Eurosport - Tue, 06 Jan 16:37:00 2009
Manchester United midfielder Ryan Giggs has given a strong hint that he could retire when his contract expires in the summer.
The 35-year-old Welshman has not yet been offered a new deal and admitted that, after 19 years of loyal service to the reigning Premier League champions, he may be forced to hang up his boots.
"I will keep playing as long as I enjoy it, I am fit and the manager wants me," Giggs told The Sun.
"If one of those three things stops, I will consider retiring.
"It could be at the end of this season. Or it could be the next one. I am at the end of my contract in May, so we will see. At the minute, there hasn't been any contact with United.
"I am as fit as I have ever been. The only difference is recovering from games.
"Two days after a game, I am still tired. Before, I could play Saturday-Wednesday, Saturday-Wednesday no problem.
"Today, I would be a lot less efficient at doing things. Nowadays, I only play once a week, it's very good that way."
Giggs has won every possible trophy during his time at United, with 10 Premier League titles and two Champions League crowns representing the pinnacle of his achievements.
He admits that he would slip into retirement as a contented man, should he be forced to do so, with age having mellowed him and allowed him to appreciate how fortunate he has been.
Giggs added: "Today, victories and titles make me happier than when I was younger, because I know that they could be the last ones.
"The Champions League win last season made me a lot happier than in 1999, for instance.
"I am lot more confident than I was before. My relation to stress has changed over the years.
"When I was first in the first team, at 17 or 18, I felt no pressure at all. Nothing. It lasted for three to four years.
"Then things changed, injuries happened, I had poor games, and suddenly I started feeling the pressure. It weighed on my game.
"But since I turned 30, I don't think about anything any more, there's no pressure."
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Giggs is a playing legend!!!!
Ste Hunt 18..............I stand corrected!
True about Michael Owen though, He was born and raised in Ewloe, N.Wales!
With reference to the comment by "steven.hunt18" , Giggs played several times for england youth side, which gave him the option to choose who he played for, alas he opted for wales, (had he played for englad, who knowns what he would have acheived) :)and england come to that, lol
Anyone who says anything bad about Giggs really is just doing it to wind folk up. theres no other reason.
Not a manure fan, but deffo one of the best players ever........is it 10 PL titles and some great goals!!
@ mick_cummins.
you say ronaldo is a one trick pony?... would this one trick be scoring an amazing amount of goals? not a bad trick for a footballer ey? and Giggs? which trick are you refering to? his blistering pace in his younger years? his brilliant crossing ability? his vision, his work rate, or his link up play which he has adopted in his last few years in the game? learn somethin about the game kid.
honkeysrus you have said it perfectly! Ryan has always been a valuable player at Man U and will be sorely missed. Like honkeysrus has said he is a model player both on and off the pitch. i hope if he chooses to he will get an extension for another year, however like others have said if not i hope he follows Brian McClair and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer into a coaching roll. I have to also agree my most memeriable moment was that goal in the FA cup reply against Arsenal!!! If this is his last season i would like to say, thank you Ryan for 19 tremendous years and good luck to you in the future, whatever you choose to do you will be missed.
Paul mc -No Giggsy is welsh he was born in Cardiff and brought up in Ely in Cardiff, 2 streets from me, he ended up in Salford through his dad playing RL & being spotted playing union on the parks.In fact Danny moved back & still lives in Cardiff.He could not play for England he was'nt eligible.NONE of his relevant relatives are English !!
steven k you are a disgrace to liverpool fans, giggs is one of the greatest footballers of our era, he's contributed to all united's titles. you are a @#$%, and don't deserve to be associated with football at all, vere mind liverpool fc.
congrats to giggs, and all the best for his future if he does retire
Giggsy is a professional and a true legend. His loyalty is second to none. He could have moved to greener pastures if he had wanted to but he stuck with ManU. Loyalty is very rare indeed nowadays and that is why he is a role model not only to the ManU players but also to the other BPL players. It will be a great loss to the BPL when he retired. I hope he would still have a role at ManU when he hang up his boots for the final time. All the best and thank you for giving your best to ManU.
59 comments out of order. Your hatred is disgusting. I have no favourites and just now and again fanatics like you should acknowledge what British players have done for the game and Giggs is one. You must be very young to put up Carragher as a legend. Please I am still rolling around laughing. You missed Kenny Dalgleish and Rush but they are Scottish and Welsh, like me. Dip out boyo.
In the where respect and loyalty are sold for currency, people like Giggs are few and far between. I'm not a United fan, but I have nothing but the utmost respect to Giggs. He is not only a United legend, but a Premier League legend. He is the example today's kids should be looking towards emulating, not the show boaters.
Might I also say, it is good to see a lot of respect from a number of the posters here. Granted, there are still the sickos around - but it is great to see that some people can see past the colour of their jersey to give appreciation to this legend.
spot on,!!!! honkeysrus. great comment, from a loyal and true man utd fan, :)
steven k, you disgusting sack of @#$%, when has a Man Utd fan said something like that about a Liverpool player? Heck, i'm a United fan and admire Gerrard as one of the best, if not the best midfielder in England. the rivalry is always there but that doesn't mean the repect isn't. Grow up.
Ryan is and always was a model professional, other than his infamous break up with Lisa Snowdon in the 90's when have you seen or heard of him in tabloids ? Other than winning young footballer of the year. When he goes and another true great of the sport in Paul Scholes I honestly believe the standard of football at Man Utd will drop, if it wasnt for these 2 alot of talent would have got spoiled over the years. Managers can only do so much as can coaches, it is how they interact on the pitch that gets them noticed and the older players like Ryan and Paul are integral to that. Be you a Man Utd fan or not, everyone should be able to respect Giggs for his achievments, Old Alan Hansen thought he had 1 record that was always safe but along came the loyal class of 92 and goodbye went his record. It is nice to see fans from other clubs on here giving the great one his dues, but you do always get morons wherever u go and this board is no exception. Thanks for the memories Ryan, your FA Cup goal vs Arsenal in 1999, the countless derby day supreme showings, your celebration with Incey always gave me a chuckle and everything else you have done for us down the years. If this is to be your last season I hope you join Brian McClair and Ole Solskjaer in the backroom staff as your pressence will always be wanted in the Theatre Of Dreams.
Steven K, unbelievable, you complete and utter moron, you make me ashamed to have come from Liverpool. Utd fan....
P.S. Giggsy has terrorised Gerrard and Carragher on more than one occasion and left them on their arses...
man utd zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
giggsy is a united legend and belongs on the hall of fame with the likes of eric cantona, mark hughes and bryan robson. if he decides to retire he would be sadly missed, but then again his commitment to the club has never been in question. he is a truly wonderful player.
Well, as i have been a supporter for the last 40ish years, It is common knowledge that united are the most hated team, merely because of there continued success,:) It makesme sick to see the likes of steven k, who appear to be blind or just bumb, and very thick scouser trash ,Come on sir alex, keep up the great work and show the rest how is done for several more years ahead!!!
His loyalty, dedication and talent are exempt from the players of today. this guy is a legend he has set a record which i see it leaving for a while as the only player to play fro a top club for 20yrs with quality service from day1 to day last of his footballing carrier path.
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