Giggs appointed new Wales manager

Mrs Smoker

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After his international debut in 1991 against Germany, Giggs missed 18 consecutive friendly games before finally making his first friendly appearance for Wales against Finland in March 2000, by which time he had already accrued 25 caps. The reason for his continued absence from non-competitive fixtures was largely a protective measure against unnecessary injuries; in his autobiography, Giggs states: "At that time, whenever I played two games in one week I always seemed to pick up an injury, so [Alex Ferguson] and I sat down and looked at it game by game. If the international was a friendly, the feeling was that I didn't have to play." Regardless, his regularly withdrawing from Wales squads and routinely missing friendlies was criticised.

Thank you, Sir Alex.
 

Smores

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UpWithRivers said:
Should gave waited for the Celtic post to be vacant. Or a stable prem team. Leicester, Watford, or hammers. Someone like that. Too much expectation since he is a wales legend and he has to follow an overachieving manager in Coleman. And wales let's face it are pants. Only way is down.
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He wasn't going to get a premiership job, these type of clubs no longer take the risk on the unproven just because of playing ability.

Its the right decision for him, for Wales we'll see.

Generally i don't see why ex players shouldn't at least manage U21 first before getting a high profile club job but ah well.
 

littlepeasoup

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Surprised he took this over, say, a job in the Championship (if he ever had that opportunity); a quality chance to bring a team into the top flight, and to really establish yourself as a competent manager in the English leagues. Even if he sets the world alight as the Wales boss, the questions will still persist about his qualifications to manage in club football.

I know it's an international position, but Chris Coleman didn't exactly walk into a top job after doing wonders with that Wales side the past few years, and I doubt Giggsy will either.

All that being said, I really do hope he's a success, at the same time as giving zero shits about Wales doing well.
 

el3mel

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That's a good job for him. Let's see what he'll do with them. Wales should be comfortably qualified to the next Euro so the tournament itself will be his first big test as a manager.
 

red4ever 79

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littlepeasoup said:
Surprised he took this over, say, a job in the Championship (if he ever had that opportunity); a quality chance to bring a team into the top flight, and to really establish yourself as a competent manager in the English leagues. Even if he sets the world alight as the Wales boss, the questions will still persist about his qualifications to manage in club football.

I know it's an international position, but Chris Coleman didn't exactly walk into a top job after doing wonders with that Wales side the past few years, and I doubt Giggsy will either.

All that being said, I really do hope he's a success, at the same time as giving zero shits about Wales doing well.
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Didnt Coleman take over a championship team in Sunderland? Not a bad job I would say. Been mis managed terribly over the years, but not a small club by any means
 

Thisistheone

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Mrs Smoker said:
Any info on how many official games has he missed?
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12 European qualifiers and 8 World cup qualifiers, according to Transfermarkt.

Fergie really was a huge influance. But as a Welshman myself, I don't blame Giggs at all. The set-up at Wales during the 90s... well, before Speed took over, was an absolute shambles. Roy Keane left Ireland before a World Cup because he thought the facilities weren't good enough. He should have tried out the Welsh training camps. He'd have flipped.

It was also a time when the Welsh side was outside of the top 100 in the world rankings. Losing 7-1 to Holland and 5-0 to Georgia.

Other players also skipped friendlies from time to time but Giggs was the highest profile so got all the stick.

With his injury issues it's no wonder he skipped the meaningless friendlies, which funnily enough Wales have recently avoided to improve their rankings.
 

youngrell

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Really pleased Giggs is set to be appointed and looking forward to see what he can do.

There's a number of young, exciting, attacking players just coming into the international team who I think will really benefit from someone of his standing, and of course it will be good to see how he works with Bale.

It was a good start for Hughes and looked to be doing wonders for Speed too before his tragic end. People pointing to Coleman only landing the Sunderland job must be forgetting the very recent WC qualifying campaign that we limped through. I'm sure had he looked for a job right after Euro 2016 he'd be able to get a PL job.

The faux outrage from some is funny and way over the top. Welsh fans were happy to look to Giggs to spur them on while he played and then as soon as he retires 'he doesn't care about Wales'. He retired at 33, which is a pretty average age for players to stop playing international football and it's well documented why he missed so many friendlies as a youngster. He suffered enough injuries in his younger days as it was, never mind a load of pointless friendlies on top. He usually turned up when it mattered.
 

Thisistheone

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Hopefully having a legend of world football can give the squad a lift after a disappointing campaign.

G'wan Giggsy!
 

John Keiler

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Apparently going to miss his first press conference - bit of a hamstring tweak apparently.

[Unashamedly stolen from Paul Hawksbee 5 minutes ago]
 

Mrs Smoker

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Thisistheone said:
12 European qualifiers and 8 World cup qualifiers, according to Transfermarkt.

Fergie really was a huge influance. But as a Welshman myself, I don't blame Giggs at all. The set-up at Wales during the 90s... well, before Speed took over, was an absolute shambles. Roy Keane left Ireland before a World Cup because he thought the facilities weren't good enough. He should have tried out the Welsh training camps. He'd have flipped.

It was also a time when the Welsh side was outside of the top 100 in the world rankings. Losing 7-1 to Holland and 5-0 to Georgia.

Other players also skipped friendlies from time to time but Giggs was the highest profile so got all the stick.

With his injury issues it's no wonder he skipped the meaningless friendlies, which funnily enough Wales have recently avoided to improve their rankings.
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Thanks. 20 games might seem a lot, but it's over 16 years, could easily be genuinely excused. Thanks for the additional Wales info as well. EDIT: Just quickly checked 1994 and 1995, and yeah, missed around those times United games as well.
 

Pacificgi

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Great choice - he gets a chance to prove himself. Big job on his hands though, theres enough depth in quality in midfield and attack but the worry is the defence as wales have been pretty reliant on williams and chester. Given williams age his decline is worrying given that we dont appear to have another centre back to go in and replace him.

The defence has been reliable over the last few years and giggs needs to make sure it continues that way
 

Cheesy

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Best of luck to him. Had criticised him until now for not jumping into any challenging managerial roles so this is certainly a big step for him, especially considering there's now an element of expectation surrounding the Welsh side after 2016. Intrigued to see how he does.
 

ice-bionic red

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I’m welsh and never really been a fan of international football. United always come first.

I see many welsh fans disappointed with the appointment. I hope he does well and proves them all wrong
 

whatwha

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Wow, he's actually done it. He's landed a big job despite having no experience as a manager. Well done Giggseh, I guess... Kinda risky by Wales.
 

Who Loves ya Bebe

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Fair play Giggseh - not sure why he gets all the stick for the lack of friendlies....he loves to play away!
 

youngrell

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Rolandofgilead said:
Yeah but Hughes had at least some club managerial experience beforehand, didn't he?
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It was his first job, he then landed the job at Blackburn.

Those who are surprised at a novice getting the Wales job should know that Coleman was on something like £200k a year. The FAW simply don't have the finances to attract a top, experienced coach.
 

Valar Morghulis

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Good luck Welsh lads, hope he can do half as good a job as Steve Staunton did for Ireland when he got appointed in similar circumstances,
 
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