Filed under: Manchester United, Premier League, Football
There was an inevitability about Paul Scholes' decision to call time on his Manchester United career but that does not mean he will not be missed at Old Trafford next season.With his 37th birthday fast approaching, he has decided to end his playing days and will take up a coaching role from the start of next season.
The former England international made just 14 Premier League starts last season, the fewest since his breakthrough campaign of 1994-95, and his decreasing importance to the team would have continued next term, particularly with Sir Alex Ferguson due to spend significantly in midfield.
Typically he announced his decision with understatement.
"I am not a man of many words but I can honestly say that playing football is all I have ever wanted to do and to have had such a long and successful career at Manchester United has been a real honour," he said.
"This was not a decision that I have taken lightly but I feel now is the right time for me to stop playing. To have been part of the team that helped the club reach that 19th title is a great privilege.
"Most of all I would like to thank Sir Alex for being such a great manager, from the day I joined the club his door has always been open and I know this team will go on to win many more trophies under his leadership."
Scholes will also be given a testimonial next season and Ferguson feels the midfielder can now look forward to a successful career as a coach.
"What more can I say about Paul Scholes that I haven't said before?" Ferguson said. "We are going to miss a truly unbelievable player.
"Paul has always been fully committed to this club and I am delighted he will be joining the coaching staff from next season.
"Paul has always been inspirational to players of all ages and we know that will continue in his new role."
It is easy to see why Scholes had worries about how much he would feature next season, had he signed up for an 18th season as a first-teamer.
This season he has shown that he can still run games, sitting deep in front of the back four, flicking the ball from side to side and dictating the play.
After the transitional years of the former England midfielder no longer being able to make his late scoring runs into the box, Ferguson found a perfect role for the old schemer.
But Scholes does not seem to be the type that can really be talked into anything and, if his chances were limited this season with Ferguson set to spend on his midfield this summer, how many opportunities would he have seen next time around?
Ferguson surely attempted to appeal to the player's loyalty but, crucially, he would not have been able to tell Scholes he would start anywhere near half of United's games next season.
And that would never have been enough for Scholes, who can wander off into the sunset with 10 Premier League winners medals.
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