David Beckham believes what the rest of us have thought and assumed for quite some time now: that Ryan Giggs will one day manage the Manchester United first team.
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Ever since Giggs retired in 2014 and served as player-manager for the final four games following David Moyes‘ departure that season, then stayed on as Louis Van Gaal‘s no. 2 last summer, it’s been the safest assumption this side of “Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will score lots of goal this year” that Giggs would one day be “the man” at the only club for which he ever played.
Now, the 41-year-old Welshman has the blessing and support of his “Class of 1992” pal. Beckham, on Giggs managing United one day — quotes from Soccerly:
“I have always said that Giggsy has this streak running through him that you see in top managers.
“I saw it as a player. He is so determined and when you have got someone like that at a club like this, someone who is from this part of the world and knows so much about this club — it’s so embedded into him — it means so much to fans, so I hope that at some point Giggsy does take over.
“It might not be for the next five or 10 years, but at some point it would be amazing for the fans to have him. To have Giggsy sat on the line preparing himself to become a manager is exciting.”
Van Gaal’s current contract runs through the summer of 2016, and the Dutchman has frequently hinted that he’ll only be sticking around for the duration of his present deal. Which, of course, leaves an opening at Old Trafford next summer.
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Giggs is already well down the path to earning his coaching badges, which would qualify him to manage in the Premier League on a full-time basis as soon as completed. Having played under legendary United manager Sir Alex Ferguson for 24 years and served under Van Gaal, an established manager in his own right, one would assume Giggs will be sufficiently prepared for the challenge the day the offer lands on his desk.
