Giggs: I told the club to sign Mbappe and Jesus

[ArmchairCritic]

It's not uncommon for players to scout players at U18 level. For example we scouted Da Silva twins at a very young age.

It is not, but for instance SAF said he only ever scouted 2 players in his entire United career. I'm having a hard time seeing Giggs balancing his day-to-day opposition scouting (IIRC LvG said he was in charge of) and training work with going to watch U-18 Brazilian League games. Maybe he watched some tape and went through the scouting reports for these players. With Giggs refusing to claim any responsibility for anything bad that happened at United in the period he was assistant and showing little appetite to prove himself outside of United I will always cast aspersions on any of his soundbites about the club in that period.

Whilst there is truth in his salient point that we are behind in scouting and acquiring players I feel that decline was apparent under SAF with his insistence on value in market. Players like Obertan, Bebe, Tadic, Diouf, Henriquez, Lindegaard, Buttner, Powell all low-risk but all absolutely not good enough to play for United. In recent years we've also let go of Josh King, Danny Drinkwater and Michael Keane all United youth products who have proven themselves to be perfectly serviceable Premier League players but didn't have a clear pathway into the United first team. Again I think this issue started under SAF and I can't think of any better example than Pogba leaving, he only started getting proper first team minutes when it became apparent he might do one.

I think Butt is making good steps in improving talent acquisition for the youth team and I think with Ribalta and all the other scouts we've recently signed we will turn our scouting system around. The next steps for me is a DoF with a clear remit and for United to start building teams outside of the sole influence of the manager. The manager should be most easily changeable part of the machine unfortunately, we have to stop being so dependent on one individual when they can do so much damage that costs more to repair in the long run. It is also vital that we hire managers going forward that are not afraid to develop our academy products.

 

[Ramshock]

Yes I do, I will never slate him as a player and his great career as a footballer but we are talking about the interview he gave. Referring to his career as a coach I would say the same about Gary Neville, great footballer, good pundit not so good coach.

You have watched them take sessions then?

 

[Kush]

What defines a Manchester United player? It's a term i think the Neville brothers have used as well. Ability obviously comes into it but what are the other characteristics that define a Manchester United player?

It's a made up word and nothing more, it's no different that a footballer being a 'Madrid player' or a 'Barca player'. You want them to cope with the pressure that comes at big clubs and not shirk, that's probably the key element along with ability.

I've no idea what Giggs is trying to achieve here, everyone and their dog knows our recruitment under Moyes and LVG was terrible. Ironically Giggs was part of both those staff, if he was so sure on a player he should've pushed the board and manager to sign them but he didn't. He's going on about Jesus and Mbappe because they are two of the hottest talents around and he's sending a message if he were in the job those 2 would be plying their trade here as he can spot top talent. Funny he didn't say anything about Martial, probably the best signing made during those 3 years. Probably because like rest of us he had little idea about him.

It's no secret we did a lot of work on Thiago the summer before 2013, Moyes walks in and starts chasing big names in Kroos and Fabregas and got told to do one. Giggs was asked about Thiago as he was a player who has available but he didn't think he was a 'Manchester United player'. Last year he was asked his opinion on €80m transfer of Renato Sanches to Bayern, he again went on about how he wanted United to sign him and he'd be worth the money 'absolutely.

 

[Ramshock]

Tbh, it's difficult for me to believe a cheater. But I agree that our purchases after SAF were shit.

What a riduculous post

 

[iKeano]

Moyes was clueless from day one, but Van Gaal possibly did us more damage than the deluded one.
Detested that entire time.... horrendous period in Utd's history.

 

[Smores]

Sounds like he's trying to disassociate himself from LvG. Don't blame him but i take this with a pinch of salt

 

[quiet_united]

Who should we sign now Giggs?

 

[KirkDuyt]

These kind of comments belong in the "what I don't understand about football" thread.

What's the point in saying this? See I told you so? Look at me, I have such an eye for talent. You should've said it then. I told Feyenoord to sign Messi, Ronaldo and Zico, but I didn't have their phone number, who cares.

 

[JPRouve]

I have nothing against Giggs and I have to admit that I'm still enamored with the idea of him managing United. But the part about Mbappé is either a sign of naivety or he is taking the public for idiots. Most big clubs sold themselves to him, he visited several of them, if I remember correctly Arsenal, Chelsea, Barcelona, Real Madrid, PSG, Lyon, City and I don't remember about United and this happened before he signed his apprenticeship contract with Monaco. Monaco won because they offered him the best package in terms of tuition, environment, coaching and chance to play for the senior team. When he signed that first contract for Monaco he was well known by scouts around the world, the other opportunity to sign him was when he had to sign his first professional contract at that moment Monaco where his priority but he still stalled because he wanted to be assured a minimum amount of playing time which wasn't going to happen in most clubs mentioned previously, so even then Monaco where the only real option outside of maybe Lyon and other clubs at that level.

people shouldn't be fouled by this type of comments made by the likes of Wenger and apparently Giggs, most of the times there is a very good reason why a club like United, Barcelona, Bayern or Real Madrid don't sign the likes of Mbappé, it's because the prospects have their own agenda and big clubs have a hard time convincing them that they are a good match.

 

[Jazz]

Meh, who are what to believe? I could have sworn I read that we enquired about Martial and Mbappe? Apparently Monaco said Mbappe would be even more expensive or words to that effect.

Giggs is saying the opposite, so have no clue what to believe.

In any case, we didn't get them so we move on.

 

[golden_blunder]

Why is that ironic? Jose did also say he'd not have sold Chicharito.

Ironic because Giggs is saying the same as the man who got the job ahead of him

Mr pedantic

 

[golden_blunder]

Why all this hate towards Giggsy?!

It’s mad. Even for a club legend as soon as they leave united for some fans it’s like they stood on dog turd

 

[Bastian]

Ironic because Giggs is saying the same as the man who got the job ahead of him

Mr pedantic

Ha. You're right

 

[izec]

These kind of comments belong in the "what I don't understand about football" thread.

What's the point in saying this? See I told you so? Look at me, I have such an eye for talent. You should've said it then. I told Feyenoord to sign Messi, Ronaldo and Zico, but I didn't have their phone number, who cares.

To keep his name out there. I have an eye for talent + i am l am looking for a manager job, dont forget me

 

[Robbie Boy]

I know you’ll never get tired of putting the boot in to Welbeck but injuries are the only reason he hasn’t been starting every game for Arsenal since he joined them.

Not really. He's constantly benched. Still think it was a ridiculous move for someone that was so desperate for first team football.

 

[Varun]

Clubs have been trying to sign Mbappe since he was 13. He's not a hidden gem one could nick for 5mil a year ago.

 

[led_scholes]

We definitely were, seeing as we signed Mbappe's team-mate. I like Martial but it does seem borderline negligent that our scouts spent that much time watching Monaco's youth players and picked out Martial as the only one worth signing.

But it wasn't only our scouts who picked only Martial. Arsenal and Chelsea made a bid for Martial back then and only Martial.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

Well knowing Giggs it seem reasonable. They are similar flair players to how Giggs played and should have caught his eye. Not any LVG players though very clearly.

 

[Jaybomb]

You keep believing that sir.

If we had the other two, you’d probably say the same thing. Some United fans just envy other teams players instead of supporting their own. It sickens me.

 

[TinFoil]

This his new gimmick now ? Impersonating Wenger?

 

[podurban2]

Clubs have been trying to sign Mbappe since he was 13. He's not a hidden gem one could nick for 5mil a year ago.

Three years ago.

 

[Barca84]

Ryan Giggs, 963 apps, 168 goals, getting the usual level of respect from the caf.

 

[sammsky1]

Ryan Giggs, 963 apps, 168 goals, getting the usual level of respect from the caf.

No one is commenting on his ability and contributions as a player.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Ok, but what you described it was most top clubs who want to be successful want players with the traits you mentioned. City would want players with traits you described, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern etc etc, not just United.

That's about 5-7 of the biggest clubs out of shitoads of them. It's doesn't devalue the statement even if you could apply it to a few more clubs.

 

[RedCurry]

Ryan Arsene Giggs.

 

[Varun]

Three years ago.

Even then.

 

[golden_blunder]

Ryan Arsene Giggs.

There is no need for that is there? Giggs hasn’t managed. He’s only talking

 

[NinjaZombie]

Interesting to note that Martial, a player Van Gaal said he bought for Giggs, is about the only one of the signings from LVG that can be said to be a part of the first team nowadays.

 

[Adisa]

I've been hearing about Mbappe since he was 16. The idea we could have signed him for £5m is fanciful.

 

[Barca84]

No one is commenting on his ability and contributions as a player.

Just an observation on the amount of people taking the piss out of the opinion of one of our greatest and most decorated players.

It's an odd phenomena and occurs whenever Giggs has something to say.

 

[Oakie]

Ryan Giggs, 963 apps, 168 goals, getting the usual level of respect from the caf.

The stick Giggs gets is he is a snide 2 faced back stabbing creep who got his brothers wife pregnant and made her have an abortion.

He is still one of my fav players BUT he no longer plays on the pitch and to be a manager you need trust if he could feck over a brother that bad then nothing would be safe.

He either stood back and did nothing under Moyes/LVG or worked against them as he seems to try and distance him self from a job that he also failed(assistant manager)

Though it could just be that i have a moral compass and i dislike snakes.

 

[Barca84]

The stick Giggs gets is he is a snide 2 faced back stabbing creep who got his brothers wife pregnant and made her have an abortion.

He is still one of my fav players BUT he no longer plays on the pitch and to be a manager you need trust if he could feck over a brother that bad then nothing would be safe.

He either stood back and did nothing under Moyes/LVG or worked against them as he seems to try and distance him self from a job that he also failed(assistant manager)

Though it could just be that i have a moral compass and i dislike snakes.

Hysterical nonsense.

And proving my point. Thanks.

 

[United_We_Stand]

In the interview Giggs also talked about succeeding LvG and Mourinho's appointment.

“I thought I was in with a shout,” Giggs told The Times of replacing Van Gaal. “But the club were in a difficult situation. They had fallen down the pecking order, so do they go for someone who — and it winds me up saying this — hasn’t got experience as a manager or do they go for a winner?
“They went for a winner, in José, a win-at-all-costs type of manager. Is José a typical Manchester United manager? Probably not, but United were in a situation of ‘How quickly can we get back to the top?’ I totally understand that. I just felt I could have brought continuity. I knew the players. I know what a Manchester United player looks like.”

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[el3mel]

You'll never become United manager, Giggsy, give it a rest and go do something better for your life, like managing another team. After Mourinho we'll get another big manager, definitely not you.

 

[BigCaine]

Hysterical nonsense.

And proving my point. Thanks.

Don't think it is hysterical to respect Giggs the football player and hate Giggs the human being.

 

[Barca84]

Don't think it is hysterical to respect Giggs the football player and hate Giggs the human being.

Good job that's not what I said was hysterical nonsense then eh?

 

[marlowe78]

Cmon, this is a Wenger-type comment. I don't know why coaches do this to themselves.

 

[King.of.Red]

What a riduculous post

what?you dislike my post? then just put me in your ignore list. simple.
I admire giggs as football player on the pitch. off, I dont like a person like him. fecking cheater always disgusts me and in this interview, he talked like he is so great to have eyes for talents, especially about mbappe. so funny...

 

[VeevaVee]

So much negativity for someone saying a pretty simple thing. People love being bitter on the internet.

 

[shamans]

I know people will disagree because it's Giggs saying this but he's absolutely bang on.

Yep. Nowadays anything on these boards related Giggs is negative.