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Paul Scholes made more than 700 appearances for Manchester United

Paul Scholes has rejected the chance to become Oldham Athletic manager, but believes the job will be his one day.

The Latics are without a boss after Lee Johnson joined Barnsley in February.

Oldham chairman Simon Corney believes the ex-Manchester United and England midfielder, 40, will manage the club in future and Scholes is open to the idea.

"One day I believe I'll manage Oldham, who are very close to my heart," he wrote in The Independent. external-link "This was the right job at the wrong time."

Scholes, whose father also supports Oldham, added: "They are a really good family club who mean a great deal to a lot of people - myself included. I just did not feel this was the right time.

"When I go into management, I want to do so with 100% commitment. At the moment I have a lot of responsibilities and things going on in my life that I cannot simply drop immediately.

"Most importantly I have a young family who need their dad around, having been away a lot during my playing career.

"There was no way, for example, I would ever have tried to combine a coaching job with my work on television."

United they stand: Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes own a 50% share in non-league side Salford City

Scholes assisted former team-mate Ryan Giggs during the latter's short spell as Manchester United's caretaker manager last season, having previously worked with the club's under-19 team.

He also took temporary charge of non-league Salford City, the club he part-owns, alongside Phil Neville earlier this year after manager Phil Power's departure.

Lifelong Oldham fan Scholes watched Oldham beat Port Vale away on Tuesday, a win that lifted them to 11th in League One and to within three points of a play-off place.

Scholes added: "Even as I watched them in the Port Vale game on Tuesday, having made my decision not to take the job, there was part of me that wished I was in the dugout.

"Managing a club like Oldham has to be an all-absorbing, seven-days-a-week commitment. That is how Lee made such a success of it. One day I will be ready to do that."