English Premier League: Manchester Utd's Paul Scholes Retires After 10th Title

Despite former on-the-pitch friends pushing him to stay active, Paul Scholes has retired from professional football after a career that spanned over 17 years. He has accepted a coaching role at the club he has served for the entirety of his illustrious career, Manchester United.

Gary Neville, fellow retiree and member of the second wave of Alex Ferguson's fledglings, a group that emerged from the youth club in the early nineties, insisted that Scholes has more to give just weeks ago.

"I’'ve watched him play for the last few months and I’d say carry on," said Neville, who now is set to become a commentator for Sky Sports, the leader in EPL coverage in the UK. "He’ll make his own decision. He knows what he’s going to do. He’s experienced. He knows his own body and how he’s feeling physically and mentally. All I can say is I’d hope to see him play forever because he’s just a joy to watch."

Even this season, as a 36 year old, Scholes has been putting in man of the match performances, beginning the season with one against Chelsea in the Community Shield.  His passing, continued fitness and experience kept him, for a good part of the season, in the starting eleven.

He was involved to the very end of his club career, coming on 13 minutes from time in the Champions League Final.  He received high praise from opposing manager Pep Guardiola, a former midfielder himself, who called Scholes "the best midfielder of his generation."

Alongside Neville and Ryan Giggs, who has suffered a rather less favorable stint in the news recently, Scholes has won 10 Premier League Titles, three FA Cups and two Champions League Titles while playing for the Red Devils.  He was also part of the historic treble winning team of 1999 which provided Ferguson with a jewel for the crown of his career and, at that time, established Manchester United as the best team in the world. 

While it is not confirmed what coaching role will be made available to Scholes at this time, it is undoubted that Ferguson will hope some of his unbelievable passing ability can be trained into the younger players.

Ferguson paid a final tribute to Scholes at a press conference by saying "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 joining the coaching staff from next season.  Paul has always been inspirational to players of all ages and we know that will continue in his new role."

Scholes will go down in history as one of the greatest Manchester United players ever.