Wales name Giggs as manager
delighted with his team's display and said it was a wonderful advert for the Premier League.
"This was a historical game you will talk about in 20 years because it looks like City will not lose another one this year," he said.
"People watched this game all over the world and this is why — take your heart, throw it on the pitch and play like this, both teams.
"We played, I don't know which level, caused them problems like hell. I was not scared at the end, not that I didn't think we could concede a fourth, I have known my boys long enough now, it was so intense.
"If you combine quality with attitude you see a game like this. I really loved it. You will find someone who wants to talk about defending, no clean sheet, but he can blow up my boots." — AFP. WALES have appointed former Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs as their manager on a four-year contract, the Football Association of Wales (FAW) announced yesterday.
The 44-year-old takes over from Chris Coleman, who led Wales to the Euro 2016 semifinals but quit the job in November to take charge of English Championship (second tier) side Sunderland.
Giggs won 64 caps between 1991 and 2007 but was unpopular with some Wales fans for missing many internationals, especially friendlies.
He ended his playing career in 2014 and was Louis van Gaal's assistant at Old Trafford for the following two seasons before leaving United in 2016 after Jose Mourinho was appointed as manager.
"We are extremely delighted to see Ryan appointed as the national team manager," said FAW chief executive Jonathan Ford in a statement.
"With his vast amount of experience having played, coached and managed the biggest club in the world, we are confident of a successful future for our national team."
Giggs said he was proud to have been handed the job and excited by the challenge ahead, with Wales having failed to qualify for this year's World Cup finals in Russia and now focusing on the 2020 European Championship.
"I can't wait to start working with the players as we prepare for those crucial games later in the year," he said.
Giggs' first game in charge will be in the China Cup tournament against the hosts in Nanning on March 22.
Meanwhile, Stoke City have appointed Paul Lambert as manager on a two and a half year contract, the Premier League club said yesterday.
The 48-year-old former Aston Villa and Norwich City coach replaced Mark Hughes, who was sacked this month with Stoke lying in the relegation zone and knocked out of the FA Cup by fourth tier Coventry City.
“Paul greatly impressed us with his knowledge of our squad and had a clear plan of how he would improve our results,” chairman Peter Coates said on the club’s website.(www.stokecityfc. com)
“He’s a man who backed himself as a player... and it’s obvious he adopts the same approach as a manager.”
Caretaker manager Eddie Niedzwiecki will remain in charge of the team for Stoke’s league match against Manchester United later on Monday. Former Scotland and Celtic midfielder Lambert, who won the Champions League as a player with Borussia Dortmund in 1997, joined Norwich City as manager in 2009 and helped them win the (third tier) League One title in 2010. They finished second in the Championship in 2011 to earn promotion to the Premier League and came 12th in the 2011-12 season to retain their top-flight status. Lambert resigned and joined Aston Villa, helping them stay in the Premiership before he left the club in February, 2015 with the team in the relegation zone. He joined Blackburn Rovers nine months later but stepped down as manager at the end of the 2015-16 season. Lambert took over at Wolverhampton Wanderers in November, 2016 but left in May after the team finished 15th in the Championship. Stoke are 18th in the Premier League standings, a point and a place behind Southampton with a game in hand after winning five of their 22 league games. — Reuters