Assistant manager Ryan Giggs is desperate to see Manchester United back in the biggest competition in Europe, the Champions League. United have not been performing to the level expected of a club of their status in recent seasons.
After the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson, the club have struggled to achieve the kind of success the Scotsman is famous for. One of those failures has been United’s Champions League performances.
The Red Devils were knocked out in the group stages of the competition and Giggs who has won it twice with the club misses it. “It hurts that we are not in it, of course. We had a year out of the Champions League and we missed it. We do miss it [now]. You watch it on TV and you wish you were involved.”
The former United midfielder knows how tough the competition is and the aura it carries saying, “It's the elite competition. As a footballer you want challenges and as coaching staff you want to be challenging the best coaches in the world.”
United still in two competitions: Giggs
United have struggled once again this season with Louis Van Gaal’s men currently four points behind Manchester City who occupy the last Champions League place. But the Welshman is confident his team can make up ground on their rivals saying, “It's not a big gap. Especially when you look at the league this season, teams are going to drop points.”
But the Red Devils’ first task is to turn around a 2-0 deficit from their first leg defeat against Liverpool in the Europa League “And we will try to turn it around against Liverpool. It's something we believe we can do.”
The 42-year-old feels his team are still in the fight for two competitions with a fourth place finish their main goal in the Premier League. “It's been a freak season. It's a very tough league where nothing is guaranteed and crazy things have happened. We are still in the Europa League, the FA Cup and trying to get into the top four. Those are the main objectives.”
Giggs not thinking about coaching future
With results not going their way United boss Louis Van Gaal is under enormous pressure from the fans to deliver. Many want a change in regime next season with Jose Mourinho being tipped to take over.
But Ryan Giggs has also been mentioned as one of possible candidates, with several wanting him to succeed the Dutchman. But Giggs himself is not thinking about the future.”I am relaxed about it. I am enjoying coaching. I would like to win more games, and be further up the table, but going out on the pitch and putting on sessions is probably the next best thing to playing.”
