BRED OF HEAVEN
Giggs is blooding so many Welsh youngsters the average age of the team is just 24.5 years (..and that’s with a 31-year-old called Bale)
RYAN GIGGS made his breakt h rough at Manchester United as a teenager, and now as Wales manager he is backing the kids.
The Old Trafford legend blazed a trail in a trophyladen playing career as a marauding attacker after his debut at 17.
And he is taking a bold approach to management, too, in his first permanent job since a brief caretaker spell with United in 2014.
Kieffer Mo o r e ’ s 80th- minute winner in Finland earned Giggs’ side a third win on the spin, and made it seven games unbeaten on Thursday night in their opening match in the Nations League. It is an impressive run and has been achieved as Giggs bloods a new generation of stars.
Record-scorer Gareth Bale is 31, but the average age of Giggs’ latest squad is just 24.5. In the 1- 0 win in Helsinki, he gave debuts to United’s Dylan Levitt, itt, 19, Liverpool’s Neco o Williams (right), 19, and Swansea’s Ben Cabango, 20.
Their first caps s mean Giggs has now ow handed debuts to 18 8 players in his 20 matches in charge since replacing Chris Coleman in 2018. Levitt started in midfield, before Williams was introduced on the hour on the flank, and defender Cabango in stoppage time.
Giggs, 46, said: “It is not easy for Dylan against a big, physical side, but I thought he grew into the game really well. “We know what he is capable of – his passing and composure is really good. Neco came on and his energy and qua l i ty shone through.
“I was pleased with those two.
“Ben got slightly less time, but there were three debutants who are going to be big for Wales in the future. The desire and quality was great.” With the Euros delayed until next summer, the trio now have a chance to enhance their prospects further. Giggs ( below) said: “In international football, a year is a long time. I want competition for places and my job to be difficult to p pick the squad or an 11.”
Moore’s goal was s his third in six caps and he now has Bulgaria in his sights tomorrow w afternoon in Cardiff. f.
Wales prevailed despite the absence of older, established stars, like Aaron Ramsey and Joe Allen. But Ethan Ampadu, 19, impressed in central defence with his calm distribution and winger Dan James ( bottom left), 22, got the assist.
Joe Morrell, the 23-yearold who won his sixth cap, said there are so many kids in Wales’ side that he does not even feel like one of the younger players.
The Bristol City midfielder said: “There were a lot of young gp players out there and I felt quite senior which w was crazy. It just shows the quality young players we have got. That is fantastic and you have competition for places. It pushes us, definitely.” Wal e s’ squad for tomorrow’s Nations League clash has been boosted by Bournemouth’s David Brooks joining up after recovering from injury.