Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes are not quite ready to be pensioned off yet but Sir Alex Ferguson intends ensure the pair remain at Old Trafford for many years to come.
Now 34 and 33 respectively, neither Giggs nor Scholes lasted the full 120 minutes in Moscow on Wednesday as Manchester United overcame Chelsea.
Nevertheless, Ferguson still believes the pair are capable of '25 to 30' games next season as United took to retain the Premier League and UEFA Champions League trophies.
But the Scot is looking way beyond that.
Using Bayern Munich as a template, the Red Devils have already appointed former skipper Bryan Robson as an ambassador, spreading the United gospel in the same way club director Sir Bobby Charlton tends to do.
And Ferguson can see roles for Giggs and Scholes in the same way should they eventually choose to accept.
"I like the structure of former players being part of the club," said Ferguson.
"For years I have been saying former players, who have done so much for this club, should be included in the future.
"The model of that is Bayern Munich, which is why I am so pleased Bryan Robson is now an ambassador, while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been brought straight on to the coaching staff."
Indeed, after helping out with the first-team strikers this term Solskjaer will get even more responsibility next year as, accompanied by Warren Joyce, he takes charge of the reserve side, allowing Brian McClair to revert back to his role of academy director.
Ferguson feels it is the perfect way for Solskjaer to hone his coaching skills, particularly as he can pass on bits of advice to the second-string striking pool, likely to include promising youngster Danny Welbeck on a regular basis next term.
"Coaching the reserve side is a difficult job now," said Ferguson.
"You don't have a consistent squad of players because they change every week and it is only a slight advancement on youth football because there are so few teams playing experienced players in it.
"That is one of the reasons we started loaning players out in numbers.
"We have half-a-dozen going out every year now and that needs managing as well."
Joyce will monitor those who have been sent elsewhere, the first of which is goalkeeper Tom Heaton, who it has been confirmed will spend next term at Cardiff as Ben Foster will provide stiffer competition for UEFA Champions League shoot-out hero Edwin van der Sar.
Clearly, neither Giggs nor Scholes are going anywhere.
And, while Ferguson has a rough idea what to expect from the duo, he is reluctant to put any artificial limits on their contribution.
"My hope is that next year they play around 25 to 30 games each but it depends on their performance level," said Ferguson.
"I would not put barriers in the way of them continuing as they always have.
"They have both looked after themselves and gone about their business in the right fashion.
"They don't have any weight issues. Paul has had more serious injuries than Ryan but if he stays clear of those he can continue for the next couple of years without question.
"Ryan, because he is such a slim lad, could play until he is 38. And that would be at Manchester United." |
發表於 2008-5-25 06:42 PM
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