Jamie Carragher asked Paul Scholes if he ever thought that one Manchester United legend that he played alongside would have been the ‘right’ fit for being a manager.
Paul Scholes spent his entire legendary playing career at Old Trafford and he is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders of all time.
The 50-year-old Manchester United legend played a whopping 714 times for the Red Devils and Scholes netted 153 times and registered 83 assists.
Scholes climbed through the ranks of the United youth academy in the 1990s and was one of the breakout Class of ’92 stars under the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson.
During his time under Sir Alex Ferguson’s tutelage, Scholes lifted 11 Premier League titles, two Champions League trophies, three FA Cups and two League Cups.
The former United midfielder initially retired in 2011 before he made a stunning U-turn and returned to Old Trafford as a player in 2012.
Scholes finally called it time on his professional playing career in 2013 after United lifted their last Premier League title, with Ferguson also bowing out of management.
Scholes talks Man Utd legend as manager
Speaking on The Overlap, Paul Scholes linked up with Jamie Carragher and offered his two cents on fellow Manchester United legend Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Ruud van Nistelrooy returned to Old Trafford last summer after he became assistant manager in Erik ten Hag’s United coaching staff for the 2024-25 season.
Erik ten Hag was sacked as United manager last October and Van Nistelrooy was appointed interim Red Devils boss for a four-match spell.
Van Nistelrooy won three matches and picked up one draw with United before he left Old Trafford last summer after Ruben Amorim’s arrival from Sporting CP.
The 48-year-old former United striker made his return to management last November and Van Nistelrooy was appointed Leicester City manager.
The Leicester City boss has been locked in a relegation battle with the Foxes and Van Nistelrooy faces an uphill battle for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.
When asked by Carragher if Scholes ever saw Van Nistelrooy as “management material” when they were teammates, the United legend said: “No, probably not. I think Leicester took a bit of a gamble on him really, didn’t they?
“They saw what happened in three or four games at Man United, which was good, but I’ve never really seen him as a coaching type.
“I know he did his little bit in Holland, and I’m not surprised it hasn’t gone as well as he probably would’ve liked because the experience just isn’t there.”
Scholes on Van Nistelrooy and David Moyes
Leicester City are 17th in the Premier League table and are one point clear of 18th-place Wolves amid their relegation battle in the current campaign.
The Foxes are six points behind 16th-place Everton, with the Toffees having a match in hand over Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side.
Everton saw the return of former United manager David Moyes earlier this month and Scholes admitted that Leicester missed out on securing the Scotsman’s services.
“You think of Everton employing David Moyes and you think if Leicester had employed David Moyes, you think, yeah, they’ve got half a chance of staying up,” Scholes added.
“Now, look, they still might have half a chance of staying up after beating Tottenham at the weekend but it’s just that that experience and organisation it’s so vital when you come into these Premier League teams – he did it with West Ham as well, David Moyes – Ruud just hasn’t yet got that history to say that he’s going to get you out of it.”
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