Sir Alex Ferguson Comments on Ryan Giggs' Departure from Manchester United

Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson believes Ryan Giggs has picked the right time to leave the Red Devils and has backed him to find success as a manager.

The Welshman and club icon spent 29 years at Old Trafford but will not be part of new manager Jose Mourinho's coaching staff, as the former Chelsea man has opted for his trusty assistant, Rui Faria. 

According to BBC Sport's Simon Stone, Ferguson said that was the right decision:

"

It is time Ryan stood on his own feet, got out there and accepted the challenge.

[...] You have got to have, in your assistant, someone you have trusted all your life.

When I came to United, I brought Archie Knox because he was a valuable person for me. I trusted him 100%. Jose Mourinho has had his assistant for years and, quite rightly, has stuck by his own man.

If Jose hadn't had an assistant, I know he would have taken Ryan.

"

Per the report, Giggs and United couldn't agree on an alternative role, which led to the split. 

The former Wales international was one of the favourites to replace Louis van Gaal as the Red Devils' new manager after a short spell in charge of the club as interim boss after David Moyes' sacking.

Poulsen Lars/Associated Press

According to the Sun (h/t the Daily Express' Bruce Archer), he even believed he was in the lead for the job at one point, but Mourinho's appointment followed soon after. 

A split between Giggs and the club seemed almost inevitable from that point onward, as Van Gaal's assistant has all of the necessary coaching badges and has been preparing for his chance to manage a team for years.

Per Sky Sports News HQ, Giggs confirmed his decision to walk away on Saturday:

Ferguson is sure he has the qualities needed to be a great manager, per Stone:

"

I talk about his poker face. He has a bit of steel about him.

It is such a highly intense results industry, you need people who go into it to have a bit of steel about them, a bit of character and personality.

[... ] I think he is ready to manage and he has a lot of quality. He doesn't want to spoil that quality by going to a club where it is sacking a manager every two minutes.

"

According to Stone, Giggs has been linked with several clubs for some time now. We likely won't have to wait long before he announces where he'll be coaching next year.

Follow @ReverschPass