Paul Scholes is set to step into the world of management, having opened negotiations with Oldham over their vacant manager position. The League Two club parted way with former boss Frankie Bunn just after Christmas, and they currently sit in 12th place in the table.
Multiple reports suggest that Scholes is set to sign an 18-month contract with the club, who were relegated to the fourth tier of English football last year. The former United midfielder actually hails from the area, and supported the club in his youth.
This will be his first step into management, having instead opted for a role in football punditry since his retirement in 2013. He has been a regular in the BT Sport studio and has become known for his honesty and no-nonsense approach, especially when it comes to his former club. He was a vocal critic of Jose Mourinho during his time at Old Trafford, but Scholes will soon know all about the pressures of management himself.
The Mirror are reporting that there is one potential stumbling block stopping him from taking the job, however. Scholes (along with other 'class of 92' members Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt) is a part-owner of Conference National League side Salford City, who currently sit third in their division. Promotion would place them in the same division as Oldham, which would be a breach of Football League rules.
It would be a clear conflict of interest for the 44-year old, and he may be forced to sell his shares should they achieve promotion. EFL Regulation 104 reads:
Except with the prior written consent of the Board a person, or any associate of that person, who is interested in a Club cannot at the same time be interested in any other football club.
Scholes' ownership stake would certainly fall under that criteria, and it will be interesting to see how this develops.
