Paul Scholes says Phil Jones is ‘not quite clever enough’ to play at centre back for Manchester United and England

Phil Jones started at right back for England in Republic of Ireland friendly
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes feels it is his best position
Scholes says that Jones is ‘not quite clever enough’ to play at centre back
Fellow pundit Lee Dixon was surprised not to see Nathaniel Clyne picked

Published:
12:43 GMT, 7 June 2015

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Updated:
15:38 GMT, 7 June 2015

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Paul Scholes says Phil Jones is ‘not quite clever enough’ to play at centre back and that he would prefer to see the versatile defender playing in at right back for Manchester United and England.

Jones was picked to start in the full back role by Roy Hodgson for England’s friendly against Republic of Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday, and Scholes says his talents are better employed out wide.

The former United and England midfielder was appearing as a pundit for the game on ITV and expressed his concern about Jones’ tendency to get dragged out of position when played in the middle.

Paul Scholes says Phil Jones is ‘not quite clever enough’ to play in the centre back position for England

Scholes, speaking on ITV, said he felt that Jones’ talents were best utilised at right back for club and country

Jones has been in good form for United of late but Scholes feels he can be drawn out of position occasionally

‘I just think at centre back, when he is playing against clever forwards, he tends to get dragged out of position quite a easily,’ Scholes said.

‘At right back you still need to be clever positionally but I think he can use his pace and power and he hasn’t got a bad delivery either.

When he first came to Manchester United he was a right back, he played right back all the time. He has got strength and power and he can get up and down the pitch.

‘I just think at centre half he is not quite clever enough to do it.’

Fellow pundit Lee Dixon was more surprised to see Jones on the right, with Southampton’s Nathaniel Clyne not included in the starting XI in Dublin.

‘He didn’t play particularly well against Italy but I think with it being a friendly and with the Slovenia game next week it would have been a time for him (Clyne) to have another game,’ Dixon said.

Jones joined United in 2011 and Scholes says he was initially a right back before being moved in-field

Nathaniel Clyne (right) would have been Lee Dixon’s preferred choice at right back for the game in Dublin

‘Phil Jones has got the nod but he has been playing at United as a centre back and he has been in a decent run of form. I’m still not sure about him, I’m really not.

‘I think it would have been better to give Clyne a game today.’