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Giggs ready for next challenge

Fri 29 May, 10:20 AM


Ryan Giggs is already looking towards the target of helping Manchester United reach a third successive Champions League final.

As United trooped back through Manchester airport on Thursday, there was no parade to look forward to, only the realisation of letting themselves down in Rome on Wednesday night as Barcelona were crowned Europe's best team.

"Great teams and great players always look forward to the next challenge and we are going for a third Champions League final," said 35-year-old Giggs.

"No one likes to experience this kind of feeling and we must use that as motivation next season," he added.

Sir Alex Ferguson will waste no time analysing what went wrong and attempting to find solutions. To a man, the Red Devils have held up their hands to admit Barcelona were the better side at the Stadio Olimpico, with a clear edge in all areas.

But, while veteran Welshman Giggs is as crushed as anyone by the chronic failure to perform, he insists there are moments to cherish from the campaign as well.

"It has been a fantastic season and we must not forget that. We have achieved so much," he said. "All we have done is fall just short at the final hurdle in the Champions League. We are still a great team and we have great players in that dressing room."

Whereas this season history beckoned in Europe with the ultimately doomed attempt to become the first team to retain the biggest club prize in the game since it was reinvented as the Champions League in 1992, next year it will be at home.

Having drawn level with Liverpool on 18 league titles this term, Giggs knows one more - which would be his 12th - would not only allow the Old Trafford outfit to overtake their north-west rivals, it would also see them become the first side in English football to win the championship four years in a row.

"To win three Premier League titles on the trot is an unbelievable thing to do," said Giggs. "Now we must look to make it four."

 

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  1. what a load of morons.. united have lost 1 game in­ europe in 2 year...1 game!! and all of a sudden the­ players cant compete and they are past it??? haha, you­ know nothing about football. Yes barca were better on­ the night, but to say scholes, giggs, carrick etcetc­ are not up to it?? its just plain stupid. If ferguson (­ who knows more about the game thatn ANY of you will­ ever know!!) picks a team you should accept that it is­ the best team to play. either that or go back to Champ­ manager and live the dream!

    From sknowles79, on Fri 5 Jun 2:41PM

  2. Comment 49, let me say that Giggs was a great player­­ but no longer. Everyone that I know who watched The­ Champion's League Final did wonder what Giggs­ actually did in the match. This sentiment has also been­ supported by numerous United fans by their comments in­ the sports forums and blogs. It is time for the team to­ move on­ without him and also without Scholes. As for­ Carrick,­ just let me point out that Capello has­ warned­ United's England Internationals ie.­ Ferdinand,­ Rooney and Carrick that he expects them to­ show the­ same level of desire and commitment as that­­ demonstrated by John Terry. Mr Capello, who is no mug,­­ clearly saw something in their performances against­­ Barcelona which has given him cause for concern. I­­ suggest that you start living in the present if you,­­ like me, want to see United continue to progress and­­ win more trophies. Past heroes who are well beyond­­ their "sellbuy date" are not the answer. I­ suggest that you get your head out of the sands and­ start reading the quality sports papers to discover­ what others are saying about our players. You will find­ that your views are very much in the minority.

    From BRIAN, on Tue 2 Jun 8:24AM

  3. Comment 37, let me say that Giggs was a great player­ but no longer. It is time for the team to move on­ without him and also without Scholes. As for Carrick,­ just let me point out that Capello has warned­ United's England Internationals ie. Ferdinand,­ Rooney and Carrick that he expects them to show the­ same level of desire and commitment as that­ demonstrated by John Terry. Mr Capello, who is no mug,­ clearly saw something in their performances against­ Barcelona which has given him cause for concern. I­ suggest that you start living in the present if you,­ like me, want to see United continue to progress and­ win more trophies. Past heroes who are well beyond­ their "sellbuy date" are not the answer.

    From BRIAN, on Tue 2 Jun 8:09AM

  4. briansharam
    I think that you might be a little bit­ demented. I mean never starting gigs in a starting line­ up? He is a great player who works for the team and can­ go a full 90 minutes. And as for your coments about­ carrick and company then im afraid you are a slight­ tit. I mean SAF would not have bought these players if­ they could not compete at the highest level and he has­ had scholsey from the start so who are we to question­ what he does? Noone knows united like SAF so i suggest­ you shut up about his desicions ad let him sort out­ united ok?

    From rachel.field2, on Mon 1 Jun 9:36PM

  5. Comment 37, if I am a tit, you my friend are a­ brain-dead and blind observer. Look at all of the­ plaudits being directed towards Barca from The Press,­ TV Pundits, Football Pundits and people like us­ commenting on the sports forums and blogs and you will­ see that all the talk is about Barca's player's­ work ethic, commitment and industry and the ability to­ control the ball and make telling passes in tight­ situations. Did we see any of that from United. The­ complete answer is a resounding "NO". I stick­ with my earlier comments and will finish by saying that­ Giggs should never again be included in Man U's­ starting line-up.

    From BRIAN, on Mon 1 Jun 10:19AM

  6. "giggs ready for next challenge" what would­ that be, to learn how to play football by any chance,­ or collect his pension.

    From Bike 69, mabaho ka !, on Mon 1 Jun 7:43AM

  7. im a united but i admit we were poor in champo final­ and barca were better in all ares of the pitch­ especially midfield. Amazing. Xavi iniesta and messi­ just pure skill, ability and proffesionalism. Look­ forward though to a 4th league win in a row a new­ record and a 3rd consequtive champo final oh and new­ players

    From matthew_lilley, on Sun 31 May 9:03PM

  8. I watched the game as an impartial, Barcelona played­ better and scored more goals to put in simply. At times­ their passing under pressure was inspirational and a­ Master Class for others to learn from. You have to­ learn from the benchmark that superior teams set. Man­ Utd will bounce back, from what I have seen of them,­ giving up isn't an option.

    From stuntmonkey, on Sun 31 May 10:20AM

  9. Barca had lucky escape with Chelsea, Barca can't ­ rule the world, next season may be another English team­ I am sure not Manu, Mr Giggs you are wrong.

    From Augustine, on Sun 31 May 10:16AM

  10. 42 sheiladd
    you are a complete idiot who knows nothing­ about football - 2 goals from two errors - did you­ watch the match you fool haha

    From luke.herridge, on Sat 30 May 9:09PM

  11. Ready for the next challenge? Right, walking with­ ginger nuts and co to the knackers yard to be melted in­ to glue might be more realistic. Old whisky breath is­ so overdue a stroke now too.
    Great team? 3 plastic­ manure manufactured mini replica euro trophies?­
    Hahahahaa - pathetic and so sad, just like the­ humiliation in Rome Buahahahaaaa and the 4-1 drubbing­ at OT Muahahahaaaa - dream on you deluded jealous­ mankers.

    There is only 1 club in the UK that has the­ actual champs league trophy in their cabinet.­

    'Our Best ever squad' lol your demise is­ clear for all to see and you couldn't even get to­ no1 - after all that whinging, buying refs and scrappy­ 1-0 extra time flukes - always be sloppy 2nds.

    May you­ always walk alone with your prawn baguette munching­ glory hunting muppets in our shadows sad fux­ Wahahhaaaaaaaa 8D

    From sheiladdd, on Sat 30 May 8:47PM

  12. all these internet warriors who think they know better­ than fergusson make me laugh...

    From funky, on Sat 30 May 5:28PM

  13. JEEEZZZZ YOU MANC'S REALLY ARE A BUNCH OF MOANING­ WHINGING BAS#%&$@*

    From Kim, on Sat 30 May 5:19PM

  14. Giggs should never have started the game..sir alex did­ this out of respect for giggs and he paid the price(WE­ LOST)...the only thing he needs to analyze is next time­ pick the best players for the job leave your personal­ feelings out by the waste basket

    From raidernation, on Sat 30 May 4:57PM

  15. comment 35 briansharman u r a tit...ill accept any­ team selection fergusson puts out..hes been there seen­ it and got the t-shirt...what have u done to warrant­ such views...now leave the management skills and team­ selection to fergie and just sit back and enjoy­ watching whatever team he puts out..

    From funky, on Sat 30 May 2:37PM

  16. comment 35 briansharman u r a tit...ill accept any­ team selection fergusson puts out..hes been there seen­ it and got the t-shirt...what have u done to warrant­ such views...now leave the management skills and team­ selection to fergie and just sit back and enjoy­ watching whatever team he puts out..

    From funky, on Sat 30 May 2:37PM

  17. Respect for Gigs his Loyalty to ManU is second to no­ one and his ability to still play at his old age is­ amazing! Can see him coming on as a sub at 50 years old­ lol..

    From LFC Liverpool top of the kops, on Sat 30 May 12:18PM

  18. I am a life-long Man U fan but being brutally honest,­ the likes of Giggs, Scholes, Carrick and even Anderson­ should not be part of United's midfield. We need­ players who have the necessary technical skills coupled­ with physical presence and the work ethic to compete­ for ninety minutes and beyond. I also believe that we­ need some taller players in the midfield area. When did­ we actually win a ball in the air unless it was Ronaldo­ on the end of the pass? In last week's Final and to­ give a glaring example of the lack of industry, Carrick­ gave the ball away, which resulted in the first goal­ and made no attempt to recover the ball. Anderson who­ was nearby simply trotted behind the Barca player in­ possession. Vidic made a powder puff attempt at a­ tackle and let's face it, Van der Sar could have­ done much better with his goal keeping. And whilst all­ this was going on Evra, not for the first time, was­ miles out of position and as for Giggs, he was like the­ invisible man; nowhere to be seen. Finally, I am­ puzzled at the inclusion of Ferdinand. Prior to the­ last Premiership game against Hull, SAF announced on­ Sky Sports News that if Ferdinand was not fit to play­ against Hull, he would not be cosidered for the­ Champion's League Final. What changed SAF's­ mind? It certainly was not any real belief in­ Ferdinand's heart and commitment to defend his area­ at all cost. Barca's second goal was evidence of­ that.

    From BRIAN, on Sat 30 May 11:37AM

  19. Comment 15, you fail to recognise that a­ "cheating" ref allowed Barca to progress in­ the Champions League. Chelsea should have been awarded­ at least three penalties two of them committed by Pique­ who on another day could even have been sent off.­ Further, Pique should have been sent off in the Final.­ He deliberately body checked Ronaldo to prevent a goal­ scoring opportunity and as the last outfield player,­ Pique should have been off. Pique certainly enjoyed a­ "charmed life" in both the Final and­ Semi-final. I am certain beyond doubt that the­ referees, faced with the same offences, would not have­ not have been so tolerant towards any Chelsea or Man U­ players. Let's face it, Platini and his pals did­ not want another English Club to win the Final.

    From BRIAN, on Sat 30 May 10:31AM

  20. oooo i hink RAFASCRACKINGUP is slightly jealous of­ welsh ba5tards, f/_\cking @#$%

    From Andy T, on Sat 30 May 9:57AM
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