Oldham could find home for a lost Scholes
PAUL SCHOLES is desperate to take up his first managerial role after revealing he has been lost since he stopped playing.
Manchester United legend Scholes won every honour during his glittering 20-year playing career and has been unable to fill the void since.
A role as a pundit for BT Sport and his ongoing involvement in Salford City with his ‘Class of 92’ colleagues have not been enough to satisfy him.
The favourite to take over at League Two Oldham cannot wait to stop kicking his heels around the house with his wife and kids.
“I think that’s what makes you if not depressed, then sad really,” admitted Scholes.
“For 20-odd years from leaving school I’ve always had something to try to achieve at the end of it. It was usually trying to win a trophy.
“Then you spend five or six years in the media and there’s nothing to achieve, apart from giving comments.
“I’m ready again to try to achieve something. It might be a massive failure, if something happens, I don’t know. But I want that sense of feeling again on a Saturday afternoon, to have something to achieve.
“You’re watching the results come in and you think you want to be involved. Whatever level it is, you want to fight for something. It’s just the frustration of not being a part of it. Saturday afternoon is the hardest time.
“I can go out and watch games but I’m constantly on my phone looking at results, what score is this, what score is that.
“I want that feeling back again of working towards something through the week, working towards Saturday, through to the end of the season. I want to be in coaching, in managing.
“I keep saying it. I didn’t say Oldham, though if something happens you’ll know.”
Oldham are 12th in the table, having sacked their manager Frankie Bunn after their 6-0 defeat by Carlisle on Boxing Day. Pete Wild has been in caretaker charge and led the club to their 2-1 win at Premier League Fulham in one of the shocks of the FA Cup third round. They are away at Doncaster in the fourth round on Saturday.
If he is appointed at Oldham Scholes may have to give up being co-owner of Salford, where he was speaking yesterday to announce that David Beckham has become a shareholder.
An EFL regulation states: “Except with the prior written consent of the board a person, or any associate of that person, who is interested in a club cannot at the same time be interested in any other football club.”
Scholes said: “I’m not too clear what the rules are but I’m sure it’s something that will have to be looked into.”
Reticent as a player, Scholes the pundit has angered United managers Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal with his blunt assessment of their Old Trafford tenures.
Scholes said he was shocked that they took offence: “It’s not important what pundits think. What people say, the opinions they have, they’re just opinions. It could happen to me.”