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Giggs: I wasn’t ready to be boss

GIGGS-SOUTHAMPTONLondon, June 28- Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs admits his elevation to caretaker manager late last season came too early for him.

Giggs took charge of the Red Devils for the final four matches of the campaign after David Moyes was sacked after less than a season in charge at Old Trafford.

The Welshman oversaw one victory, one draw and one defeat as United ended the season in a disappointing seventh spot.

The 40-year-old is now in the process of completing his Pro Licence coaching badge and will have a chance to help put matters right as he enters a new phase as assistant manager to new boss Louis van Gaal.

“When I took the job there were a lot of things that I was quite happy with, but there and was the odd thing where I thought ‘I’m not quite ready for this’. Well it wasn’t that I wasn’t ready for it, but I could do with a little bit more experience,” Giggs told the Football Association website.

“I have gained that experience from Sir Alex (Ferguson) but last year I was still playing so I wasn’t really focused on the coaching and the other side of things.

“This year I can put everything into it and learn from someone who has managed at the top in so many other countries. It has been a good thing that I have been with Sir Alex for so long but also I am now getting to see how other people work as well. I got a taste of David Moyes and now Louis Van Gaal this year.”

Giggs showed he wasn’t scared to give young players a run when he was picking the team, handing debuts to youngsters James Wilson and Tom Lawrence, with both players putting in promising showings. The winger reveals that the use of young players forms part of his coaching philosophy.

“I was lucky in the respect that I could get that balance right with really top, top players and throw a young player in at United. I had that cushion, that luxury of doing that but I have grown up with that philosophy so I am not going to just throw it away,” he explained.

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“I was a youngster once and I got given a chance and that is what it is all about as a young lad – if you get given a chance then you have got to take it. James certainly did and Tom did brilliantly as well.

“I was really pleased for them but I didn’t just throw them in – I actually watched them play and train the week building up to that and they didn’t look out of place – so if you are good enough then you are old enough.”

During his brief stint as caretaker boss, Giggs was also trying to balance being part of the playing squad, a situation he admits was tricky to deal with.

“Yeah, I mean there was just so much to do,” he said. “Before training you are in at half seven and by the time half ten had come you were knackered.

“Because I was still a player I just wanted to make the players aware that I was the club manager and get that distance away from them initially to say, ‘I am not joining in training, I am looking to see what you are doing’. You can’t really do that if you are getting involved.

“Initially that was my feeling – not get involved with training and see how they were all performing. The majority of the lads were all fit so I had plenty to choose from so I wanted to get a good look. If you are involved and in the middle of it you don’t quite get the same look.”

Giggs ended his playing career having turned out 963 times for United, scoring 168 goals.

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