The Welsh coaching set-up could soon have an English tint with new manager Ryan Giggs looking at his former Manchester United team-mates from their famed class of ’92. Dai Sport’s Alun Rhys Chivers has his doubts and asks what it means for the highly-regarded Osian Roberts.
Much like The Busby Babes decades before them, The Class of ’92 have etched their names into the Manchester United history books – the likes of Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, Gary and Phil Neville and, of course, David Beckham becoming club legends. Simply, they were part of one of the most successful eras in the club’s history under Sir Alex Ferguson.
The eldest member of the FA Youth Cup ’92 gang, new Welsh manager Ryan Giggs was also the last of them to hang up his boots. Giggs, Scholes, Butt and the Neville brothers are all owners of Salford City FC. And it now seems possible that a handful of them could come together for a chapter which might be looked back upon as ‘The Class of ’92: The Welsh Years’.
All five are still cutting their teeth in coaching and management. Gary Neville spent just under four months at Valencia before being sacked, and hinted that he may not consider a return to coaching or management for five years.
He was also joined by brother Phil, who is close to securing the role of England Women’s manager. Paul Scholes is working his way through his Uefa coaching badges and was most recently linked with the Oldham manager role, having assisted Nicky Butt, Manchester United’s Head of Academy at Old Trafford.
In his first press conference as manager of Wales, Giggs hinted strongly that his backroom staff could include a number of The Class of ’92, saying it would comprise “a balance of Welsh and potentially non-Welsh” coaches.
For ‘non-Welsh’, read ‘English’? Scholes and Butt would seemingly be the best fit of the aforementioned group, having been prominent members of the team that assisted Giggs in his short stint as Old Trafford number one after Louis van Gaal’s departure.
Addressing the issue at Hensol Castle of his staff appointments, Giggs told the assembled media: “I’m not giving you names right now but they have to be right for the job. They have to be someone who will contribute to the success of the Welsh national team and that is my main focus. You’ve got to have the right dynamic around the team. You don’t want to be managing your coaching staff. You’ve got enough [to do] managing your football team.”
Given the overwhelming support given by the Welsh fans to Osian Roberts in the race for the top job, it would be fair to say that Giggs would have an outcry on his hands if he were to cast aside the Welsh-speaking assistant who served Chris Coleman so well.
He knows the players, he knows what led to Coleman’s success with them and most of all, keeping Osian Roberts would send a message that Giggs recognises the need to maintain the status quo and that wholesale changes are not the way forward. But it ultimately hinges on whether Roberts himself wants to continue.
But most importantly, I’m sure I’m not alone in urging Giggs to think carefully before turning the Welsh coaching set-up into a breeding ground and work experience placement for former Manchester United players whose attentions have turned to coaching.
That Giggs could use the Welsh job as a springboard to the Old Trafford hotseat is one thing. That he might bring his former team-mates along for the ride, is quite another.
Friendlies, relationships and proving the critics wrong
If Giggs thought he was in for an easy ride in his first meeting with the Welsh football media, he will have left realising that questions surrounding the widespread doubts over his appointment won’t go away in a hurry. After all, Giggs the player often faced criticism for his withdrawal from friendly matches – albeit largely down to Sir Alex Ferguson’s influence. Giggs the manager addressed the issue openly.
He said, “I played over 1,000 games. I didn’t get there without managing myself. Early in my career, I had loads of problems with my hamstrings. I missed loads of United games. The criticism I’m getting is something I have to deal with and I’ll deal with that by winning games. I think it is a bit unfair but football is about winning games.”
In his defence, he refers to his disappointment at missing a home friendly against Brazil but with the benefit of his limited managerial experience, he emphasises the need to manage players as well as potential ‘club v country’ conflicts which can hamper the very best international players if left unresolved.
“You have to have relationships with the clubs in international football and that’s what I plan to do. It’s about managing what’s best for the player and also the country. When you’ve got the Champions League quarter-finals and you’re asking players to travel all over the world, there is a conversation to be had and it’s about striking that balance and making sure the player’s welfare is first and foremost. But you also want your best players to play for your country.
“There has to be flexibility because every situation will be different. Ultimately I want all the players to report for every game but that’s impossible for whatever reason. You pick a squad for a reason and you see over the years, some pull out, some come back in, it gives others a chance. It’s about having that flexibility and having a good relationship with the players and clubs.”
Nobody will disagree with such an honest assessment of a difficult situation. But what could come back to haunt Giggs if he’s not careful is a potential backlash should he disagree with a player’s decision to withdraw from friendlies. However, Giggs insists dealing with such a situation is “something I’m not afraid of”.
“You’re going to get criticised as a manager all the time and that’s just something you have to deal with. Every situation’s going to be different. A different history with the player, different times of the season and ultimately it’s about getting Wales to a championship, getting them to the Euros and the World Cup for the first time in a long time.”
After appointing his backroom staff, Giggs’ first task with the players will be to prepare for his first match in charge, at the China Cup against the hosts in March. He is unlikely to be judged too much on that competition alone. The real test will come during the Euro 2020 and World Cup 2022 qualifying campaigns.
The secret to silencing his critics, says Giggs, is simple. “I expect people to have different opinions. Some will support you, some won’t. The only way to change their mind is to give it you’re all, which is what I intend to do. I intend to be successful, I intend to win games and that’s all I can do really. Everything else is out of my hands. To the people who have got an opinion of me not giving my all, I promise you I did playing for Wales and I’ll continue to do that as Welsh manager without a shadow of a doubt.”
For now, it seems, Ryan Giggs the manager is focused on The Class of 2018.