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Scholes could be the key to England's success
Posted: Monday June 15, 1998 04:11 PM
PARIS (CNN/SI) -- Coach Glenn Hoddle said
Paul Scholes could be the
jewel in England's crown
at France 98.
On Monday,
Scholes proved his boss
right with a dazzling
display and a gem of a
goal as England beat
Tunisia 2-0 in Marseille
in Group G.
Manchester
United midfielder-turned-forward
Scholes was given the
difficult task of filling the
boots of another
Paul ... Paul Gascoigne.
The modest
23-year-old accomplished
the job in a manner
belying his years.
He could have
scored two goals before
captain Alan Shearer put
England ahead, then he
fired home a stunning last
minute goal to put the cap
on a wonderful first World
Cup finals experience.
One of his long, dribbling
runs in the second half
was straight out of the
school playground.
Hoddle heaped
praise on him after the
game and Shearer, who
also gave a sterling
performance, was keen to
deflect the attention from
himself onto Scholes,
saying: "This is his day."
Hoddle
believes Scholes will
have many more days
like this in international
soccer.
The Manchester
lad came through the
youth ranks at
Manchester United, one
of Europe's glamour
clubs, to force his way
into a star-studded
title-winning side. With
pure persistence and an
always useful habit of
popping the ball in the
back of the net, he made
a regular first team place
at United his own.
His selection
for England on a frequent
basis helped him cement
his United spot. Yes, it's
curious but true that he
was a regular England
starter in Hoddle's mind
before he was a regular
Manchester United starter
in club coach Alex
Ferguson's mind.
Hoddle saw
something in him
immediately and, while
Scholes' more
media-adored United
teammate David
Beckham sat out game
one against Tunisia, it
was Scholes entrusted
with the role of making
England tick. For so long
it seemed that would be
pure Beckham country.
Now there's a
new red-headed hero in
the England ranks,
leading their assault on a
second World Cup title.
Any coincidence
that the last time they
won the trophy in 1966,
the blossoming talents of
a young red-head by the
name of Alan Ball helped
inspire England to victory
?
If Scholes
continues to be a shining
jewel in France 98 - the
crown could be England's
again.
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