Giggs the great to skipper Reds
Twenty years ago Sir Alex Ferguson eyed a 13-year-old spindly young
winger rampaging down the left flank and knew one thing for
certain: this boy was going to make it.
Two decades on and Ryan Giggs, the player Sir Alex was so adamant
would live up to his expectations, will lead United out at Wembley,
eyeing a fifth FA Cup winners medal, which would equal the record
set by Arthur Kinnaird, a principal of the Football Association and
a leading footballer in the late 1800s.
"Ryan will be captain," confirmed the boss. "And it completes a
marvellous season for the lad.
It certainly does. An English league record ninth title success
came in a season where Giggs ticked over the 700 appearances mark.
After Saturday, he will be just 45 matches off beating Sir Bobby
Charltons all-time club appearances record - hopefully with
another FA Cup success to his name.
Sir Alex often describes signing a young Giggs as his first major
coup as manager at Old Trafford, ensuring he did not go to local
rivals Manchester City.
We pay particular attention to local talent, said the Scot. You
hope that when you run a youth programme you're going to produce
players that play for a long time in the first-team and be
successful.
When Ryan came to us as a 13-year-old lad, hes the only player
weve ever had that I knew was a certainty to make it, even at 13.
I said to Bobby Charlton, you need to come and see this kid
play.
"Its very difficult to see a 13-year-old boy and say he is a
certainty to make, very difficult. Ive never said it since, but he
is the one player I did say it about. All our opinions were
absolutely correct. "The contribution he has made to us since...
it's an amazing thing that he carries on looking after himself and
his fitness, said Sir Alex. Hopefully he has a very successful
day on Saturday. But it doesnt matter if youre equalling someone
elses record, if you get five winners medals then that is
brilliant.
He stands high [in the list of United legend], regardless of what
happens on Saturday. The number of games he has played alone says
that. For the last 15 or 16 years he has been going up and down
that wing, and there is no player who has done that in the
Premiership. Its unbelievable.
And the boss believes Giggs will be a vital figure in helping guide
the likes of Wayne Rooney and Cristiano to even more success at the
club in years to come.
Players like Wayne and Cristiano are influenced by what he has
achieved, he said. There is no doubt that, in a quiet way as he
often does, he will give advice to all the players - the right
advice as well.