Though he has added to the Manchester United ranks the likes of Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Jose Mourinho's inability to find a role for Ryan Giggs behind the scenes at Old Trafford has been one of the more difficult pills for fans to swallow as the club adopts its new regime.
For the first time since he was in his mid-teens, Giggs hasn't been involved in the hustle and bustle of pre-season football and this free time has allowed him to diversify his portfolio in the game. He spent two weeks this summer competing in a futsal tournament in India, as well as accepting an offer to be a TV anaylst during the European Championships.
Giggs had served in the backroom staff at United since Alex Ferguson retired and with it closed off an era of dominance that had almost become effortless. The Welshman was trusted with a senior coaching role under David Moyes and then the assistant manager job by Louis van Gaal but, Giggs said, he always knew that this stage of his career would be temporary.
Being an assistant [manager] was great. It was a great education for me but if you want to become a manager you can't stay an assistant.
It seems that his apprenticeship at Manchester United will become part of Giggs' own managerial identity too, as some of his statements seem like they could have come directly from his former boss Ferguson. Much like the Scot, Giggs reserves a distinct uneasiness with the level of celebrity that comes with the game nowadays.
It is hard. It is hard to take because I never grew up like that. I was rewarded for my performances, whereas now you are rewarded for being a good prospect and not actually doing it, not actually playing in the first team yet. You have a club, you have to have a mentality where you recruit the right players who are hungry, who are not interested in being on 20 grand a week in the reserves, who want to be rewarded for their performances.
You might end up losing players to other clubs who are not prepared to do it. But I think ultimately that everyone has to work together on this in some way – the clubs, the Premier League, the Football Association – and try and reverse what has happened.
Giggs has already managed at the top level, though just for four games in between the David Moyes and Louis van Gaal changeover, but even in that brief time feels that a lot was learned which can be added to his own managerial toolbox.
You are stood there and it’s not like a player where you can directly influence. So that teaches you very quickly that your preparation needs to be right, you need to make the tough decisions and what is right for the team. Now I am not stupid and I know it’s going to be difficult but I have always thought that if you are going to get better you have to take yourself out of the comfort zone and I am willing to do that.
As for where he the next permanent stop in his career will be, Giggs remains willing to tackle any challenge.
I don’t think you can be choosy in that way with a first job, although especially for someone like myself who has played for Man United I know the spotlight is going to be on me and that first job has to be right, but I do have to be open-minded.
