since 2008, the possibilities were endless..

I admire United's loyalty to players, but they could do with being a bit more ruthless in these situations. Hargreaves especially.

Nearer the crux of it. Difficult balance obviously, but the amount of time it takes a player to break into the side now has had an adverse effect. Pogba being the obvious loss, but I also have no idea where Phil Jones should be played, Smalling should be first choice imo & Rafael took at least a year too long to nail down the right back spot. Opinions & all that.

I hope they can sort out Nani. Get him fit, new contract and then get him confident and playing regularly. Keep Giggs on for another year just for the body swerves . Scholes must retire, sadly, comes to them all though. Rio I can't make my mind up on, it'd be good to keep him as long as possible as he is a great character to have around and a tremendous player, however, he's creaking somewhat and we could do with getting Smalling and Jones playing CB regularly if they are to be the future. If not, another lynchpin is required..

I'm hoping they are just nursing Fletcher through this season in order to get him a transfer and a payday in the summer, it's sadly patently obvious that he isn't going to be able to do it for United with any regularity

Interesting thread, this - the consensus was a few months back that Giggs was totally finished but Scholes still had a part to play - a few decent showings by the former (and below par displays by the latter) and many are now saying the opposite. Still think that both will pack it in this summer - along with SAF??

Which IMO makes it more likely that Rio will be kept on for a season or two yet - you need *some* "experience" out there........

Originally Posted by red in cumbria

Interesting thread, this - the consensus was a few months back that Giggs was totally finished but Scholes still had a part to play - a few decent showings by the former (and below par displays by the latter) and many are now saying the opposite. Still think that both will pack it in this summer - along with SAF??

Which IMO makes it more likely that Rio will be kept on for a season or two yet - you need *some* "experience" out there........

Why the vigil smilie after SAF retiring, ric'ers? Are you hoping he does?

I think you asked me this before - and my answer is the same as it was then.....

In other words, I find the thought of United without Freggie just a bit terrifying - like most others here I suspect

But it is surely happening *sometime* soon - and it isn't too far fetched to think he might time his own exit to coincide with theirs??

Originally Posted by dragflick

Why the vigil smilie after SAF retiring, ric'ers? Are you hoping he does?

like he's going to actually write a post without a smiley ffs

Originally Posted by borsuk

like he's going to actually write a post without a smiley ffs

Shut up.

See what I did there??

Originally Posted by red in cumbria

Interesting thread, this - the consensus was a few months back that Giggs was totally finished but Scholes still had a part to play - a few decent showings by the former (and below par displays by the latter) and many are now saying the opposite.

fredsters in being a fickle bunch of bastards shocker.

There is no debate surely anymore whether or not giggs and scholes should call it a day?

What they bring to the squad no longer outweighs what they cost us in mobility, tenacity and pace.

Giggs has had a couple of okay cameo's lately and that's exactly why he should call it a day now. What passes for Okay from giggs now would have been classed as abysmal 10 years ago. We'll never move on if they don't knock on it on the head now and those two are the prime reason frogson flat out refuses to invest in our central midfield. They are his crutch, his comfort blanket.

Rio may still have something left in the tank but he should be playing 15-20 games a season these days at the absolute most.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

There is no debate surely anymore whether or not giggs and scholes should call it a day?

What they bring to the squad no longer outweighs what they cost us in mobility, tenacity and pace.

Giggs has had a couple of okay cameo's lately and that's exactly why he should call it a day now. What passes for Okay from giggs now would have been classed as abysmal 10 years ago. We'll never move on if they don't knock on it on the head now and those two are the prime reason frogson flat out refuses to invest in our central midfield. They are his crutch, his comfort blanket.

Rio may still have something left in the tank but he should be playing 15-20 games a season these days at the absolute most.

Giggs has had a couple of decent cameos AND been class over xmas AS WELL. This is why he's so important to the squad, not as you bizarrely claim, why he is not.

As for moving on, United are on 52pts, have scored 54 goals, and are 7pts clear at the top. Hence your point, so oft repeated over the last few months, is more ridiculous now than it ever was... and trust me, it always was... Giggs has plenty left to offer this squad. Scholes, the best midfileder in the league for an extended spell last season, may consider that he doesn't have time to regain that level, in which case he will bow out again gracefully. Shame the absolute arseholes who follow United can't allow that to happen without feeling the need to slag the fella off in the meantime.