SCHOLES, GOALS & THREE POINTS!
flyer with the Latics Rookie boss off to
PAUL Scholes was named Oldham Athletic boss last Monday and debuted with a 4-1 win against Yeovil the following night – who says this management lark is difficult!
Of course, there will be bigger tests in store for the former Manchester United and England midfield schemer, but he’s certainly got off on the right footing.
As soon as it was announced a few days earlier that Scholes had been cleared by the EFL to take charge of the League Two side despite holding a ten per cent stake in National League outfit Salford City, it was pretty clear that it was just a matter of time before Scholes took the Oldham reins.
So it proved as he was unveiled to the media as Latics boss on Monday afternoon. It was an ambition fulfilled for Scholes, a boyhood Oldham fan.
Ambition
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t feel excited,” said the 44-year-old. “I’ve prepared well for it, I’ve watched the team play and I think they are capable of winning a lot of games. If they don’t, it’s my fault.
“It’s a squad that should be pushing for promotion - that might be out of reach for this season, but certainly next season.”
Oldham owner Abdallah Lemsagam was understandably delighted to have brought such a high-profile manager to the club.
“It’s no secret how much he has wanted this job in the past and how much he loves this club, so I’m very happy to bring him into our family at Oldham Athletic,” he said.
“Paul will have my backing 100 per cent and hopefully we can work together to bring success back to this club.”
Oldham have fallen a long way since the heady days under Joe Royle in the late 80s and early 90s. As a Division Two (second tier) club, the Latics were runners-up to Nottingham Forest in the League Cup in the 1989-90 season and also reached the FA Cup semi-final in that campaign, losing to Manchester United in a replay.
They won Division Two the following season and then spent three years in the top-flight, becoming inaugural members of the Premier League in 1992/93.
Relegation came in 1993/94, the year they again lost out to Manchester United in an FA Cup semi-final replay. The Latics suffered another demotion in 1996-97 and then spent 20 years in the third tier.
However, relegation last season has seen them fall into the EFL basement. The hope now, under Scholes, is that Oldham can start to rise again.
He arrived with the Latics 14th in the table, nine points off the play-offs.
After Tuesday night’s thumping victory against relegation-haunted Yeovil at Boundary Park, Oldham had climbed to 11th and were just half-a-dozen points off the top seven. They’ve got a game in hand on the majority of the sides above them, too.
Nice
Jose Baxter, Callum Lang, Mohammed Maouche and Christopher Missilou all found the net, rendering Bevis Mugabi’s goal for visitors Yeovil irrelevant.
Not that rookie boss Scholes is getting carried away.
“It was nice, but it’s just a start,” he said. “That’s all it is. I know there are tougher tests ahead, starting with Saturday against Crewe, who are going really well.
“Four-one doesn’t reflect how difficult the night was. Yeovil made it difficult for us.
“I’m really pleased with the goals. I said in my press conference on Monday that I knew there was talent in this squad. I want them to enjoy and express themselves and the way you do that is by scoring goals.”
If Oldham’s players can continue to reproduce some of the quality they showed against the Glovers and take a leaf out of Scholes’ playing book – tackling aside! – then it should be an exciting end to the season for all at Boundary Park…