From The Times:
There are rumours that the Generation Game may soon make a return to the nation’s television screens, but, at Manchester United, it has never gone away. Once a week — two or three times if they are permitted — the senior players disdainfully chuck brightly coloured bibs at their junior colleagues and, in the ensuing five-a-side conflict, try to show the young whipper-snappers, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney et al, that there is still a thing or two they can learn from their elders, not least a little respect.
It was ever thus. Ryan Giggs recalls being intimidated by facing Peter Schmeichel, Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister, Bryan Robson and Mark Hughes on his promotion to the first-team squad. He, Gary Neville and others have reflected on the day when they finally crossed the divide into the "oldies" camp as a turning point in their careers, while at least one of United’s thirty-somethings has looked back to his youth and those days of "them against us" and admitted that "we used to hate them".
It has not gone unnoticed among United’s senior players that one of their number has departed in each of the past three summers — David Beckham, Nicky Butt and Phil Neville — and that they now constitute a dwindling minority. Scholes admits that his form over the past two seasons "hasn’t been great" and, while he has signed a new long-term contract, he will not need reminding that this was not enough to save Phil Neville, who was sold to Everton this month. Professional insecurity, though, comes far behind admiration when United’s old guard come to discuss the youngsters in their wake.
"They’re just great players," Scholes said. "Wayne and Ronaldo are obviously quality and they’re making goals and scoring goals week in, week out, but there’s also the likes of Fletch, Kieran and [Phil] Bardsley and Rossi coming through and they’re all settling in now. When we were coming through, we just wanted to be a part of it and you can see it’s the same with these lads now."
And, though one day the time will come for them to defer to the youngsters once and for all, Giggs and Scholes know that Rooney, Ronaldo et al may represent their best chance of bowing out on a high. "We hope so," Giggs said. "We know we’ve got the quality to match Arsenal and Chelsea, but we’ve not found the consistency in the last couple of seasons."
That comes with experience. But when it comes to a combination of wise old heads and beguiling young talent, United have enough of both for Giggs to be hopeful of picking up many more medals before his number at Old Trafford is finally up.