INFLUENCE OF SIR ALEX KEY TO MY WALES ROLE – GIGGS

It would have been silly not to utilise the experience of Sir Alex – Giggs

RYAN Giggs admits his experiences working under the great Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United have had a big impact on his tenure as Wales manager so far.

Giggs had to overcome considerable scepticism and negativity in some quarters when he was appointed as Chris Coleman’s successor and admits he got a few things wrong initially.

But he has turned it around and steered Wales to the Euro finals while introducing a string of youngsters into his squads to back up the likes of Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey.

Giggs admits he backtracked on a couple of his team selection decisions previously, but won’t be letting that happen again.

“On a few occasions, and I won’t mention them, I picked a team against my gut instincts,” he says in a wide-ranging interview with WalesOnline.

“Let’s just say things didn’t go right in the games concerned and I don’t want to put myself, or more importantly the team, in that situation again.

“I’ve quickly learned that the decisions I usually get right in this job are the ones I have a gut feel for.

“This is definitely something I learned from Sir Alex. He was so decisive. I was in the dressing room at times wondering ‘What’s he doing with a particular decision?’ Yet invariably it worked out, we won and no-one says anything afterwards.

“That’s how you have to be as a manager.”

And Giggs revealed he has regularly tapped into Fergie’s vast knowledge and that his old boss was delighted when Wales clinched their Euro 2020 finals spot.

“Many of my old United teammates got in touch, people I’d not spoken to for a while,” he said.

“Yes Sir Alex was on, he was on congratulating me too.

“But some of those people, including Sir Alex, were also there for me during the low points, telling me to keep my head up, offering advice, that sort of thing.

“I actually lean on my staff mostly. Albert Stuivenburg, who I worked with at United, has been fantastic with the things he suggests, Osian

Roberts when he was with us, I spoke to Chris Coleman a few times about different matters. I tend to keep it internal when I can.

“But it would be silly of me not to utilise the experience of Sir Alex, who has so much knowledge of how to deal with different scenarios.

“He’s been there to help me when necessary. It’s not so much football, he doesn’t tell me what tactics to use or anything like that. But he does offer guidance on how to deal with certain situations, how to be decisive, that sort of thing.”

For the full Giggs interview see Sport on Sunday pullout