Paul Scholes snubbed World Cup SOS

PAUL Scholes refused Fabio Capellos World Cup SOS because Englands bungling boss got his No.2 to do it for him.

Capello was gutted when the Manchester United veteran, 35, declined to end his self-imposed retirement on the eve of the tournament.

But Scholes revealed for the first time last night how he might well have said Yes if the Italian had bothered to telephone him personally.

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He said: It was difficult. Franco Baldini rang me the day before the squad was announced. I dont know him. Id not spoken to him before.

Would it have made a difference if Capello had been on the line? I dont know. Yeah, maybe.

Capello wanted Scholes to end his six-year spell in the international wilderness because of fears about Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barrys fitness.

Despite Englands World Cup disaster, Scholes admitted he soon started to regret his decision not to play. He said: It was difficult. I probably justneeded a bit more time.

It had been a long time since Id retired and I had! to make a decision in two hours or something.

I did not expect the call. It wasnt even on my mind, to be honest. I might have made the wrong decision.

But I dont look back and think, It didnt go well for England, thank God, I didnt go. I know, after about a week or so, a couple of weeks, I thought I probably should have gone.

I am not saying I would have made a difference. I am just saying I thought it was a chance to play a World Cup and I turned it down.

It wasnt until probably a week before the tournament, when you start seeing all the build-up, that I thought maybe I had made the wrong decision. Unlike Scholes, Liverpools Jamie Carragher DID accept the call to come back after bringing an end to his international career.

But Scholes said: I dont think it would have been right to take somebody elses place.

I think it would have been tough on somebody whod been all over Europe with the qualifiers, and through all the tough places they had to go, and been away for 10 days at a time.

! Scholes retired in 2004 after scoring 14 goals in 66 appearances for the Three Lions. He represented his country in two World Cups and two European Championships.


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