I’ve no idea if I’ll be in charge on Saturday – Paul Scholes

Posted Wednesday, October 21, 2020 by PA

Interim boss Paul Scholes says he has no idea how long he will be in charge after Salford secured their first home league win of the season with a convincing 3-0 demolition of bottom side Southend.

A first-half Harry Lennon own goal and second-half strikes from James Wilson and Ian Henderson gave Scholes his first Ammies win in his second match in temporary charge since the shock sacking of Graham Alexander.

“I’ve absolutely no idea if I’ll still be here for the Crawley game on Saturday,” said the Manchester United great who co-owns Salford with his fellow ‘Class of 92’ members.

“If I am we will crack on. We have got to go again starting Thursday after a day off.”

Scholes says the players executed his gameplan perfectly.

“I’m very pleased. I thought the lads carried it out well and worked so hard,” he said.

“To get wins in this league you have to work really hard for the entire 90 minutes and we did that tonight. With the quality we have got up front we are always going to score goals.

“Oscar Threlkeld was outstanding in the centre of the pitch, it’s not somewhere he had played for us that often, he’s usually at right back but he got to the ball, tackled, passed and was outstanding.”

Scholes also singled out his former Manchester United team-mate James Wilson, who scored the second with a fine finish.

“Wilson showed again he is a quality striker and I have seen that first hand when I was at United with him,” he said. “He has got ability, the lad can score goals with either foot, he can head the ball and hopefully if we can keep creating chances for him he will get a lot of goals this season.”

With co-owners Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs again watching on, Scholes said it was nice to get some respite with a stint on the sideline.

“It was a bit different being in the dugout to being in the stands with Gary and Giggs. It’s a lot more peaceful on the touchline!” he joked.

“I enjoyed it, we need to start winning games if we are going to get promoted this year.”

Southend remain winless at the bottom of League Two and their boss Mark Molesley knows a huge improvement is needed.

“There are definitely things that we can be doing better,” he admitted.

“The second goal from open play from them was very similar to the first free-kick we conceded from, an inswinger which are very hard to defend, so we will have to analyse that and then try to put that one right.

“We gave the ball away too much and then in vital moments there was a little slip or a loose pass. Whether that is a lack of confidence or whatever that may be, we just have to fix it.

“We need to work hard, we moved the ball very well at times tonight but we just lacked that final pass or that final finish.

“There was a good positive performance from James Olayinka, who drove us forward well and he had a good penalty shout as well at 1-0. We had a penalty shout at 0-0 too, and two clear chances that we needed a goal from.

“We will continue to work hard and I look forward to doing these interviews when we are winning games.”