The Hall thing’s a shambles
GIGGS BELONGS WITH GREATS
PERHAPS those behind the idea should rename it the ‘Hall of Blame’.
Because whoever is responsible for deciding the inductees, they still believe Ryan Giggs to be guilty of something the law no longer does.
What other explanation is there for the fact Giggs has been snubbed once again in the latest round of nominations for the Premier League’s Hall of Fame?
The same Giggs who won 13 titles with Manchester United.
Which remains an individual record. And one which might never be broken.
Jermain Defoe, Robbie Fowler, Les Ferdinand and Michael Owen have all been shortlisted, though.
Despite the fact that between them, this quartet won a combined total of 13 fewer league titles than Giggs did.
I’m not suggesting this lot don’t deserve to be on the shortlist, because all of them were wonderful footballers.
But none of them deserve to be on it ahead of Giggs, who should have been included in the inaugural Hall of Fame in 2021, alongside the likes of Steven Gerrard and Alan Shearer, who won a grand total of one title between them.
The Premier League have refused to declare what the criteria is. But they must not have a problem with once being convicted of a criminal offence and going to prison.
Otherwise Tony Adams and Ian Wright wouldn’t have been inducted.
Or once being found guilty of racist abuse by an independent regulatory commission. Because if they did, John Terry wouldn’t have made the 2024 shortlist of nominees, either.
An email about the Hall of Fame, stated: “Career achievements considered include individual and team honours, and a player’s total Premier League appearances, goals, assists and clean sheets.”
Along with his 13 medals, Giggs made 632 Premier League appearances for United, scored 114 goals and won 35 trophies.
He was also named in the PFA Team of the Year six times.
Most people, excluding those who come up with the shortlist in the first place, would agree that the Welshman more than qualifies for a place.
Granted, his private life at times has been more dramatic than an episode of Coronation Street on steroids but this Hall of Fame isn’t a morality contest, otherwise the sport would struggle to find candidates to fill the roster!
Like a lot of his peers, Giggs has made some mistakes. Some bad choices that have sullied his reputation. But last summer charges of coercive or controlling behaviour against his ex-partner were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.
And he was formally found not guilty after jurors failed to reach verdicts in his first trial in August 2022.
Legal proceedings against Giggs first started in 2020, forcing him to step down as Wales boss.
This might explain why he’s never been inducted, although the Premier League have always declined to comment on the reasons publicly.
Selection of the shortlist is at the discretion of the Premier League, in consultation with members of the Premier League Awards Panel.
But it appears these people have short memories and have forgotten all Giggs contributed to his sport.
And the longer he gets ignored, the more embarrassing it becomes for all concerned.