Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs arrived Mumbai today to lead Mumbai Warriors in Season 2 of Premier Futsal
Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs arrived Mumbai today to lead Mumbai Warriors in Season 2 of Premier Futsal. Giggs, one of the most decorated players in English Premier League history, caught up with a group of select media at a city hotel.
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Excerpts from the chat...
How did Futsal come into the picture?
It wasn't while I was playing or coaching, but when I finished at United, there were various opportunities. I didn't want to stop and wonder what I am going to do next. I had to plan the next two or three months. I was working for 26-27 years at United and the change was going to be strange. When I finished, I went to the Euros in France, did some TV work for ITV. The next thing I did was futsal. So actually, it was quite early on in my time and futsal was a big part. I'd never been to India before and never played futsal. Like I've done throughout my career, it was a challenge, something exciting, something different.
How do you see the sport as an added positive to promote football in India?
It's important because in India, from my last visit, it's very hard to get full size pitches here. With futsal, you don't need a lot of space and you don't need a lot of players. I always made the reference last year to T20. You know the effect that T20 had on cricket. It just took the sport onto a different audience and futsal can do that. Technically, there's a lot of difference with 11 v 11, but there are similarities -- you have to be fit and tactically you have to be good. It's more accessible because you only need 10 players.
How do you see the FIFA U-17 World Cup as an impact on the sport here?
A lot of things have to be right like the exposure, broadcast and reporting has to be good. It has to capture the imagination. I know cricket is the No. 1 sport, but there are a lot of football fans in India. If the exposure is there and people sit down with their families and watch it, then it can have a massive effect. In the Euros, my country Wales had never been to a major championship for 60 years and they got to the semi-final. The impact it had on Wales as a country was huge, not only for the next couple of months, but actually a generation. So you have a generation watching Wales in a major championship, exciting the whole family and you will remember that forever. If India get it right with the U-17 Championship, then it will last for a long time, which can only be good for football in India.
Do you think Wayne Rooney made the right decision to exit international football? Do you feel he had another World Cup left in him?
It's always difficult when you retire from international football. You have to look at everything because playing for your country is important. He wanted to move to a new club and give his all there. He hadn't become an automatic choice for England. When you play 15 or 20 years with a big club and then you play in the Champions League, internationals, you literally don't get any rest. I retired when I was 33 from international football and then I played for another seven years. So for me, it was a massive thing because during that international break, you get a little rest and time to recuperate and recharge the batteries. It was huge for me and hopefully, it will be the same for Wayne. I'm glad he stayed in the Premier League and went back to his previous club. It's a great decision.
What are United's chances this season?
This season will be decided between Man United and Manchester City because of the recruitment. It's also Guardiola's and Mourinho's second season. They have the best squads. City have very good attacking players, probably best in the league, but United's squad is the best. They got the best squad in the league, in Europe and to handle injuries and suspensions. The other clubs Tottenham, now playing their home games at Wembley, I thought it would be a problem, Chelsea not recruiting like City or United. Liverpool also, I don't think they've got the goalkeeper or defenders to win the Premier League. I could be wrong, it's tough to predict.
Mourinho had said that United are still second level. Do you agree with him?
You see Real Madrid and Barcelona -- the Messis, Suarezs, Iniestas and then you have Ronaldo, Bale, they have all been there for three or four years. They have world class players who have settled. With United, because of the turnover of managers, the different players that have come in, it takes a little bit of time. What world class players do United have? David de Gea, definitely. Who else after that? Potentially Pogba, Lukaku, but there also have Mata, Matic, Mkhitaryan, but world class players, only de Gea. United can get there, but are not there at the moment.
When Mourinho signed for United, some did not see it right. How do you see his appointment?
It was a difficult decision after Louis Van Gaal left. Do they get a young coach and give him three or four years to build or do they get someone who has over the years guaranteed success and get them back to the top quickly. So they went for someone who is proven, who comes with a baggage also of not lasting long, is very outspoken, but he gets the job done. I could see both sides of the argument. United are used to having coaches like Fergusson who believes in young players and believes in United philosophy of attacking football or you have someone like Mourinho who is more pragmatic, but there are also downfalls with the way he works.
And there were a lot of United fans that hoped that job went to you?
Yea, I felt I was ready for the job. I know the club and the traditions, so there were plusses, but also I didn't have the experience in coaching before.
Do you see yourself return to Old Trafford as manager after Mourinho?
I don't think so. But who knows. After Mourinho, depending on how long he lasts and if he is successful, all these things will determine who the next appointment is.
What differentiated Sir Alex Fergusson from other United managers?
The reason for his longevity was that he was always looking forward. Even if we won a league or a Champions League, he always wanted to improve the next year. He was never happy. We could win a league and then he would change three or four players because he felt that was the best for the club. In 1999, 2000 and 2001, we won the league consecutively, then we didn't, Arsenal won it. So he started to rebuild again. Ronaldo, these players who didn't necessarily bring immediate success, he knew in two to three years time they would have sustained. It's not easy, but he had that foresight to do that as well as having good players. He was comfortable at the club and was always challenged. He never stood still and kept everyone on their toes.
Mourinho said that the lack of a winter break is hampering English clubs' chances of success in the Champions League. What is your take?
I've always agreed to that. Not only because there is no break, but actually when you go through December, you get all sorts of weather. In January, the weather is horrible and the Christmas period sometimes you play three games in six days. That catches up with you when the Champions League comes up again. We have had success before, but that is despite getting help from your own league. Just little things like playing Friday nights when you got a Tuesday or a Wednesday game, in that respect other countries get a lot more help than British teams.
You played your entire football at Old Trafford. Did you feel the need to prove yourself elsewhere?
Not really because there was always a challenge at United. Each season, we were either defending the league or we had lost the league and wanted to get it back. It was my club and I supported it. For me, if I had left, the only way was down. I could have gone to a different country, but until 40 I was playing 20-25 games and was winning leagues.
You had your reservations regarding the transfer market this year. Roy Keane said that if you were playing today, you'd be worth 2 billion pounds. If offered that sum during your playing days, where would you go?
(Laughs). I am not going to give you an answer to that. There are certain clubs you have respect for. Manchester United is the biggest club, but there are other clubs around the same level like Real Madrid, Juventus, Bayern Munich, Barcelona. These sort of clubs got history. If you did go to that club, you would get challenged and that's what I always wanted as a player.
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