My initial blog was a tedious ramble about my predictions for the up and coming season (for those that are interested I had Man City pipping United to the title with Chelsea in third) but my annoyance in the world’s obsession to 'find the next Paul Scholes'has prompted me to write a tedious ramble about Paul Scholes instead. This subject has annoyed me now for such a long period of time now and only seems to be getting bigger and bigger with their pursuit of Wesley Sneijder who may well be “the next Paul Scholes”

I will start initially by saying that Paul Scholes has had a tremendous career and is a very good player and it is right that Manchester United hold him in such high esteem but that is as far as it goes. The bottom line is that he is a very good player but by no means world class. So why oh why are United placing such emphasis on finding the next Paul Scholes? Paul Scholes was fortunate to play at a time when United had their strongest midfield for many years. Any midfielder worth their salt would look good with Giggs to their left, Beckham to their right and Roy Keane sat behind bossing the middle of the park.

For me the perfect centre midfielder would be able to tackle, track box to box, pass, head and score goals and while Paul Scholes has been one of the best passers of a football during throughout the premiership his skills in the other departments are lacking at best. Can you truly be a world class midfielder if you only excel in one of a number of disciplines required. By now I am sure there will be a number of you thinking ‘hang on a minute - Paul Scholes he scores goals’... and while in his prime he did score goals he by no way excelled in this department. In fact in only one season in the premiership did he reach double figures - an achievement reached my Frank Lampard season after season. I would go as far as to say the myth that Paul Scholes scores goals is more based on the fact that it rhymes rather than the stats. Kevin Nolan also scores goals but because it doesn’t rhyme it often gets overlooked! Now I will admit that Scholes has scored some very good goals in his time which can often help raise a players profile.

So when United go in search of the next Paul Scholes, are they really looking for a centre midfielder who while is world class in passing a football but can’t tackle, won’t track back, score an acceptable number of goals but no more and can’t head a ball? Somehow I doubt this or Charlie Adam would have been signed up last transfer window!

I don’t mean to sound anti-Scholes as I genuinely believe he was a good player and it is not his fault how highly he was rated by others but by all means search for the next George Best, the next Pele or next Leo Messi as these players were and undoubtedly are world class. Let us not get carried away with the next Paul Scholes. He was in this writers humble opinion overrated.

I am aware there will be a number of Paul Scholes fans out there that will disagree and feel free to voice your opinions as at the end of the day football is a game of opinions and this is mine and who knows I might be wrong. I was once and it could happen again!