Once the dust settles and the awards have been handed out and a bookend put on the melodrama of the Premiership for another few months. For me, we could be set to see a changing in the guard at two clubs in particular, both clubs having reached the FA Cup Semi Final to only fall short.
The teams? Manchester United and Bolton Wanderers.
The players? Paul Scholes and Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Firstly to Paul Scholes.
Now let me get this across, Paul Scholes is possibly the best centre midfielder I have seen in the Premiership to his early-career lung busting runs up and down Old Trafford's pitch to his more recent 'quarterback' role at the heart of a young United midfield. But watching him this weekend on a stage he would once rule, his sending off was the example to prove the conviction.
Paul Scholes of yesteryear would of won that ball in a 50-50, took it down and sprung messers Rooney, van Nistelrooy through to a goal down to the genius of the player wearing the number 18. But there he was, a seeming step-off the pace and trudging off after a nasty looking challenge followed by his marching orders from Mike Dean.
It's that look of the once masterful Scholes trudging off which sticks with me. Matching that with fellow stalwart/United legend Ryan Giggs seemingly growing with age as a yardstick and the club's reluctance/patience to give Scholes a new deal- something Giggs has already- which leads me to think that this maybe the last year of Mr Scholes at the so-called 'Theatre of Dreams'.
Scholes, himself seems self-aware, not self-indulgent. This was showed with his decision to back away from the International game when the Lampards of the world were emerging. Its that awareness of his situation which seems to be leading Scholes out the door at United and the possible end to one hell of a era by one of my favourite players of all time.
As for Jaaskelainen. It's been a longer process of clawing his way to the end of a stellar career.
He's been up there with the best 'keepers in this league since he arrived on the Premier League stage with his gutsy Bolton side. Since their promotion to the top-flight in 2001, 'Jussi' has been the first name on the Bolton teamsheet. A sign of the stability the club operates in under the guidance of chief Phil Gartside and Managers Allardyce, Megson and latterly Coyle.
But in recent times, where he possibly has the strongest back-line in front of him during the ten-year stay of Bolton in the Premiership,the mistakes and signs of a decline are becoming prominent.
Along with the emergence of understudy Ali Al-Habsi, albeit at Wigan on loan wil no doubt give manager Owen Coyle a decision to make. One the Finnish mainstay is not as nailed on winner of as he would of been a couple of years ago.
Like with Scholes, he has been the best I've arguably seen at his position and in the early part of this century, possibly was a part of the reason to how the Trotters kept their status among the elite.
But watching him on Sunday, somethings gone. He has a future England No.5 in front of him in the shape of Gary Cahill. But his ability to make a 'highlight-reel' game saving save seems to be dissapearing. This may be harsh to put on just one game. But I've felt this for a while, the errors are more prelevant than I can ever remember with Jussi, the command no longer seems to be there, but this is purely an opinion from a far.
Whatever happens to Jussi and Scholes remains to be seen, but both clubs will be hard pressed to find a replacement who will be as long living in the memory of the respective clubs supporters and the neutrals around the country, one of which I am.
If this next 6 weeks is it for two of the best in the near twenty years of the Premiership and their partaking in it, then theres hours of footage filled with highlights to fill a video package to be proud of and alot of younger players would be in good stead to look at the two players as the finest examples to follow in this age of money before loyalty.
Read, hopefully enjoy and give me feedback please. Cheers :)
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