If Giggs is named in Van Gaal's team - so too should Scholes

Ryan Giggs has created a shortcut route to coaching and management credentials.

He steered rudderless Manchester United into their final four games of last season but despite mixed results, still lifted the post-Moyes gloom hanging like a Manchester rain cloud over Old Trafford.

The Welshman was dispatched by United to meet prospective boss Louis Van Gaal in Holland and it's reported he'll be offered the assistant manager's job when the Dutch coach is finally unveiled.

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Sky Sports' Gary Cotterill chased Van Gaal down an Amsterdam street and though short on comment, he did confirm there was a "process" towards his appointment.

But if Giggs is in, then Paul Scholes should be too. He's a special talent http://vine.co/v/MjMr91P7XBB

In the dugout and on the training pitch, Scholes would provide Van Gaal with rapier-sharp analysis on players, their mood, conduct and behaviour.

Scholes was spot on about Jack Wilshere, saying he hadn't improved in the five years since bursting onto the scene at just seventeen. The Arsenal and England midfielder, who describes Scholes as the country's greatest ever midfielder saw fit to call him to elaborate.

Sir Alex Ferguson used to use the ginger maestro as a sounding board. Scholes walked out of the dressing room during Roy Keane's infamous rant which sealed his departure and advised he should sell Ruud van Nistelrooy for undermining group morale.

He didn't holler too much - but when he did, it meant something - usually decisive and withering.

Think of the invaluable experience, knowledge and continuity Scholes would bring to Van Gaal.

The Dutchman is a big character and bestowed with a huge track record, knows his own mind. But  Scholes and Giggs with a roll of honour longer than most people's arms, would stem Van Gaal from throwing the baby out with the bath water. 

Indeed, there's still a lot right with Manchester United if Paul Scholes is a coach at the club. 

One-nil to the England!

England followed up a win over the world and European Champions on Saturday with a win by the same scoreline against Sweden.

Breaking a duck in beating the Swedes for the first time since 1968 is obviously a positive although again, the manner of victory shows we're lucky even to be fourth favourites to win Euro 2012. What does that say about the parlous state of French and Italian football at the moment?

England's autumnal era has everything to do with Fabio Capello's decision to step down at the end of next summer having given two years notice of his intentions. That, coupled with the lack of desire among our millionaire professionals to actually pull on the national shirt is a devastating double hit to our hopes.

The best that Fabio can do is to make young, hungry players the fulcrum of his squad and get Sergeant Stuart Pearce to motivate them for each game. To that end, Phil Jones, Jack Wilshere and Jack Rodwell could be so important.

Significance this weekend at Wembley and in the Premier League

4-nil. The two most emphatic scorelines of this Premier League weekend carry a weight of significance and destiny for both the winners and losers.

Manchester United didn't even play well at Wigan, but it's a win which hoists them above the chasing pack in the title race and consigns the journeymen and mercenaries of Wigan to life in the Championship (or an impending transfer to a German or Turkish club, more like).

And Wolves' thrashing of fellow strugglers Blackpool shows Mick McCarthy's men can produce results when they apply themselves, while showing up the Tangerine's inability to defend. The Kingson Cops, you might say!

Wolves fans will be dreaming of kicking off next season at home to Arsenal rather than away to Bournemouth or Brighton. Blackpool will surely be making travel arrangements to those other seaside resorts.

The other noteworthy result unrolled at Wembley as plucky Birmingham City showed grit, determination and muscular resolve to beat off pretty Arsenal, 2-1.

Blues deserved their trophy (and I say this is an Aston Villa fan who's spent his 43 years laughing at their constant failure). They deserved it because despite being outclassed in quality, possession and creation, Arsenal couldn't compete with them in terms of their gameplan; one cut of desire, of physicality - and of threat.

Make no mistake, Arsenal are a team of great quality who play their football the right way. In Jack Wilshere, England has a player fluid of movement and fluent of mind. Arsene Wenger's team will pick themselves up from this. They have to. One minute Blues, the next Barcelona in the Camp Nou.

But the misunderstanding between Koscielny and Szcezny which gifted Obafemi Martins his last-ditch tap-in, was borne of Birmingham's bullying rather than of their own making; an above board piece of gamesmanship as muscle crushed craft.

Their victory is also affirmation of the glory of winning silverware. Newcastle and Manchester City aside, there's no club who've failed more than Birmingham City. Fourth is no longer the new first as those joyous Wembley celebrations showed.

I've been to many games at the new stadium and I can honestly say, this was the best one played there since it was rebuilt.

The weekend's action demonstrated application, fitness and unity overcomes all. It's not great news for the football purist; but it is a rebirth of why the English game perpetually keeps us on the edge of our seats.

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