Giggs wary of overcommitment
Veteran midfielder Ryan Giggs has said that while he is tempted to manage the Welsh national team, he does not wish to do so when he is still active as a player.
Giggs, 36, has an unprecedented 591 Premier League appearances to his name, and is under contract with Manchester United until the end of the current season.
As the Welshman has been approaching the end of his playing career in recent years, many have tipped him to become the next manager of the Welsh national team.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Giggs admitted that managing his country is an enticing prospect. "If you go into management, the big job is to be in charge of your country. And I'm no different in terms of thinking like that," he said, before emphasizing that he is still at United. "At the moment it is difficult, because I still have commitments as a player."
Does not want Hughes' double role
Giggs' wealth of experience renders him a natural leader in the United squad. Since his 1990 debut, the midfielder has won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup with the club, all several times over.
But despite nearing the end of his playing career, Giggs is wary of committing to a management role while remaining active as a player.
"But I always use the 'Sparky' [Mark Hughes] situation [as an example]. One minute he is playing for Wales and in the Premier League with Blackburn, then the next thing you know, he is managing his country. 'Sparky' never really planned for that."
While playing for Southampton in 1999, current Fulham boss Mark Hughes was appointed Wales manager, a job he stayed at while playing for Everton and Blackburn in the Premier League over the next few seasons.
Such overcommitment is something Giggs wishes to avoid. And given that he just scored his first league goal for United this season, making him the only player to have scored in every edition of the Premier League to date, the veteran can still play a crucial role at Old Trafford.
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