▁occasionally ▁as ▁a ▁central ▁mid f iel der ; ▁his ▁preferred ▁position , ▁however , ▁was ▁that ▁of ▁a ▁more ▁off ensive ▁and ▁cre ative ▁attack ing ▁mid f iel der , ▁an ▁un common ▁position ▁in ▁the ▁Premier ▁League ▁throughout ▁his ▁career . ▁Mc Man aman ▁was ▁a ▁quick , ▁strong , ▁cre ative , ▁and ▁ener get ic ▁player , ▁with ▁trem end ous ▁d rib bling ▁ability , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁accurate ▁passing ▁and ▁crossing ▁ability ▁with ▁either ▁foot , ▁which ▁allowed ▁him ▁to ▁create ▁ch ances ▁and ▁provide ▁ass ists ▁for ▁team m ates ▁as ▁a ▁play maker . ▁He ▁was ▁often ▁critic ised , ▁however , ▁for ▁his ▁in ability ▁to ▁score ▁many ▁goals , ▁although ▁he ▁would ▁later ▁improve ▁upon ▁this ▁element ▁of ▁his ▁game ▁during ▁the ▁peak ▁of ▁his ▁career . ▁In ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Mc Man aman ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁the ▁award ▁of ▁England ' s ▁best ▁d rib b ler ▁of ▁all ▁time , ▁an ▁award ▁eventually ▁won ▁by ▁Sir ▁Stanley ▁Matt he ws . ▁ ▁Post ▁playing ▁career ▁Mc Man aman ▁retired ▁from ▁his ▁playing ▁career ▁after ▁being ▁released ▁by ▁Manchester ▁City ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁In ▁early ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁Mc Man aman ▁nearly ▁came ▁out ▁of ▁ret irement ▁to ▁sign ▁for ▁the ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁R angers , ▁a ▁club ▁owned ▁by ▁an ▁adm ir er ▁of ▁his ▁football , ▁Car son ▁Ye ung , ▁but ▁the ▁deal ▁fell ▁through ▁due ▁to