Source: Team_Talk
Scholes reveals retirement thoughts
Paul Scholes has revealed he was considering retirement at Christmas last season after a poor run of form for Manchester United.[LNB] Scholes is bang in form at the moment and currently one of the most talked about players in the Premier League.[LNB]There has been much talk about Fabio Capello's attempt to talk him out of international retirement, while successive man-of-the-match performances in the Community Shield and Premier League win over Newcastle confirm the 35-year-old is on top form once more.[LNB]Yet, while 2010 will go down as one of Scholes' best years as a professional, 2009 was one of the worst in his eyes.[LNB]"At Christmas last season I did not think I would be playing in this one," he admitted on MUTV.[LNB]"I wasn't playing well enough.[LNB]"The season before last I had an injury for three months and then from Christmas onwards my form wasn't brilliant. Leading up to Christmas last year it still wasn't great.[LNB]"I wasn't playing as much as I would have liked but you need to be playing well to get into the team.[LNB]"I set myself high standards. I want to feel as though I am contributing to the team. If I am not doing that what is the point of being here."[LNB]Fortunately, Sir Alex Ferguson had other ideas.[LNB]The United boss reassured Scholes he was still making a valuable contribution to the Red Devils cause and after taking the club to within a point of what would have his 10th Premier League title, Capello made his move.[LNB]Scholes has already admitted he regrets saying no to the under-fire England chief but the summer break has at least kept him fresh ahead of a season in which he again expects to be used sparingly.[LNB]"The manager has handled me, Ryan and Gary the same way for the last couple of seasons and I am sure this season will be no different," added Scholes.[LNB]"If I am playing well enough, maybe I will play 25 or 30 games.[LNB]"You want to play every game but at our age, you can't."[LNB]Scholes has now sidelined any talk of retirement and intends to keep going as long as he legs can carry him.[LNB]Ferguson recently spoke of the possibility United's ageing heroes could maintain a career at the highest level until they were 40.[LNB]Yet even that date is not too far away, leaving the Salford-born star to contemplate what lies ahead.[LNB]"I want to stay in football," he said.[LNB]"I started my coaching badges towards the end of last season. Hopefully I can get the first part done at some point this year."
