Stoke target United legend Scholes in new player-coach role
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Stoke City target Manchester United legend Paul Scholes in new player-coach role
EXCLSUIVE by JOHN EDWARDS
Bowing out: Stoke want the 34-year-old United legend to leave Old Trafford after 15-years to become their new player-coach at the Britannia Stadium
Paul Scholes must decide if the Champions League Final is to be his last game for Manchester United and accept an offer from ambitious Stoke.
Stoke, having enjoyed a thrilling opening season in the Barclays Premier League, have Scholes a route into coaching.
Manager Tony Pulis sees the Manchester United midfielder's vast experience as a key ingredient for extending their stay and is ready to hand him a playing contract with the promise of a coaching role on top.
Sportsmail understands Stoke are prepared to pay a nominal fee for Scholes' services and are expecting an answer from the 34-year old former England playmaker in the next few days.
Though Scholes has always been reluctant to uproot from his Manchester home, Pulis believes the Britannia Ground may be close enough to tempt him into starting afresh after two decades at Old Trafford.
Pulis, who enjoys a good relationship with United counterpart Sir Alex Ferguson, made his bold bid after being alerted to an admission from Scholes that he feels he has another year left in him in the Premier League and wants to go into management after that.
Booked in for a series of coaching courses this summer, Scholes, who went on as a late substitute in Wednesday's Champions' League final defeat by Barcelona, made it clear he had reached a crossroads in his United career by saying: 'Not playing every week is an adjustment you don't like making. You train all week, and you want to play games.
'I think there comes a time when you have to accept you won't play every week, especially with the quality of midfielders we have.
'I will have to see how I am next season, but if I feel I can go again, I will. I would have thought next season will be my last one, though. After that, I would not rule out management.
'Let's see how the coaching goes first, but I would like to be a manager one day. I think I could put up with the demands it brings.'
A one-club man since making his United debut 15 years ago, Scholes recently admitted he would consider moving on to extend his playing days.
After defying the odds by keeping Stoke in the Premier League, following their promotion last May, Pulis is putting that to the test by inviting him to add his know-how to their midfield and learn the ropes as a coach.
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Damn, don't join another EPL team.
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Doubt he'll join them. Maybe he'll end up as a Man Utd coach next season, and probably coach Anderson to be like him.
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dont mine me but
i support this only when Scholes officially hangs up his boots
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Originally posted by haoguanghg:
Doubt he'll join them. Maybe he'll end up as a Man Utd coach next season, and probably coach Anderson to be like him.
Follow Guardiola, go coach the reserves, take over the first team and win the treble.
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na then show liverpool that man utd the big daddy of EPL
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gogogogo bb
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Lolx Paul Scholes wont go de la
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Potters baffled by Scholes link
Reports have suggested the Potters are lining up an offer of a playing-coaching role for United legend Scholes.
Gary Megson's Trotters have also been linked with a move for the former England international, but Coates insists Stoke have no plans to move for the 34-year-old.
"I know nothing about it and neither does (chief executive) Tony Scholes. I haven't spoke to Tony Pulis yet, but I doubt he knows anything about it either," Coates told the Stoke Sentinel.
"I spoke to Tony on Thursday and we discussed nothing of that kind. We know what players we are looking for and who we want.
"When I speak to Tony, we talk about players coming in and players going out. I don't know where this story has come from, but there is no substance to it."