COMMENT: Ryan Giggs has outgrown Manchester United. That is, he's outgrown the Manchester United of Jose Mourinho.
Even if Rui Faria was to stay away, it would've been a mistake for Giggs to stay shuffling on the treadmill for a third season. Sure, it would've meant promotion. Being Mourinho's No2 would mean a helluva lot more responsibility than the piecemeal stuff he was afforded by Louis van Gaal. Even pundits in his homeland lambasted the Dutchman over the way he froze out Giggs during his tenure.
But Giggs, if he's serious about a management career, needs to branch out on his own. His fans need him to do so. As one of several assistants over the past three seasons, he's been able to duck the flak of United's failings under Van Gaal and before him, David Moyes. He hasn't had to take responsibility for a scattergun transfer policy nor a slipshod playing style. Indeed, with the odd word to a favoured scribe, he's been able to cast himself as a hero. The upholder of the United Way. Fighting for playing principles in the face of stubborn opposition from 'outsider' managers.
But he needs to be more than a nice thought. It's now time for Giggs to step out on his own. To be accountable. And prove he can be more than a chief executive's whim.
Ed Woodward has copped plenty since succeeding David Gill as United CEO. And rightly so. But he's been unfortunate with Giggs. The apprenticeship he mapped out for the Welshman, working alongside Moyes and then Van Gaal, had the ring of Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid or Patrick Vieira at Manchester City. If Van Gaal had just been that little more flexible, United would've had the perfect succession plan in place for the final year of the Dutchman's contract. However, priorities change. Those plans have been binned. And Giggs is now preparing to clean out his desk at Carrington.
The offer of a liaison role between the U21s and the first team is an interesting one. It's something Zidane had fulfilled in his time at Real. But Giggs, at this stage in his management career, is already over-qualified. His only choice now, upon his return from Dubai, will be to resign and plot his next move.
The void he will leave is huge. We can talk about connections to the past and United's traditions, but in practical terms, it will be a massive hole Giggs leaves behind. After almost 30 years at the club, the players, the staff, the youth and junior coaches... they will all have their own unique relationship with Giggs. And with a new, senior coaching team stepping in, his departure - and the identity of his replacement - needs to be managed carefully by Mourinho.
The liaison role can't be treated as a vanity project. It must be given weight and regarded as more than something symbolic. Of course, for United fans, seeing Paul Scholes or Rio Ferdinand in the dugout, or speaking in the media on behalf of Mourinho will be welcome. But this opportunity needs to be more than tokenism. There is room at United for Woodward and Mourinho to kickoff a 'Giggs project mk2'. To give an opportunity to another Giggs-type who wants to learn the craft of management from the ground up.
As stated, Rio Ferdinand has been mentioned. As has Gary Neville and Paul Scholes. But can you really see any of those three managing Premier League clubs in five years' time?
Ferdinand, with all his business interests, has too many fingers in too many pies to be considered a serious candidate. Do you really believe he has the commitment of a Vieira, who is now in his sixth year of a management apprenticeship at City? This is, after all, the same geezer, who claimed as soon as he had his coaching badges he was expecting a top post "and if I don't get a job in management I will wonder why". Just this week, some in the press were claiming the United role would be the first step for Rio on his way to the England job. Yeah, short memories, hey? The very same thing was said about Neville six months ago. Then Valencia happened...
Like Giggs, he may not want the job, but the best candidate for this United role has to be Phil Neville. A man with a great United background. Popular. A leader. And someone who has approached the first years of his coaching career with a seriousness that Mourinho would appreciate. A year at United, then over 12 months in Spain with Valencia. And before that, Neville worked with the England U21s.
He knows United from top to bottom and inside-out. And you fancy, for Phil, this role would be no part-time gimmick. It would be another rung on the ladder to eventually managing in the Premier League.
With all change at the top and a favourite son cutting all ties, these are serious times for United. Mourinho needs serious, committed football men to make the transition as seamless as possible. Phil Neville is ideal candidate to fill the Giggs void.
