Giggs Confirms Commitment

When Ryan Giggs was given the captaincy of Wales by boss John Toshack it was thought to be a ploy to keep him from walking away from his country. But the Manchester United star says his long-term commitment will always be to Wales.

Giggs : ‘It’s fair to say I’m here for the long haul, I want my country to succeed.

‘You are always going to get people supporting you or against you, but I have tried to keep away from all that. People have asked me questions about things, but all I have done is avoid them.

‘There have been changes, sure, but I have been around a long time and seen it all really. Nothing surprises me and you just have to handle it.’

He added: ‘I have enjoyed being captain, but it is something I have done from a very young age really. It is not as new to me as people think.

‘I was captain of Salford Schools, then Manchester United’s youth team and I have captained the senior side many times.

‘When I did first get into the side at Old Trafford there have been some pretty special captains to work under.

‘I have learned from all my captains. Steve Bruce, Bryan Robson and Roy Keane have all been very vocal, and Eric Cantona just led by example.

‘And for Wales, Gary Speed was a fine captain, also very vocal, and hopefully I have learned something from all of them.

‘My way is to try to set an example. To try to keep people calm on the pitch and in the dressing room, I’m not a shouter but I would hope that the way I carry myself generally is that example.

‘Not just on the pitch, but around the hotel, around the squad, how I prepare and how I train. And maybe I am suited to being a captain.

‘Probably my best performances for Wales have come when I have had the armband, there is a responsibility that I enjoy and can accept.

‘I’m no Tony Adams, with his force of character. And there’s no kicking doors and screaming like you get from some captains, I want to lead by example.

‘I would hope that the younger players would maybe study the way the seniors work, the way I prepare for matches, and learn from it. There are lots of little things you do that help in the long run.

‘It is fair to say that I am in this for the long haul, I want to see my country succeed. We are doing it now with more younger players, that’s the way it is.

‘I’ve also been doing the discussions with the FAW over the bonuses and things ahead of the Euro qualifiers, that means meeting David Collins, the secretary general.

‘But it is something I am used to because I have been involved in how the Manchester United players’ pool operates and those discussions, so it is nothing daunting.’