Scholes deliver shocking verdict on former United teammate

In 20 years as a Manchester United employee, Paul Scholes avoided the press and hardly ever voiced an opinion.

Well, he's making up for lost time now.

In March, his withering assessment of his old club marked the moment when David Moyes' credibility was irreparably shattered.

Now his new column with bookmaker Paddy Power has delivered an equally stunning verdict on the limitations of his former teammate Wayne Rooney.

Scholes initially praised Rooney's desire to play football, but it wasn't long before he unleashed a series of damning, but entirely accurate verdicts on the England forward's capabilities.

According to Scholes, Rooney "needs to use his energy more effectively now", instead of trying to play everywhere on the pitch at once.

"He does that too much instead of saving himself and his energy for what his teams need," the former United midfielder added.

Scholes, 39, suggested that Rooney might make a good midfielder, saying that he had "all the ability to take over my old position", but then went on to question "whether he had the discipline to do it".

Finally, and most damagingly, Scholes suggested that 28-year-old's best years might already be behind him.

"There's a chance he's worn out," Scholes said. "Wayne's peak may have been a lot younger than what we'd expect of footballers traditionally."

Scholes' words are certainly a welcome breath of fresh air.

The mythology that surrounds Rooney tends to obscure his limitations as a footballer.

In England, work-rate and determination can be over-valued, the marks on a heatmap can be erroneously seen as the defining method of judging an individual's contribution.

Rooney has always played with the enthusiasm of a six-year-old boy, but while that was endearing when he was a teenager, it's rather less impressive as he approaches his 30th birthday.

VOLATILE

All too often, he appears in the left-back position, harrying the opposition for the ball, winning it and then smashing it up the pitch into the void that he himself should be filling.

Channelled correctly, his desire should be an asset, but Rooney has always found it hard to sustain his levels of motivation and focus.

Rooney's best season came in 2009/10 when he was the unopposed front man, no longer obliged to do the running for Cristiano Ronaldo.

He was deployed up front, he stayed up front and he scored goals at an astonishing rate.

The improvement was so dramatic that Fabio Capello ripped up his existing framework to try and replicate United's formation for England, a move that backfired horribly.

After the disappointment of South Africa, Rooney returned to England in loathsome form and promptly picked a fight with United over what he saw as their failure to strengthen the squad to his liking.

The next season, he scored freely again. Then came another trough, the dreadful conclusion to the 2012/13 season and another fight with United because they had strengthened the squad to his liking and now he couldn't get a regular game.

Throughout the ups and downs of Rooney's career, Scholes kept his silence.

Moreover, he sustained his form, providing a first-class example of consistency and focus of which Rooney apparently took no notice.

Released from his responsibilities as a player and as a coach, for it seems that there will be no place for him under Louis van Gaal, Scholes now has the freedom to speak openly.

More than most, Scholes knows what it means to be a Manchester United player.

This is not a club where it is enough simply to be talented.

This is the club of Roy Keane, of Eric Cantona, of Ryan Giggs.

Talent is one thing. Intelligence, commitment, loyalty and a willingness to fight for the cause of the team, not the individual, is the real ethos of this organisation.

Rooney, for all that he has won, has never seemed to truly understand this.

And that's why Scholes is a club legend and Rooney is increasingly looked upon with suspicion.

SCHOLES SPEAKS ON WAYNE ROONEY'S POTENTIAL

"There's a chance he's worn out. Wayne's peak may have been a lot younger than what we'd expect of footballers traditionally. Age 28 or 29 has been the normal 'peak'. With Wayne, it could have been when he scored 27 league goals in 2011/2012 when he was 26."

ON ROY HODGSON DROPPING ROONEY TO GET THE BEST OUT OF HIM

"If (his) form doesn't get up to scratch... it'll be interesting to see if the England management team have the b**** to make that decision. To get the best from Wayne, the manager needs to tell him: 'Don't bother running back. Stay up top. Score goals. That's your job in my team'."

ON ROONEY AS A MIDFIELDER

"It'll be interesting next season with Louis van Gaal at Manchester United and how he decides to play Wayne. It looks like it might come to a straight choice between Wayne and Robin van Persie. Rooney's got all the ability to take over my old position. Whether he has the discipline to do it, right now I'm not sure."

ON JOINING VAN GAAL'S COACHING TEAM

"I've not spoken to Edward Woodward. I came back for Ryan Giggs for the last few games to try to help out, but I'm not waiting for a phone call and don't expect to be at Old Trafford next season."

ON WHETHER VAN GAAL IS THE RIGHT MAN FOR UNITED

"Louis van Gaal has the credentials but United are a long way behind. If van Gaal gets them to the Champions League, it'll be a start."

This article was first published on May 23, 2014.
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