GIGGS UNITED
Schmeichel: Ryan has ’em playing Old Trafford way
DENMARK v WALES
WALES were hit by travel chaos in a big blow to their preparations for tonight’s game in Denmark. Ryan Giggs’ men were unable to leave Cardiff yesterday at 3pm as scheduled, due a technical fault on their charter plane. Take-off was pushed back to 5.30pm before a new private aircraft was ordered. The squad were then not due to arrive at their team hotel in Aarhus until around midnight, ahead of tonight’s 5pm kick-off. The fiasco forced Giggs to cancel his pre-match press conference. United legend Giggs (left) enjoyed a 4-1 win in Cardiff against the Republic of Ireland in his first competitive game as manager this week. It was a scintillating attacking display in which Gareth Bale and a young Welsh side ran amok, producing 18 attempts on goal. Now Giggs is preparing Wales to take on Denmark, who reached the last 16 of the World Cup, in the Nations League. The Danes’ Leicester keeper Schmeichel (above right) knows Giggs – his dad Peter played alongside the Welshman at Old Trafford. He says Giggs’s education and success under Sir Alex Ferguson at United, where he amassed 34 trophies, is showing in Wales’s tactics.
Schmeichel said: “Take the last game – you can see the flair and spark they played with.
“It is similar to the DNA he inherited at Manchester United.
“It is going to be very interesting to see where he can take it.
“He has a very talented squad in Wales after something Gary Speed started and was continued under Chris Coleman, who did well.
“Now Ryan is putting his own stamp on it, and judging by the last game he has had a really good start.”
Wales’s thrashing of the Irish was only Giggs’s fourth game at the helm after beating China 6-0, losing to Uruguay 1-0 and drawing with Mexico 0-0.
Denmark coach Age Hareide has also been hugely impressed, and sees similarities to United’s style, too. Hareide, who was Molde boss when they sold Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to United in 1996, said: “Wales play well offensively and defensively. “They played with young players and the skill and pace of the game was good. “It is like Ryan Giggs has created a copy of the old Manchester United team. “I have seen United a lot over the years. When I was coach at Molde I sold Solskjaer to Alex Ferguson. “I visited United a lot and watched training. When I coached Norway I had Solskjaer in the national team. “Wales play with a lot of enthusiasm offensively, they play very quick between the lines and go forward with a lot of people. “That looks like United in the best period under Ferguson. “It is natural for Giggs to adopt the best of United, because he was there so many years and knows this style.”