Welsh Wizard Giggs Will Roar On

Still Going
By Chris O'Brien
March 30 2005

United winger Ryan Giggs has promised Welsh boss John Toshack that he has no intention of retiring from international football just yet. The 30-year-old was honoured to skipper his country against Austria on Saturday, and he looks set to continue with the captain's armband for Wales.

With World Cup qualification looking an impossibility, many believe Ryan Giggs' international career is set to reach an abrupt end. However, the winger has insisted to manager John Toshack that he has no intention from retiring from international football and believes he could go onto skipper his country well into his late 30's.

The recent retirement of Gary Speed as seen Giggs be selected as captain for the Welsh. He wore the armband as any hopes Wales had of qualifying for the World Cup finals crumbled against Austria on Saturday. Two late goals from the visitors saw Giggs' team go down 2-0 at the Millennium Stadium, leaving them with a pathetic two points from their opening five qualifiers.

Wales undoubtedly missed their best chance for qualifying for a major tournament in years under Mark Hughes. Maximum points from their opening four qualifiers, including shock wins in Finland and at home to Italy, left Wales on the brink of qualification for the European Championships under the leadership of a Red Devils legend, Sparky. However, they blew it and ended up going out in the playoffs to Russia over two legs. With the chance to play in a major tournament all but dead and buried, Giggs insists he is still motivated by the prospect of helping to educate the younger Welsh players.

"Hopefully I can do the job long-term. This has been a special spell for me and the greatest honour you can have is to captain your country." said the 30-year-old.

"I enjoyed Saturday even if we lost. Long term it is up to John Toshack but I am looking forward to doing it again."

"What motivates me is seeing new young players willing to learn and improve. Some of us have suffered setbacks in our own international careers but we want to keep going, help the youngsters improve and show some short-term improvement. My long-term aim is still to get to a major finals."

Giggs will again skipper is country as they visit Austria in the return fixture on Wednesday. With Poland and England almost certainties to qualify, Wales are playing for nothing but pride. However, despite their bleak campaign thus far and a Welsh team reeling at the loss of Speed and Robbie Savage through retirements, they are ManUtdWeb's betting tip at 10/3 for the week!