Mad Brit Diary

Scholes quietly is central to England success.

England needs Paul Scholes fiery presence in the midfield to do well in Euro 2004.

(Friday, February 20, 2004) -- Every team should have a player like Paul Scholes, an untiring bundle of energy in the middle of the field, with a never-say-die attitude and a laser-beam shot on goal.

The Manchester United attacking midfielder is a wonderful and smart player. If he had the personality of David Beckham, or was married to a pop-star wife, he would be as well-known as Ronaldo, Michael Owen and Beckham around the globe. Scholes is easily in the same company of Real Madrid's Luis Figo and Zinidine Zidane, but the 29-year-old is a quiet and shy lad who does his talking around the 18-yard box.

The United star, a true professional on and off the field, has produced numerous memorable goals for the Red Devils and representing England."

"Paul Scholes is a genius," said United coach Alex Ferguson. "He just ghosts into those positions and is so difficult to pick up."

Once the game on the pitch is over, the fiesty Scholes vanishes into his private life. He doesn't turn up a movie premieres or famous night clubs, and he doesn't hobnob with the rich and famous. The only place you might see the red-headed star is watching his beloved Oldham Athletic with his son. He may have the riches of the game and the big house, but he married his childhood sweetheart Claire and doesn't flaunt his wealth.

Like his teammate Nicky Butt, he is an ordinary lad, blessed with talent and the riches that go with it. He is a modest player who does not crave adulation, a "throwback to a more innocent time," noted one report.

The very private and egoless Scholes is the man who could possibly make England shine at Euro 2004 in Portugal, where he will start in England's central midfield and hopefully dominate the play. For that to happen, Scholes needs to be given the ball and control the middle of the park with short passes, using Beckham wide on the right.

As Scholes goes, so goes England. He is a complete team player who will never let down his teammates. He has an intuitive understanding of the game and is self-disciplined. Lately, he has suffered a goal drought when he dons his nation's "Three Lions" shirt and there have been no goals in 24 England games since a victory in Greece in June 2001. This is worrying, but hopefully Scholes will bounce back.

He scored nine goals in his first 19 games for England, but only four in the last 40 matches. When he arrived from the youth team at Manchester, Ferguson was calling him the best finisher in the game -- the silent assassin. "Paul Scholes had the best football brain I'd ever seen in a kid," said former United assistant coach Brian Kidd. "Let's face it. Paul Scholes is in a class of his own."

United States and Fulham defender Carlos Bocanegra's ugly two-footed lunging tackle on Mark Delaney has put the Aston Villa's defender out of the game for two months with a serious ankle injury. "Bocanegra is a public performer in the entertainment industry and he let himself and his club down," said Villa's local paper, the Birmingham Post. "He should be hung out to dry."

The American was lucky to get away with just a three-game ban for what many are calling the worst tackle of the season.

Italian World Cup star Roberto Baggio, 37, is not ready to hang up his cleats just yet, after all. Nicknamed the "Divine Ponytail", Baggio, was expected to retire at the end of this Italian season. Now the Brescia star, who led Italy to the World Cup final in 1994 in the U.S., might continue his career in his quest to score two more goals which will take him to the 200-goal milestone in Serie A.

Real Madrid's star midfielder Luis Figo played in his 100th game for Portugal this week in a 1-1 draw with England in a friendly. Northern Ireland finally ended its goal drought in a 4-1 loss to Norway this week, but not before setting a European record for not scoring in 1,298 minutes of play. The team that the great George Best once played for, had not found net in 15 games over a 28-month period.

France looks formidable as Euro 2004 looms this summer in Portugal. The French won their 14th game in a row with a 2-0 victory over Belgium.

The Czech Republic extended its unbeaten run to 20 games after a 2-2 tie in Italy. Ireland was unlucky not to beat world champion Brazil in Dublin after Robby Keane headed a potential winner over the crossbar in the 0-0 deadlock.

Sheffield United star Paul Peschisolido got the draw he feared when last year's English FA Cup semi-finalist, was to play on the road at either Sunderland or Birmingham City in the Cup quarterfinals.

Peschisolido's wife, Karren Brady, is the managing director of Birmingham City which has a fifth-round replay Wednesday against Sunderland.

Carlos Alberto Torres, the captain of Brazil's 1970 World Cup-winning team, has been named the coach of the national team of Azerbaijan. Torres, 59, is a former New York Cosmos star. In his first game at the helm this week, Torres saw his team crash 6-0 to in an exhibition game.

The defunct American Women's United Soccer Association has kicked off a ticket-fund initiative to gauge support as it hopes to return to full operations for the 2005 season. The WUSA plans to host three exhibition "Soccer Festivals" in June to generate interest in re-launching the league and hopes to sign up 2,500 season-ticket holders who commit for three years should the league come back in 2005.

David Beckham wants to encourage other English players to compete overseas. The former Manchester United midfielder moved to Spain's Real Madrid last summer in a $40-million deal. "If other English players get the chance to play abroad, then I would definitely say take that chance. It's definitely worth it," said Beckham, who has become a fan favorite in Madrid. "I wouldn't have thought that I'd leave Manchester United. But to be where I am now and to be playing the football I am now, and to be happy, I think that's special for me. . . I had so many happy years at Manchester United and now I've had a happy six months in Madrid and, I hope, a happy few more years there.

Clint Mathis has rediscovered his goal-scoring ways, collecting two goals in three matches since joining his new club Hannover 96 in January. Mathis' scored a superb goal in the 2-2 home draw with Bayer Leverkusen last week, when he made a 50-yard run and then curled in a right-footed shot in the 40th minute.

Defender Steve Cherundolo, Mathis' American teammate at Hannover gave up a bad pass to allow Bayer to tie the game.

Hannover is currently in 10th place in the German Bundesliga.

Mike an Arsenal supporter from Denver writes: "Hey, Mad Brit. I enjoy the column, but I'm sort of tired of the Arsenal bashing. Sure, they have spent more than say Fulham or Middlesbrough, or any of the mid-table clubs, but that is the point. To escape the so-called "mid-table obscurity," a club must spend on the players that will deliver the goods. But that is no guarantee for success. For instance, Leeds United spent well over 100-million pounds a few years ago, but now finds itself in the relegation zone.

'Contrast this to Arsenal, which, apart from a few costly deals, has built a great team on a relatively thrifty budget. . . (at) figures (that) are miniscule compared to the hefty price tags of players like Rio (Ferdinand) and Ruud (van Nistlerooy) for United, and everyone for Chelsea. Sure Arsenal has spent, but it has easily spent less than United and Chelsea over the last few years, and yet lead the league. Don't begrudge Arsenal because it has success."

Kerry E. Doyle writes: "I was just reading some of our previous columns. You were stating how shocked you were at the response you received when questioning Freddy Adu's actual age. One of your quotes was 'Now the MB knows how Whitney Houston feels after a row with Bobby Brown.' Really? You really think that getting a bunch of angry\critical e-mails about a soccer star's age is the same as being hit by an abusive husband?

"You generally have good columns on soccer (OK, I'm a soccer\football fanatic, too but it is just a game), but please don't demean the plight of many women (and the occasional man) who are beaten, often on a daily basis. Did you know the leading cause of death for pregnant women is homicide? Keep up the good soccer writing, but please don't trivialize domestic violence, even for annoying celebrities."

George Rhodes says: "Mad Brit, I recently watched the U.S. get thoroughly beaten by an uninspired Dutch side. Yet again, another example of just how far we have to go to be a contender on the world stage. I must admit that the press releases regarding the U.S. performance, and (American coach) Arena's interpretation of the evening's affair are a bit generous, to say the least. If I have to sit and watch another game in which Frankie Hejduk gets exploited by another quicker and more skillful opponent, or watch Brian McBride serve simply as a well-rooted post, or see Landon Donavon and DaMarcus Beasley make wonderful runs, only to finish with misguided touches, I'm afraid I'm going to have to stop watching these guys." Sincerely, I'm a fed up American."

Harry writes: "Dear, Mad Brit. Contrary to Ernesto Chavez's claim, I do not think that Daniel Hernandez has played for Necaxa in quite a while. Therefore, I cannot imagine that Arena would invite him to a camp any time soon. I wonder what the Mad Brit thinks of (Frank) Simek, the Yank at Arsenal? Roy Wegerle was great. . . but I somehow think that (Jovan) Kirovski is the best Yank ever to have played in England. . . He just had really bad luck with managers and chemistry and the like."

Patrick Ward says: "MB, Danny (Hernandez) has dual citizenship with Mexico and the U.S. He recently threatened Bruce (Arena) that if he didn't call him in to the U.S., team he'd play for El Tri (Mexico). My guess is that Arena was not going to respond to threats from a journeyman player and will continue to freeze him out of the U.S. camp. All of this is pure speculation, of course."

Heard a rumor, have a gripe or a tip? Feeling lonely? E-mail the Mad Brit at themadbrit3@aol.com.