Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is convinced Ryan Giggs would forego any individual awards to collect another Premiership winner's medal this season.
The most decorated player in English football history picked up another winners' medal - his 29th - following Sunday's Carling Cup Final appearance against Tottenham. Although he was only an extra-time substitute, Giggs played his part in the victory, stroking home the first spot-kick as the Red Devils triumphed on penalties.
It only strengthened the Welshman's claim to be either the PFA or FWA player of the year, a title he has never won despite an extraordinary career. Ferguson does feel the 35-year-old has a chance this season, along with Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Edwin van der Sar.
However, the United boss knows Giggs well enough to appreciate the player is more interested in team achievements than individual accolades.
"Ryan has never been player of year," said Ferguson. "We must have players who are challenging for that honour this season and I would be delighted if any of them won it.
"But they would all rather win a big major honour than get an award from the PFA or FWA."
Giggs first came to Ferguson's attention more than two decades ago.
In his autobiography, he likened the winger to 'a dog, chasing a piece of silver paper on the wind'.
Such dazzling displays of wing-craft may be a thing of the past but Giggs is still reaching milestones few could have predicted during those schoolboy days, even if his talent was obvious to quite a few teams at the time.
"You couldn't imagine at that stage what he would go on to," said Ferguson. "He was just a kid and you knew there was a long way to go before he could justify all the praise that was heaped on him because he got all the plaudits.
"In his final year he played 147 matches, finishing off against Germany at Wembley for England schoolboys, which just summed up the crazy development of players in this country.
"He needed special care. But he is also an exceptional human being and a complete athlete."
