Paul Scholes Breaks Silence on Controversial Michael Carrick Message
Paul Scholes has firmly insisted he never intended to offend his former Manchester United teammate Michael Carrick following a controversial social media post that sparked widespread debate among football fans and pundits alike. The incident occurred shortly after Manchester United's 2-1 defeat at Newcastle on Wednesday night, marking the first loss since Carrick replaced Ruben Amorim as head coach.
The Controversial Social Media Post
Scholes originally posted on social media that "Michael has definitely got something special about him, (because) United have been c*** last four games." This comment immediately drew criticism from various quarters, with many interpreting it as a harsh critique of Carrick's managerial abilities despite United currently sitting third in the Premier League and challenging for Champions League qualification.
Scholes' Public Clarification
Speaking on the GoodBadFootball podcast, Scholes offered a detailed explanation of his intentions. "Michael is one of the nicest people you will ever meet in football – he'd be the last person I would want to offend," Scholes emphasized. "I messaged Michael anyway. I went straight to Michael and said, 'Look, I never intended to upset you.' And I don't think I needed to say that anyway, and he told me himself he wasn't upset by it."
The former England midfielder elaborated that his comment was purely about United's recent performances rather than any criticism of Carrick personally. "I think people have just took it differently from what was meant. The only thing I was saying was that I don't think they played that well the last four games, and he's still managing to get results," Scholes clarified.
Reactions from Former Teammates
The controversy prompted responses from several other Manchester United legends. Patrice Evra criticized Scholes' comment, suggesting it reflected a broader trend of negativity among television pundits. "It annoys me because we want to be in the top four, and those comments are unnecessary, but this is what you do when you work in TV," Evra stated. "You can't be positive, you have to be negative."
Meanwhile, Rio Ferdinand provided crucial context on his Rio Presents YouTube channel, confirming he had personally contacted Scholes about the incident. "Everyone was saying is Scholesy drunk has he had a few too many to drink," Ferdinand revealed. "I actually texted him and said 'what's going on?' But Scholesy is Scholesy. He said 'listen I said he's special but we have been rubbish the last four games'."
No Animosity Between Former Teammates
Ferdinand went on to clarify that there was absolutely no animosity between Scholes and Carrick. "Listen, there's not beef between them two. They're two really placid, calm guys. Carra has the upmost respect for Scholesy and Scholesy the same," Ferdinand explained. "It was just interpreted differently to the way Scholesy meant it to come across."
The former defender also provided insight into Scholes' personality, noting that his direct approach as a pundit reflects his character during their playing days. "He's just being honest and brutal. One thing I'd say about him, he didn't say much in the changing room but when he did it was normally a cutting comment so I'm not surprised he is how he is as a pundit right now," Ferdinand added.
Performance Analysis vs. Personal Criticism
Ferdinand acknowledged some truth in Scholes' assessment of United's recent performances while tempering the language. "And he isn't wrong. We have been rubbish the last four games in terms of performance. It hasn't been top, I wouldn't say rubbish. It hasn't been oh my god I'm going to pay to watch that against next week, it's been flat," he conceded.
The incident highlights the delicate balance former players must maintain when commenting on their old clubs and teammates. While Scholes maintains his comment was purely about performance standards rather than personal criticism, the episode demonstrates how social media posts can be easily misinterpreted without proper context or tone.
Despite the controversy, Manchester United continue their push for Champions League qualification under Carrick's leadership, with the team's position in the table suggesting the new manager has indeed brought something special to the role, even if recent performances haven't always reflected that in the eyes of some former players.
