Paul Scholes has turned down the chance to manage Oldham Athletic as the League One club continue their managerial search.
Scholes, 40, was one of the revered ‘Class of ’92’ along with the likes of Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Nicky Butt and Gary and Phil Neville, enjoying a magnitude of success, particularly the treble in 1999. The midfielder won 11 Premier League titles and was capped by England 66 times.
There’s no secret of the affinity that Scholes shares with his hometown club, frequently spotted in the stands at Boundary Park, and there’s no doubt that he would be searching for a more active role within the football world than his current punditry duties for ITV, since being relieved of his coaching position at Manchester United.
In his column in The Independent, he said: “One day, I believe I’ll manage Oldham, who are very close to my heart. This was the right job at the wrong time.
“They are a really good family club who mean a great deal to a lot of people – myself included. I just did not feel this was the right time.
“When I go into management, I want to do so with 100% commitment. At the moment, I have a lot of responsibilities and things going on in my life that I cannot simply drop immediately.”