Rumours of the 35-year-old's retirement were clearly greatly exaggerated, as were suggestions he would be offered a place on United's coaching staff, or perhaps grace another club on the Continent.
Instead, Giggs has his sights set on further rewriting the record books. If there was any doubt that, while the searing pace may have dissipated, he is still a cut above most players in the Premier League, it was dispelled in his masterful display in the 3-0 humbling of Chelsea last month.
The boy who moved from Cardiff to Swinton at the age of six has already gone down in English football history after collecting 10 league titles, four FA Cups and two European Cups.
Should he succeed in his stated aim of bringing yet more silverware to Old Trafford, he will go down in perpetuity, his tally of trophies and medals too high for any successor to expect to match.
Giggs said: "I'm delighted to have been offered a new contract. I feel fit and I'm enjoying my football more than ever.
"This is an exciting young team and the spirit is great in the dressing-room. I want to be a part of that and achieve even more success."
By the time he sees out his new deal Giggs will be almost 37, nearing the 20th anniversary of his debut for United after he came on as a substitute for Denis Irwin in a 2-0 defeat against Everton at Old Trafford on March 2, 1991.
No doubt seeing Giggs turn out at 37, having watched him make his debut aged 17, will be a moment of personal pride for Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager who visited Giggs' house on his 14th birthday to sign him on schoolboy terms having persuaded him to join United rather than Manchester City, in an echo of the tale which helped Matt Busby secure the services of Duncan Edwards.
Tempting as it is to eschew the modern in favour of the past, Giggs will now most likely stand alongside Edwards in the annals of United's history. As well as all of those medals, Giggs, like Edwards, changed the landscape of football.
He was the Premier League's first poster boy, Beckham before the boy from Leytonstone broke into the first team, the player who launched a thousand cliches. The boy wonder who gave defenders twisted blood. That was Giggs.
Those days may be behind him, but while Ferguson knows that Giggs is these days best deployed as a central midfielder rather than a lung-busting winger, he is full of praise for his protege's appetite for success.
Ferguson said: "It would be easy for him to be complacent after all that he has achieved, but that he isn't speaks volumes for his character and explains why we wanted to extend his services and use his experience.
"Although he wants to be involved in every game, he understands that by using his experience when it matters is a benefit to him and to the team."
Ferguson added: "Ryan is a true professional of the game, his lifestyle, the way he looks after himself, and his desire to always want to win is a credit to him and an inspiration to any young kid who wants to become a footballer."
No comments:
Post a Comment