Paul Scholes quits playing and joins coaching staff at United

New role for star: Paul Scholes announced his retirement today, 24 hours after Manchester United's open-top bus parade around the city with the Premier League trophy
Henry Swarbrick11 April 2012

Paul Scholes today retired from football but the 36-year-old will stay at Manchester United as a coach.

There has been speculation over the former England midfielder's future in recent weeks after a season in which his on-field influence has rapidly diminished.

And after celebrating his club's 19th League title with an open-bus parade through Manchester yesterday, Scholes opted to quit.

"This was not a decision I've taken lightly but I feel now is the right time for me to stop playing," said Scholes, who has made 676 appearances for United since 1994.

"I am not a man of many words but I can honestly say that playing football is all I've ever wanted to do and to have had such a long and successful career at Manchester United has been a real honour.

"To have been part of the team that helped the club reach that 19th title is a great privilege."

Sir Alex Ferguson, Scholes's manager throughout a career in which he won 18 major trophies, 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 on the coaching staff next season. Paul has always been inspirational to players of all ages and we know that will continue to be so in his new role."

Team-mate Rio Ferdinand added on his Twitter account: "The BEST player of his generation - fact loved every minute of playing football with him.

"Going to miss training with him + his cold cutting + dry comments on the bike while warming up next to me on any1 who deserves it!

"Paul Scholes aka Sat Nav went from a scoring midfielder to a dictator of the game (changed his game while still at top of the game) - genius."

Scholes will have a testimonial in August and although his coaching role at United has still to be outlined, it could be with the reserves as Warren Joyce has been acting alone since the departure of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Scholes won 66 caps before retiring from international football after Euro 2004 and turned down an approach from England boss Fabio Capello to be part of the squad at last year's World Cup.

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