Ryan Giggs Comments on Becoming Manager, Future, More

Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs defended his departure from the club earlier this year and commented on his future as a manager on Saturday, per the Telegraph's Jason Burt.

Giggs announced his exit from Old Trafford last month to end a 29-year association with the club. His last post was as an assistant to Louis van Gaal, predecessor to current manager Jose Mourinho, and he told Burt it was an invaluable experience.

“Being an assistant [manager] was great," the Welshman said. "It was a brilliant education for me, but if you want to be a manager, then you can’t stay as an assistant.”

It was following Mourinho's appointment at United when Giggs swiftly confirmed his departure, but it seems as though the former Red Devils midfielder is open to a return to the game in a touchline capacity, per Burt:

"

Coaching is the next best thing to playing… and also I don’t mind making decisions, tough decisions, and that won’t be a problem for me. Because I played for so long I had that role in the dressing room – if I had to tell someone, I told them. People don’t see that from the outside because I am quite a quiet person and I have never shown that on the pitch, but I have no problem making decisions.

"

There was a time when it seemed as though Giggs was destined for the Old Trafford dugout, and Sir Alex Ferguson's 2013 retirement, followed by David Moyes' torrid season at the helm, only appeared to fuel that option.

Upon Giggs' announcement that he would be leaving his club of almost three decades, Mourinho, the man many supposed might have pushed him out, insisted the parting of ways was not down to him, per BT Sport:

The question is whether Giggs will indeed use the knowledge passed on to him by his former bosses and take that step into senior management, having already gotten a taste as United's interim chief in 2014.

At 42 years of age, Giggs seems to be set on making that move, and he went on to outline his short spell as United's interim manager as one of education, per Burt:

"

I only managed United for four games but in that short space of time I learnt so much. You are stood there and it’s not like a player where you can directly influence. So that teaches you very quickly that your preparation needs to be right, you need to make the tough decisions and what is right for the team.

Now I am not stupid and I know it’s going to be difficult but I have always thought that if you are going to get better you have to take yourself out of the comfort zone and I am willing to do that.

"

There could be a familiar face competing with Giggs for the United hot seat in the future, though, and Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News has outlined Gary Neville as an arguably superior candidate:

While many Premier League fans might hope to hear otherwise, Giggs added he's "in no rush to go back into coaching or managing,” mentioning he also has to be "open-minded" regarding his options.

After he made close to 900 appearances for the club, many United fans may hope to one day see their icon back at Old Trafford, and if he's half as good a manager as he was a player, he's sure to be a success.