Ex Man United midfielder, Paul Scholes was cleared to take charge of League Two club, Oldham Athletic. The English midfielder is set to be unveiled as Oldham manager on Monday at 14:00 GMT. The former Class of 92 legend was tipped to take his first steps in managerial career at Boundary Park since Frankie Bunn was sacked on December 27. However, Scholes appointment saw a minor problem with the issue that Scholes own 10% of share in National League Club, Salford City, an honor he shares with his class of 92 team mates, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Phil Neville and Nicky Butt.
Scholes held a 10% share stake of Salford City and rule 103.1.3 of the EFL handbook states: “Except with the prior written consent of the Board, no club may, either directly or indirectly, be involved in any capacity whatsoever in the management of administration of another football club.”
Negotiations were held in an EFL meeting on Friday which resulted in the verdict that holding of 10% or less in a club is disregarded providing it is held “purely for investment purposes”. However, the only restriction that the 44 year old is going to face being Oldham Athletic manager is that he won’t be allowed to buy from or sell players to Salford City. Oldham Athletic and Salford City can be in the same league in the next season.
Scholes who holds co-ownership of Salford City along with Giggs, Neville brothers, Butt and most recently, Beckham had spoken previously of his desire to take up a full-time coaching or management role.
“I have always had something to try to achieve at the end of it. Whether it is about winning a trophy, it was usually trying to win a trophy at the end of it. It might be a massive failure, I do not know, if something happens. I just don’t know, but I want that sense of feeling again on a Saturday afternoon to have something to achieve,” an enigmatic Scholes signed off.
Since his retirement in 2011, Scholes has been a TV pundit at BT Sports for the major part of his career. His only time in management in professional football was when he was in the back-room staff under caretaker manager Ryan Giggs for Manchester United following the sack of David Moyes. Scholes also was a part of coaching team for the united reserves under Warren Joyce. He and fellow co owner Gary Neville managed a match for Salford City together against Kendal Town when Phil Power was sacked.
It will be yet another huge step for the legend of the game, who made a name for himself at Old Trafford. The former England international will want to make an impact in a different role, than what he has been doing in recent times. If he succeeds, we can surely have yet another quality manager in the making.
However, there were will one key thing to remember that. Not all managerial stories end up like Solskjaer’s fairy tale run at The Theatre of Dreams. Some end up like Thierry Henry’s. Something, that Scholes might want to remember!!
