Giggs, Scholes dan Ferdinand Bersiap Tinggalkan Old Trafford
Giggs, Scholes and Ferdinand Heading for Old Trafford Exit
Editor : Heru S Winarno
Translator : Parulian Manalu
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PAUL SCHOLES berniat pensiun di akhir musim ini, namun manajer Manchester United Sir Alex Ferguson bersiap memperpanjang kontraknya di Old Trafford.
Gelandang United ini mengabarkan kepada teman-temannya bahwa ia bermaksud untuk mengundurkan diri pada bulan Mei 2013 dan kali ini ia tidak akan kembali.
Ferguson juga melihat peluang pemain veteran, Ryan Giggs, akan meninggalkan klub musim ini, dan manajer menyadari bahwa bek Rio Ferdinand belum menunjukkan minatnya untuk memperpanjang kontraknya.
Dengan masalah kapten Nemanja Vidic yang tengah berjuang mengatasi masalah lutut, Ferguson bersiap melakukan 'penyegaran' di klub asuhannya.
Baru-baru ini, misalnya, Ferguson mengirim pengintai untuk menonton kebolehan pemain senilai 15 juta pounds, bek asal Argentina, Ezequiel Garay yang bermain di klub Portugal, Benfica saat menghadapi Sporting Lisbon dan Olhanense.
Ia juga telah mencermati bek tengah asal Norwegia, Molde yang bermain di Vegard Forren.
Sebelumnya pemain Real Madrid, Garay yang dijual ke Benfica musim panas mendatang karena kesulitan membayar gajinya. Mantan klubnya di Spanyol itu berhak atas setengah dari biaya transfernya. Garay telah 11 kali mendukung tim nasional negaranya dan juga telah diincar Juventus.
Adapun Scholes, akan berhenti bermain pada akhir musim 2010-11 namun tetap kembali mendukung United hingga Januari tahun ini. Dia kemudian dibujuk oleh Ferguson untuk bertahan selama musim ini juga dan telah memainkan 13 kali laga sejauh ini.
Namun, pemain berusia 38 tahun ini meyakini bahwa pengaruhnya di lapangan menurun dan secara pribadi mengakui dalam beberapa pekan terakhir bahwa akan berusaha sesuai kemampuannya saat ini.
Masih harus dilihat apakah Ferguson berusaha untuk membujuk salah satu pemain yang paling terpercaya untuk mendukungnya di musim depan.
Giggs usianya satu tahun lebih tua dari Scholes dan juga terikat kontrak satu tahun. Dia telah bermain delapan kali di Barclays Premier League musim ini dan juga mengakui pengaruhnya menurun di lapangan dalam beberapa bulan terakhir.
Giggs belum membuat keputusan tapi baru-baru ini mengaku: "Ketika saya selesai bermain, saya akan mencoba untuk menemukan hal terbaik berikutnya. Manajemen tidak lagi tertarik pada saya. Semakin cepat hengkang, saya pikir lebih baik. Yang bisa saya lakukan adalah mempersiapkan diri sebaik mungkin ketika harus hengkang.
"Saya sudah melakukan kursus pelatihan saya dengan Nev (Gary Neville) - level satu, dua, A Licence-. Kita mulai tahun Pro-lisensi berikutnya. "
Giggs berharap untuk bersaing dalam beberapa triathlon dan Scholes dapat menerima tugas sebagai pelatih di Old Trafford.
PAUL SCHOLES plans to retire once and for all at the end of this season as Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson prepares for another summer shake-up at Old Trafford.
United midfielder Scholes has told friends that he intends to bow out in May and that this time he will not be back.
Ferguson is also facing up to the probability that another veteran, Ryan Giggs, will leave his one and only club this summer, and the manager is aware that defender Rio Ferdinand has yet to indicate publicly whether he wishes to extend his contract.
With captain Nemanja Vidic also struggling of late with knee problems, Ferguson has already started to look at ways of freshening up his squad.
Recently, for example, Ferguson sent scouts to watch £15million-rated Argentinian defender Ezequiel Garay play for Portuguese club Benfica in games against Sporting Lisbon and Olhanense.
He has also been looking closely at Molde's Norwegian international centre back Vegard Forren.
Formerly of Real Madrid, Garay has to be sold by Benfica next summer since they are struggling to pay his wages. His former club in Spain are entitled to half of whatever fee he is sold for.
Garay has 11 caps for his country and has also been tracked by Juventus.
As for Scholes, he quit the game at the end of the 2010-11 season but famously returned to United in January of this year.
He was later persuaded by Ferguson to stay on for this season as well and has played 13 times so far.
However, the 38-year-old believes that his influence on the field is waning and has said privately in recent weeks that he may have given as much as he can.
It remains to be seen if Ferguson attempts to persuade one of his most trusted players to soldier on for another season.
Welshman Giggs is a year older than Scholes and is also on a one-year contract. He has played only eight times in the Barclays Premier League this season and has also seen his influence on the field drop off significantly in recent months.
Giggs has not made his own mind up yet but said recently: 'When I do finish playing, I'll try to find the next best thing. Management does interest me. The nearer I get to finishing, the more I think about it. All I can do is prepare myself as best I can for when I do finish.
'I've been doing my coaching courses with Nev (Gary Neville) - levels one, two, A-Licence. We're starting the Pro-Licence next year.'
Giggs hopes to compete in a couple of triathlons and Scholes may be handed a coaching role at Old Trafford.
