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.
