Paul Scholes `scared` about Manchester United`s future
Manchester United great Paul Scholes has said he is scared about the club`s future and believes they could spiral into decline in the same way rivals Liverpool did in the 1990s.
|Last Updated: Aug 21, 2014, 09:11 AM IST|Source: Reuters
London: Manchester United great Paul Scholes has said he is scared about the club`s future and believes they could spiral into decline in the same way rivals Liverpool did in the 1990s.
Scholes, who played for United throughout his whole career and won 11 Premier League titles, says the club need to sign five top players to arrest their current slump that saw them fail to qualify for the Champions League last season.
United finished seventh in the Premier League in May, having won the trophy the previous year, and began the latest campaign under new manager Louis van Gaal with a disappointing 2-1 home defeat to Swansea City on Saturday.
"I am scared for United. Genuinely scared they could go into the wilderness in the same way Liverpool did in the 1990s," Scholes said in the Independent newspaper on Thursday.
“What do they need? Five players. Five proper players who can hit the ground running and turn round a situation that looks desperate. Let me be clear: I am sick of having to criticise the club to which I gave my life as a footballer. But United need to arrest their decline."
The defeat by Swansea shredded the close-season optimism that had been circulating since former Netherlands boss Van Gaal was chosen as the permanent replacement for David Moyes, who was sacked after just 10 months in the role.
With many pundits claiming United`s squad needs a root-and-branch overhaul, the club have so far struggled to make a major splash in the transfer market this window.
While some of the world`s best players have been linked with United, only left back Luke Shaw, midfielder Ander Herrera and defender Marcos Rojo have been recruited to date.
United will get the chance to get points on the board when they play Sunderland away on Sunday.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.