Giggs Increases Chances of Becoming Man Utd Manager, Says Hughes

REUTERS: Ryan Giggs has strengthened his coaching credentials with Wales and a successful European championship could put him in contention for Manchester United’s hot spot, former United forward Mark Hughes said.

Giggs, 46, won 13 league titles and two Champions League crowns during a 24-year stint at United and was named the club’s player-manager towards the end of his career.

He took over as interim player-coach after David Moyes was fired and also served as Louis van Gaal’s assistant when the Dutchman was appointed in 2014.

Giggs left United following the appointment of José Mourinho in 2016 and secured his first managerial position with Wales two years later, guiding them to Euro 2020.

“I think Ryan is in a good place in his management career,” Hughes, who managed Giggs when he was the head of Wales, told the BBC. “He’s on an upward trend. He’s probably more likely to have a shot at United than when Van Gaal left in 2016.

“Maybe they felt that his management resume was not strong enough at the time, but if he goes to the European Championship and he does well, then there is no reason he is not in the picture.”

Hughes believes United did not give Giggs the job in 2016 because they wanted a high-profile manager to coincide with Manchester City’s appointment of Pep Guardiola.

“Giggs worked very closely with Van Gaal … which I felt was a good decision. I thought it was with a view to him taking over when Van Gaal left. He didn’t, and they decided to leave for one more name. big: Mourinho, “he said.

“I think that put a bit of pressure on because of the Guardiola city appointment. Maybe they felt they needed to like, which probably hurt Ryan’s chances.”

(Reporting by Arvind Sriram in Bengaluru; Edited by Clarence Fernandez)