For many athletes, the conclusion of their playing careers paves the way for a venture into coaching. However, some prefer a more measured approach before stepping into management.
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes found himself among the latter when he retired in 2013, yet nostalgia eventually nudged him towards a managerial role.
Scholes on his Oldham Athletic managerial stint
The 66-time England international, who has long been an Oldham Athletic fan, decided to embrace his first managerial challenge in 2019, overseeing the Latics for a month.
His tenure, albeit brief, was marked by struggle, achieving only one victory out of seven matches. Was it simply a case of being at the wrong club at the wrong time?
“I’m not sure it was ever the right club,” Scholes candidly shares. “I never actively pursued it, I was just nudged into it because every time a manager got dismissed, people would say, 'Scholesy, are you going to do the Oldham job?'”
“I thought, 'F**king hell, go on then, I’ll give it a crack.' It was foolish really, but that’s how I perceived it. It didn’t pan out as planned.”
Scholes navigated through the challenges of his part-ownership at Salford City during this period. Despite a change in ownership led by David Beckham and Gary Neville, Scholes remains involved with the League Two outfit.
“I’m currently engaged with recruitment, though Ryan and Nicky are no longer officially with the club,” he mentions. “I truly enjoy it, and we’re improving this season, which is encouraging.”
“The club is hopefully progressing, and it keeps us in touch with football. That was Gaz [Neville]'s intention for us to remain connected with one another,” he adds. “Nicky served as CEO for quite some time — around 18 months, if I’m not mistaken.”
The Good, The Bad & The Football featuring Scholes, Butt, and McGuinness is a weekly video podcast accessible on all major platforms and YouTube.
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